G Dorian scale
G Dorian is G A B♭ C D E F. Dorian: a minor scale with a raised sixth, the second mode of the major pattern, minor in color yet lighter than natural minor.
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
- Steps
- W H W W W H W
- Notes
- 7
- Key signature
- 1 flat
- Mode
- Mode 2 of F major
Notes and degrees
The G Dorian scale has seven notes: G A B♭ C D E F. Each degree is named by its distance from the tonic, G.
| Degree | Note | Interval above G | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P1 | tonic | |
| 2 | M2 | supertonic | |
| 3 | m3 | mediant | |
| 4 | P4 | subdominant | |
| 5 | P5 | dominant | |
| 6 | M6 | submediant | |
| 7 | m7 | subtonic |
On the piano
Every key of the scale is lit in its own colour. Click one to hear it.
On the guitar
Every G scale tone on the first twelve frets in standard tuning. The tonic is ringed. Click a dot to hear the note.
Chords in G Dorian
Stacking thirds on each degree gives a triad and a seventh chord. The numerals are measured from the tonic against the major scale, so a ♭ means that chord root is lower than in major.
What it sounds like
Dorian follows the pattern whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half, whole. It keeps the minor third of natural minor, so its tonic triad is minor, but the sixth degree is raised a half step. That major sixth sits a whole step above the fifth and removes the heavy shadow of natural minor. The flattened seventh keeps the scale away from a leading tone, so the tonic does not sound like the target of a dominant. The result is a minor sound that feels open, modal, and less somber than natural minor.
Where you hear it
Dorian is common in folk music from several European traditions, where tunes end on their final and rarely use a leading tone. Medieval and Renaissance church music used it as one of the eight church modes. Jazz players use it over minor seventh chords, and modal jazz tunes often vamp on a single minor chord with Dorian notes. Funk, soul, and rock grooves on one minor chord often sound Dorian, because the raised sixth brightens the chord without changing its minor tonic. Guitarists also use it for riffs.
How it is built
Dorian is the second mode of the major pattern: rotate the major scale to start on D and the notes become Dorian. On C it has the same pitches as B♭ major, which makes Dorian on C the second mode of B♭ major. Its diatonic triads on C are C minor, D minor, E♭ major, F major, G minor, A diminished, and B♭ major. The tonic chord is a minor seventh, and the IV chord takes a dominant seventh, F7. Dorian differs from natural minor only in the sixth degree.
Scales with the same notes
These scales use the same seven pitches as G Dorian, starting from a different note.
Other G scales
- G major
- G natural minor
- G harmonic minor
- G melodic minor
- G Phrygian
- G Lydian
- G Mixolydian
- G Locrian
- G major pentatonic
- G minor pentatonic
- G blues
- G whole-tone
- G diminished (whole–half)
- G diminished (half–whole)
- G Phrygian dominant
- G Lydian dominant
- G altered
- G double harmonic major
- G Hungarian minor
- G bebop dominant
How to practise it
Play D Dorian on the white keys, D E F G A B C D, against a drone on D. Improvise over a Dm7 chord using only Dorian notes, with B natural as the target because it is the raised sixth. Play a Dm7 to G7 vamp and let the B sit over the dominant to hear how the raised sixth works. Then play the same vamp in D natural minor and compare the two colors.
Further reading
- Church Modes From Dorian to Locrian: A Practical GuideFundamentals · 7 min
- Chord-Scale Theory Explained: Which Scale Fits Which ChordJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
Questions
What are the notes of the G Dorian scale?
The G Dorian scale is G, A, B♭, C, D, E, F. Written ascending it returns to G an octave higher.
What is the formula for the G Dorian scale?
The formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 measured from the major scale. As steps that is W, H, W, W, W, H, W (W is a whole step, H a half step).
What key signature does G Dorian use?
G Dorian is written with 1 flat in the key signature.
Which chords belong to G Dorian?
Stacking thirds on each degree gives the triads Gm, Am, B♭, C, Dm, Edim, F.
What is the difference between Dorian and natural minor?
Dorian and natural minor share the tonic, third, fourth, fifth, and seventh. Only the sixth differs: natural minor has a minor sixth, while Dorian has a major sixth. On D, natural minor is D E F G A B♭ C and Dorian is D E F G A B C. The raised sixth makes Dorian lighter.
How do you build a Dorian scale?
Start on the second degree of a major scale. On D, the pattern is whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half, whole, giving D E F G A B C. Equivalently, raise the sixth of natural minor by a half step. Because Dorian on D uses the notes of C major, it has the same key signature as C major.
What chords go with Dorian?
On D, the diatonic triads are D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, B diminished, and C major. The tonic chord is minor, and the IV and VII chords are major. Jazz players use Dorian over minor seventh chords, since all four notes of Dm7 belong to the scale and the raised sixth adds color.