The **Aeolian mode** is the sixth of the [[modes of the major scale]]: the scale that begins on the sixth note of a major scale, like the white keys from A to A. Its pattern of [[half steps and whole steps]] is W–H–W–W–H–W–W. The Aeolian mode is identical to the [[natural minor scale|natural minor]] scale. Compared with the [[major scale]], it lowers $\hat{3}$, $\hat{6}$, and $\hat{7}$. **Example 1** below shows C Aeolian, with scale-degree numbers above and [[solfège]] syllables below (*do*, *re*, *me*, *fa*, *sol*, *le*, *te*). ![[example modes of the major scale aeolian.png]] **Example 1.** C Aeolian mode. ![[example modes of the major scale aeolian.mp3]]