Aeolian dominant scale

The Aeolian dominant scale (Aeolian ♯3 scale), Mixolydian ♭6 scale, descending melodic major scale, or Hindu scale^[1][2] is the fifth mode of the ascending melodic minor scale. It is named Aeolian dominant because its sound derives from having a dominant seventh chord on the tonic in the context of what is otherwise the Aeolian mode.

Aeolian dominant scale

Modes	I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII
Component pitches
C, D, E, F, G, A♭, B♭
Qualities
Number of pitch classes	7
Forte number	7-34
Complement	5-34

It corresponds to Raga Charukeshi in Indian Classical music.

This scale can also be obtained by raising the third degree of the natural minor scale or lowering the sixth degree of the mixolydian scale.

Chords and chord progressions

This scale has the following chords (in Roman numeral major-based notation):

I ii_dim iii_dim iv v bVI+ bVII

There are also some chords that are found in the scale, but are spelled incorrectly. They are as follows (spelled enharmonically):

I+ III+

Seventh chords in this scale include:

I⁷ ii_m7b5 iii_m7b5 iv^maj7 v⁷ bVI+^maj7 bVII⁷

Common chord progressions in mixolydian ♭6 include:

I iv

I iv v bVII

Melodic major

See also: Major scale § Broader sense

The name melodic major refers to the combined scale that proceeds as natural major ascending and as Aeolian dominant descending. It is named melodic major because it closes the augmented second in the harmonic major scale by either sharpening the sixth (ascending) or flattening the seventh (descending).

Songs that use the Aeolian dominant scale

• Night Fire Dance from "Down to the Moon" album by Andreas Vollenweider.
• The Mask of Zorro song "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You", was composed in the Aeolian dominant scale mode. It was written by film composer James Horner.^{[3][failed verification]}
• Valar Morghulis of the Game of Thrones: Season 2 soundtrack, composed by Ramin Djawadi.

See also

• Backdoor progression