F Dorian Guitar Scale

F Dorian Scale — Notes and Intervals

The F Dorian scale is the second mode of the major scale, offering a soulful and sophisticated minor sound. On Guitar, it contains the notes F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb. Because it features a major sixth, it sounds brighter and more hopeful than the natural minor. It is the go-to scale for jazz, funk, and modal blues. The diatonic chords of F Dorian are Fm7, Gm7, AbMaj7, Bb7, Cm7, Dm7b5, EbMaj7. Commonly used in Funk, Jazz, Fusion, Neo-Soul, Blues. Notable players include Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, D'Angelo. Use over m7, m9, m11, m13 chords. The go-to scale for any minor chord in funk, jazz, and soul. Works especially well over long minor vamps.

Notes: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m

Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7

Formula: W-H-W-W-W-H-W

Number of notes: 7

Diatonic Chords

Fm7 — Gm7 — A♭Maj7 — B♭7 — Cm7 — Dm7♭5 — E♭Maj7

Musical Character

The natural 6th degree (vs b6 in Aeolian) gives Dorian its signature 'hopeful minor' character — darker than major, but brighter than natural minor.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Funk, Jazz, Fusion, Neo-Soul, Blues

Notable players: Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, D'Angelo

How to Use the F Dorian Scale

Use over m7, m9, m11, m13 chords. The go-to scale for any minor chord in funk, jazz, and soul. Works especially well over long minor vamps.

Origin & Background

Named after the ancient Greek Dorians. Central to modal jazz since Miles Davis's Kind of Blue (1959). Represents a point of perfect balance in the modal spectrum — the only mode that produces the same mode when inverted. Sibelius's Symphony No. 6 in D Minor is actually composed in D Dorian. Nicolas Slonimsky described it as 'neutral in its equilibrium'.

How to Play F Dorian on Guitar

Place your index finger at fret 1 on the 6th (low E) to find your F root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is 8th fret on the A string.

The F Dorian scale contains 3 flats (Ab, Bb, Eb). Its relative major is Ab major, which shares the same key signature.

Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing

Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the F Dorian scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.

Try these progressions with the F Dorian scale: Fm7 - Bb7 - Cm7 - Fm7 (I-IV-V-I) or Fm7 - Gm7 - Bb7 - Cm7 for a more stepwise movement. This scale is especially effective in blues contexts.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, practice the F Dorian scale on a single string from the open position to the 12th fret. This trains your ear to hear the intervals linearly and helps with slide guitar applications. Aim for a soulful quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

Dorian is the 2nd mode of the Major scale. View F Major scale

• F Aeolian
• F Minor pentatonic
• F Minor six pentatonic
• F Kafi raga

The F Dorian scale contains 7 notes (F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for F Dorian

The F Dorian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.

Explore F Dorian Further

• Harmonize the F Dorian scale — triads & 7th chords
• Browse chord progressions
• F Dorian on Ukulele
• F Dorian on Bass
• F Dorian on Piano

Explore F Dorian in Other Tunings

• F Dorian in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• F Dorian in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• F Dorian in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• F Dorian in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• F Dorian in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• F Dorian in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• F Dorian in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• F Dorian in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• F Dorian in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• F Dorian in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• F Dorian in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• F Dorian in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• F Dorian in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• F Dorian in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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