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Scale · 7 notes

B Dorian Scale

B Dorian is a 7-note scale with the notes B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A. It sounds minor with a bright raised 6th, cool and groovy, common in funk, rock and jazz.

DEABC♯F♯G♯

Purple = B (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every B dorian note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215EF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABDEF♯G♯ABC♯DEG♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯

Blue = B (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the B Dorian scale

DegreeNoteName
1BTonic
2C♯Supertonic
♭3DMediant
4ESubdominant
5F♯Dominant
6G♯Submediant
♭7ASubtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A.

B Dorian scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – H – W – W – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.

Chords in the B Dorian scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
iBmBm7
iiC♯mC♯m7
IIIDDmaj7
IVEE7
vF♯mF♯m7
vi°G♯°G♯ø7
VIIAAmaj7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

Related scales

  • Parent major scale: A Major, which has exactly the same notes as B Dorian.

How to practise the B Dorian scale

Learn each mode by its characteristic note: the one that makes it different from the major or minor scale it most resembles. Play a drone on the tonic while you play the scale to hear its colour.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the B Dorian scale?

The notes of the B Dorian scale are B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A.

What is the formula for the B Dorian scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is W – H – W – W – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.

What chords are in the B Dorian scale?

Built from the scale in triads: Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m, G♯°, A.

More B scales

B Major, B Natural Minor, B Harmonic Minor, B Melodic Minor, B Phrygian, B Lydian, B Mixolydian, B Locrian, B Major Pentatonic, B Minor Pentatonic, B Blues, B Lydian Dominant, B Altered, B Dorian ♭2, B Mixolydian ♭6, B Locrian ♯2, B Phrygian Dominant, B Hungarian Minor, B Double Harmonic, B Diminished (W–H), B Diminished (H–W), B Bebop Dominant, B Bebop Major

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.