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Scale · 7 notes

C Dorian ♭2 Scale

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

CFGAD♭E♭B♭

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

On the fretboard

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

EADGBe135791215FGAB♭CD♭E♭FGAB♭CD♭E♭FGAB♭CE♭FGAB♭CD♭E♭FGAB♭CD♭E♭FGAB♭CD♭E♭FGAB♭CD♭FGAB♭CD♭E♭FG

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

Notes in the C Dorian ♭2 scale

DegreeNoteName
1CTonic
♭2D♭Supertonic
♭3E♭Mediant
4FSubdominant
5GDominant
6ASubmediant
♭7B♭Subtonic

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

C 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 C Dorian ♭2 scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
iCmCm7
II+D♭+D♭7♯5
IIIE♭E♭7
IVFF7
v°G°Gø7
vi°A°Aø7
viiB♭mB♭m(maj7)

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

How to practise the C 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 C Dorian ♭2 scale?

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

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

Built from the scale in triads: Cm, D♭+, E♭, F, G°, A°, B♭m.

More C scales

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