Guitar scale · Dorian mode
G Dorian Scale
Minor mode featuring a major 6th degree, producing a cool, funky, and jazzy minor sound.
Tap any note to hear it.
G 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|-----------------------------3-5-6-| B|-------------------------5-6-------| G|-------------------3-5-7-----------| D|-------------3-5-7-----------------| A|-------3-5-7-----------------------| E|-3-5-6-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------5-6-8-| B|-------------------------6-8-------| G|-------------------5-7-9-----------| D|-------------5-7-8-----------------| A|-------5-7-8-----------------------| E|-5-6-8-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------8-10-| B|---------------------------8-10-11------| G|--------------------7-9-10--------------| D|-------------7-8-10---------------------| A|------7-8-10----------------------------| E|-8-10-----------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------10-12-13-| B|-------------------------------------11-13----------| G|----------------------------10-12-14----------------| D|-------------------10-12-14-------------------------| A|----------10-12-13----------------------------------| E|-10-12-13-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------12-13-15-| B|-------------------------------------13-15----------| G|----------------------------12-14-15----------------| D|-------------------12-14-15-------------------------| A|----------12-13-15----------------------------------| E|-12-13-15-------------------------------------------|
How to play G Dorian 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.
G Dorian uses exactly the same notes as F major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the F Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | G |
| 2 | A |
| ♭3 | Bb |
| 4 | C |
| 5 | D |
| 6 | E |
| ♭7 | F |
Chords in G Dorian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in G Dorian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Gm | Gm7 | Tonic |
| ii | Am | Am7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | Bb | Bbmaj7 | Mediant |
| IV | C | C7 | Subdominant |
| v | Dm | Dm7 | Dominant |
| vi° | Edim | Em7b5 | Submediant |
| ♭VII | F | Fmaj7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise G Dorian anywhere, even offline.
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Questions
- What notes are in the G Dorian Scale?
- The G Dorian Scale has 7 notes: G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F.
- What chords are in the G Dorian Scale?
- The chords of G Dorian are Gm (i), Am (ii), Bb (♭III), C (IV), Dm (v), Edim (vi°), F (♭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 G Dorian 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.