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Scale · 7 notes

F Dorian ♭2 Scale

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

CDFE♭G♭A♭B♭

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

On the fretboard

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

EADGBe135791215FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FA♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDFG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭

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

Notes in the F Dorian ♭2 scale

DegreeNoteName
1FTonic
♭2G♭Supertonic
♭3A♭Mediant
4B♭Subdominant
5CDominant
6DSubmediant
♭7E♭Subtonic

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

F 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 F Dorian ♭2 scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
iFmFm7
II+G♭+G♭7♯5
IIIA♭A♭7
IVB♭B♭7
v°C°Cø7
vi°D°Dø7
viiE♭mE♭m(maj7)

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

How to practise the F 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 F Dorian ♭2 scale?

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

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

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

More F scales

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