Guitar scale · Dorian mode
E Dorian Scale
Minor mode featuring a major 6th degree, producing a cool, funky, and jazzy minor sound.
Tap any note to hear it.
E Dorian Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-----------------------------0-2-3-| B|-------------------------2-3-------| G|-------------------0-2-4-----------| D|-------------0-2-4-----------------| A|-------0-2-4-----------------------| E|-0-2-3-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------2-3-5-| B|-------------------------3-5-------| G|-------------------2-4-6-----------| D|-------------2-4-5-----------------| A|-------2-4-5-----------------------| E|-2-3-5-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------5-7-| B|-----------------------5-7-8-----| G|-----------------4-6-7-----------| D|-----------4-5-7-----------------| A|-----4-5-7-----------------------| E|-5-7-----------------------------|
e|----------------------------------7-9-10-| B|-----------------------------8-10--------| G|----------------------7-9-11-------------| D|---------------7-9-11--------------------| A|--------7-9-10---------------------------| E|-7-9-10----------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------9-10-12-| B|---------------------------------10-12---------| G|-------------------------9-11-12---------------| D|-----------------9-11-12-----------------------| A|---------9-10-12-------------------------------| E|-9-10-12---------------------------------------|
How to play E Dorian on guitar
Find the root first: E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every E on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (♭3, 5, ♭7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 0–4. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
E Dorian uses exactly the same notes as D major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the D Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | E |
| 2 | F# |
| ♭3 | G |
| 4 | A |
| 5 | B |
| 6 | C# |
| ♭7 | D |
Chords in E Dorian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in E Dorian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Em7 | Tonic |
| ii | F#m | F#m7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | G | Gmaj7 | Mediant |
| IV | A | A7 | Subdominant |
| v | Bm | Bm7 | Dominant |
| vi° | C#dim | C#m7b5 | Submediant |
| ♭VII | D | Dmaj7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise E Dorian anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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Questions
- What notes are in the E Dorian Scale?
- The E Dorian Scale has 7 notes: E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D.
- What chords are in the E Dorian Scale?
- The chords of E Dorian are Em (i), F#m (ii), G (♭III), A (IV), Bm (v), C#dim (vi°), D (♭VII).
- What is the formula of the dorian scale?
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, which is the step pattern W H W W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play E Dorian on the guitar?
- The root E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 0–4, and four more positions connect it up the neck.