C Dorian B2 Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Baritone (B Standard) tuning — fretboard diagram
C Dorian B2 in Baritone (B Standard) — Notes and Intervals
The C Dorian B2 scale is a soulful mode from the melodic minor system that combines the minor brightness of Dorian with the dark tension of a flattened second. On Guitar, the notes are C, Db, Eb, F, G, A, Bb. It is used in modern jazz and film scores to create a sound that is both sophisticated and slightly unsettling. Commonly used in Jazz, Film Scores, Fusion, Contemporary. Notable players include Wayne Shorter, Kenny Garrett, Brad Mehldau. Use over m7, m9, sus(b9) chords. Works on the ii chord in a minor ii-V-i when you want extra tension.
Notes: C, Db, Eb, F, G, A, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7
Formula: H-W-W-W-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Baritone (B Standard) (B-E-A-D-F#-B)
Also known as: phrygian #6, melodic minor second mode
About Baritone (B Standard) Tuning
The baritone guitar is tuned a perfect fourth lower than standard guitar (B-E-A-D-F#-B), producing a distinctly beefy tone with serious low-end depth that sits perfectly between guitar and bass. Its rich, dark voice has made it a secret weapon in film scoring, ambient music, and moody songwriting where you need that unmistakable low-end warmth without losing clarity.
Unlike simply tuning a standard guitar down (which causes floppy strings and muddy tone), the baritone guitar uses a longer scale length (typically 27"-30") designed specifically for lower tunings. This gives each note clarity and definition even in the lowest register. Session musicians, film composers, and bedroom producers alike reach for the baritone when they need dark, atmospheric textures, doom-laden riffs, or simply a different sonic palette that standard guitar can't deliver.
Notable artists: Pat Metheny, Nels Cline, Brian Setzer, Baritone session players in Nashville
Best for: Moody songwriting, film scoring, ambient textures, doom metal, and any production that needs low-end depth with clarity
Musical Character
Combines Dorian's soulful minor with the exotic tension of a b2, creating a sound that is both sophisticated and slightly sinister — a favorite for film noir and modern jazz.