Guitar scale · Dorian mode
F# Dorian Scale
Minor mode featuring a major 6th degree, producing a cool, funky, and jazzy minor sound.
Tap any note to hear it.
F# 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|-----------------------------2-4-5-| B|-------------------------4-5-------| G|-------------------2-4-6-----------| D|-------------2-4-6-----------------| A|-------2-4-6-----------------------| E|-2-4-5-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------4-5-7-| B|-------------------------5-7-------| G|-------------------4-6-8-----------| D|-------------4-6-7-----------------| A|-------4-6-7-----------------------| E|-4-5-7-----------------------------|
e|------------------------------7-9-| B|-----------------------7-9-10-----| G|-----------------6-8-9------------| D|-----------6-7-9------------------| A|-----6-7-9------------------------| E|-7-9------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------9-11-12-| B|---------------------------------10-12---------| G|-------------------------9-11-13---------------| D|-----------------9-11-13-----------------------| A|---------9-11-12-------------------------------| E|-9-11-12---------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-12-14-| B|-------------------------------------12-14----------| G|----------------------------11-13-14----------------| D|-------------------11-13-14-------------------------| A|----------11-12-14----------------------------------| E|-11-12-14-------------------------------------------|
How to play F# Dorian on guitar
Find the root first: F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every F# 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 2–6. 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.
F# Dorian uses exactly the same notes as E major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the E Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | F# |
| 2 | G# |
| ♭3 | A |
| 4 | B |
| 5 | C# |
| 6 | D# |
| ♭7 | E |
Chords in F# Dorian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in F# Dorian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | F#m | F#m7 | Tonic |
| ii | G#m | G#m7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | A | Amaj7 | Mediant |
| IV | B | B7 | Subdominant |
| v | C#m | C#m7 | Dominant |
| vi° | D#dim | D#m7b5 | Submediant |
| ♭VII | E | Emaj7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise F# 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 F# Dorian Scale?
- The F# Dorian Scale has 7 notes: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E.
- What chords are in the F# Dorian Scale?
- The chords of F# Dorian are F#m (i), G#m (ii), A (♭III), B (IV), C#m (v), D#dim (vi°), E (♭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 F# Dorian on the guitar?
- The root F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 2–6, and four more positions connect it up the neck.