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Guitar scale · Phrygian natural 6

G Dorian b2 Scale

Mode 2 of Melodic Minor: Dorian with a lowered 2nd. A minor scale with a Phrygian edge and a major 6th.

Notes GAbBbCDEF
Formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
Steps H W W W W H W
Mood Dark, Jazzy, Suspended
Heard in Over 7sus4♭9 chords, Modal Jazz

Interactive scale diagram

G Dorian b2 Scale · Standard tuning

STR OP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 E A D G B E

Tap any note to hear it.

G Dorian b2 Scale tab: all 5 positions

Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.

Position 1 · E shape frets 3–7
e|-----------------------------3-4-6-|
B|-------------------------5-6-------|
G|-------------------3-5-7-----------|
D|-------------3-5-6-----------------|
A|-------3-5-7-----------------------|
E|-3-4-6-----------------------------|
Position 2 · D shape frets 5–9
e|-----------------------------6-8-|
B|-----------------------6-8-9-----|
G|-----------------5-7-9-----------|
D|-----------5-6-8-----------------|
A|-----5-7-8-----------------------|
E|-6-8-----------------------------|
Position 3 · C shape frets 7–11
e|-----------------------------------8-10-|
B|----------------------------8-9-11------|
G|---------------------7-9-10-------------|
D|----------------8-10--------------------|
A|------7-8-10-11-------------------------|
E|-8-10-----------------------------------|
Position 4 · A shape frets 10–14
e|-------------------------------------------10-12-13-|
B|-------------------------------------11-13----------|
G|----------------------------10-12-13----------------|
D|-------------------10-12-14-------------------------|
A|----------10-11-13----------------------------------|
E|-10-12-13-------------------------------------------|
Position 5 · G shape frets 12–16
e|-------------------------------------------12-13-15-16-|
B|-------------------------------------13-15-------------|
G|----------------------------12-13-15-------------------|
D|-------------------12-14-15----------------------------|
A|-------------13-15-------------------------------------|
E|-12-13-15-16-------------------------------------------|

How to play G Dorian b2 on guitar

Find the root first: G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every G 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 3–7. 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.

Degrees

DegreeNote
1 G
♭2 Ab
♭3 Bb
4 C
5 D
6 E
♭7 F

Chords in G Dorian b2

Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in G Dorian b2; tap one to see its shapes.

Degree Chord 7th chord Function
i Gm Gm7 Tonic
♭II+ Abaug Abmaj7#5 Supertonic
♭III Bb Bb7 Mediant
IV C C7 Subdominant
v° Ddim Dm7b5 Dominant
vi° Edim Em7b5 Submediant
♭vii Fm Fm(maj7) Leading tone / subtonic

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Questions

What notes are in the G Dorian b2 Scale?
The G Dorian b2 Scale has 7 notes: G, Ab, Bb, C, D, E, F.
What chords are in the G Dorian b2 Scale?
The chords of G Dorian b2 are Gm (i), Abaug (♭II+), Bb (♭III), C (IV), Ddim (v°), Edim (vi°), Fm (♭vii).
What is the formula of the dorian b2 scale?
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, which is the step pattern H W W W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Where do I play G Dorian b2 on the guitar?
The root G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 3–7, and four more positions connect it up the neck.

Dorian b2 Scale in every key

More scales in G