G DorianScale

Formula

W H W W W H W 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
The family

G Dorian on the chromatic circle

G Dorian is the 2nd mode of the Major family. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.

W W H W W W H ♭7 FI Ionian 1 GII Dorian 2 AIII Phrygian ♭3 B♭IV Lydian 4 CV Mixolydian 5 DVI Aeolian 6 EVII Locrian G Dorian
The whole neck

G 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.

3 5 7 9 12 15 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 1
Harmony

Chords in G Dorian

Stack every other note of the scale from each degree and you get its chords. Open any of them in the chord library.

DegreeChordNotes
iGm7G B♭ D F
iiAm7A C E G
♭IIIB♭maj7B♭ D F A
IVC7C E G B♭
vDm7D F A C
vi°Em7♭5E G B♭ D
♭VIIFmaj7F A C E
Context

Where G 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.

G 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

G Dorian scale questions

What notes are in the G Dorian scale?

G A B♭ C D E F. As degrees from the root: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.

What is the G 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 G Dorian scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of G 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 G shape to the E shape to the D shape to the C shape to the A shape.

What chords are in the G Dorian scale?

Gm7 (i), Am7 (ii), B♭maj7 (♭III), C7 (IV), Dm7 (v), Em7♭5 (vi°), Fmaj7 (♭VII).

When is the G 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.