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Scale · 7 notes

B Dorian ♭2 Scale

B Dorian ♭2 is a 7-note scale with the notes B C D E F♯ G♯ A. It sounds the second mode of melodic minor: Dorian with a flat 2nd, dark and exotic, used over sus♭9 chords.

CDEABF♯G♯

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

On the fretboard

Every B dorian ♭2 note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215EF♯G♯ABCDEF♯ABCDEF♯G♯ABCDEF♯G♯ABCDEG♯ABCDEF♯G♯ABCDEF♯G♯ABCDEF♯G♯ABCDEF♯

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

Notes in the B Dorian ♭2 scale

DegreeNoteName
1BTonic
♭2CSupertonic
♭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 ♭2 scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – 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 ♭2 scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
iBmBm7
II+C+C7♯5
IIIDD7
IVEE7
v°F♯°F♯ø7
vi°G♯°G♯ø7
viiAmAm(maj7)

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

How to practise the B Dorian ♭2 scale

Learn it as a rotation of a scale you already know (lydian dominant is melodic minor starting on its 4th note, altered starts on its 7th) and play it over the matching chord with a drone on the root.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the B Dorian ♭2 scale?

The notes of the B Dorian ♭2 scale are B C D E F♯ G♯ A.

What is the formula for the B Dorian ♭2 scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – 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 ♭2 scale?

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

More B scales

B Major, B Natural Minor, B Harmonic Minor, B Melodic Minor, B Dorian, B Phrygian, B Lydian, B Mixolydian, B Locrian, B Major Pentatonic, B Minor Pentatonic, B Blues, B Lydian Dominant, B Altered, 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.