Major (Ionian) vs Natural Minor (Aeolian) on Bass
The C major (ionian) and the C natural minor (aeolian) share 4 notes — C, D, F, G. From there, the C major (ionian) adds E, A, B, while the C natural minor (aeolian) adds Eb, Ab, Bb.
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 0 E (3), fret 1 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 3 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 4 Ab (flat 6), fret 5 A (6), fret 6 Bb (flat 7), fret 7 B (7), fret 8 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 10 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 11 Eb (flat 3), fret 12 E (3), fret 13 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 15 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 16 Ab (flat 6), fret 17 A (6), fret 18 Bb (flat 7), fret 19 B (7), fret 20 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 22 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 23 Eb (flat 3), fret 24 E (3).
- A string: fret 0 A (6), fret 1 Bb (flat 7), fret 2 B (7), fret 3 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 5 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 6 Eb (flat 3), fret 7 E (3), fret 8 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 10 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 11 Ab (flat 6), fret 12 A (6), fret 13 Bb (flat 7), fret 14 B (7), fret 15 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 17 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 18 Eb (flat 3), fret 19 E (3), fret 20 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 22 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 23 Ab (flat 6), fret 24 A (6).
- D string: fret 0 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 1 Eb (flat 3), fret 2 E (3), fret 3 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 5 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 6 Ab (flat 6), fret 7 A (6), fret 8 Bb (flat 7), fret 9 B (7), fret 10 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 12 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 13 Eb (flat 3), fret 14 E (3), fret 15 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 17 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 18 Ab (flat 6), fret 19 A (6), fret 20 Bb (flat 7), fret 21 B (7), fret 22 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 24 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)).
- G string: fret 0 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 1 Ab (flat 6), fret 2 A (6), fret 3 Bb (flat 7), fret 4 B (7), fret 5 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 7 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 8 Eb (flat 3), fret 9 E (3), fret 10 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 12 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 13 Ab (flat 6), fret 14 A (6), fret 15 Bb (flat 7), fret 16 B (7), fret 17 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 19 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 20 Eb (flat 3), fret 21 E (3), fret 22 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)), fret 24 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Natural Minor (Aeolian)).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Both scales above are drawn on one bass fretboard in the key of C. Notes belonging to both are drawn as a split two-color dot, so the notes they share and the notes unique to each are visible in one picture.
How the formulas differ
Scale degrees are the key-independent way to compare two scales — these stay the same in every key, and they are what actually distinguishes one scale from another.
| Scale | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | R · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 |
| Natural Minor (Aeolian) | R · 2 · b3 · 4 · 5 · b6 · b7 |
Notes in common
| Note | In Major (Ionian) | In Natural Minor (Aeolian) |
|---|---|---|
| C | R | R |
| D | 2 | 2 |
| F | 4 | 4 |
| G | 5 | 5 |
Notes that differ
- Only in the major (ionian): E (3), A (6), B (7)
- Only in the natural minor (aeolian): Eb (b3), Ab (b6), Bb (b7)