C DorianScale
Formula
C Dorian on the chromatic circle
C Dorian is the 2nd mode of the Major family. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.
C Dorian across the fretboard
Every note of the scale up to the 16th fret, named by its degree. The root is a ring. Step through the five CAGED positions one at a time in the scale library.
Chords in C Dorian
Stack every other note of the scale from each degree and you get its chords. Open any of them in the chord library.
Where C Dorian fits
Minor with a bright 6th: minor funk, soul, rock and jazz vamps. The usual choice over a m7 chord, such as the ii of a jazz ii–V–I.
C Dorian is mode 2 of the major family. The same notes played from each of its other degrees give the family's other modes:
Move one note by a half step and you get a different scale:
Dorian scale in every key
C Dorian scale questions
What notes are in the C Dorian scale?
C D E♭ F G A B♭. As degrees from the root: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.
What is the C Dorian scale formula?
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, or in steps between the notes, W H W W W H W (W is a whole step of two frets, H a half step of one fret, 1½ three frets).
How do you play the C Dorian scale on guitar?
This page draws every note of C Dorian up to the 16th fret, each named by its degree with the root as a ring. To learn it a few frets at a time, open it in the scale library and step through its five CAGED positions, from the C shape to the A shape to the G shape to the E shape to the D shape.
What chords are in the C Dorian scale?
Cm7 (i), Dm7 (ii), E♭maj7 (♭III), F7 (IV), Gm7 (v), Am7♭5 (vi°), B♭maj7 (♭VII).
When is the C Dorian scale used?
Minor with a bright 6th: minor funk, soul, rock and jazz vamps. The usual choice over a m7 chord, such as the ii of a jazz ii–V–I.