Dorian scale · 7 notes
F Dorian scale on guitar
The F 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.
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 1. Open position: frets 0–4.
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 3 flats (A♭, B♭ and E♭). 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.
- iFmF · A♭ · CFm7
- iiGmG · B♭ · DGm7
- ♭IIIA♭A♭ · C · E♭A♭maj7
- IVB♭B♭ · D · FB♭7
- vCmC · E♭ · GCm7
- vi°D°D · F · A♭Dm7♭5
- ♭VIIE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭maj7
Progressions to try
- Fm – B♭ i–IV · the classic Dorian vamp
- Fm – Gm i–ii
- Fm – 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) | 1 |
| B (2nd) | 6 |
| G (3rd) | 10 |
| D (4th) | 3 |
| A (5th) | 8 |
| Low E (6th) | 1 |
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 3 flats (A♭, B♭ and E♭).
What chords are in F Dorian?
Harmonising the F Dorian scale in thirds gives Fm (i), Gm (ii), A♭ (♭III), B♭ (IV), Cm (v), D° (vi°) and E♭ (♭VII).
Where do you play the F Dorian scale on guitar?
The root, F, is at fret 1 on the low E string and fret 8 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 0–4, 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.