Dorian scale · 7 notes
F♯ Dorian scale on guitar
The F♯ Dorian scale (F sharp Dorian scale) has 7 notes: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯ and E. A minor scale with a bright natural 6th: the sound of funk, jazz-rock and Santana. You may also see it written as G♭ Dorian, but F♯ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- F♯
- G♯
- A
- B
- C♯
- D♯
- E
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
Steps
W – H – W – W – W – H – W
Sound
Minor but hopeful, cool and funky
F♯ Dorian on the whole fretboard
Every F♯ Dorian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, F♯, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
F♯ at fret 2. 1st position: frets 1–5.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of F♯ Dorian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from F♯, the F♯ Dorian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 4 sharps (F♯, G♯, C♯ and D♯). Compared with F♯ minor, it has D♯ (6) instead of D.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F♯ | root | 0 |
| 2 | G♯ | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | A | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | B | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | C♯ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| 6 | D♯ | major 6th | 9 |
| ♭7 | E | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in F♯ Dorian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to F♯ Dorian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in F♯ Dorian.
- iF♯mF♯ · A · C♯F♯m7
- iiG♯mG♯ · B · D♯G♯m7
- ♭IIIAA · C♯ · EAmaj7
- IVBB · D♯ · F♯B7
- vC♯mC♯ · E · G♯C♯m7
- vi°D♯°D♯ · F♯ · AD♯m7♭5
- ♭VIIEE · G♯ · BEmaj7
Progressions to try
- F♯m – B i–IV · the classic Dorian vamp
- F♯m – G♯m i–ii
- F♯m – E – B i–♭VII–IV
How to use F♯ Dorian
Reach for it over minor 7th chords, one- or two-chord minor vamps (i–IV), funk, jazz, and Santana-style rock. Its sound is minor but hopeful, cool and funky.
Tip: Dorian is the natural minor with a raised 6th. Over a minor vamp, aim for that 6th: it is the note that makes Dorian sound like Dorian.
- F♯ Dorian contains exactly the notes of E major, played from its second note, F♯. See E major.
Where to find F♯ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every F♯ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with F♯ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 2 |
| B (2nd) | 7 |
| G (3rd) | 11 |
| D (4th) | 4 |
| A (5th) | 9 |
| Low E (6th) | 2 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as F♯ Dorian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
F♯ Dorian scale FAQ
What notes are in the F♯ Dorian scale?
The F♯ Dorian scale has 7 notes: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯ and E. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7. It contains 4 sharps (F♯, G♯, C♯ and D♯).
What chords are in F♯ Dorian?
Harmonising the F♯ Dorian scale in thirds gives F♯m (i), G♯m (ii), A (♭III), B (IV), C♯m (v), D♯° (vi°) and E (♭VII).
Where do you play the F♯ Dorian scale on guitar?
The root, F♯, is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 1–5, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as F♯ Dorian?
F♯ Dorian contains exactly the notes of E major, played from its second note, F♯.