GuitarManac

F♯ Dorian scale

Notes in the scaleTap one to hear it and find it on the neck

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. ♭3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. ♭7
Key
CC♯DE♭EFF♯GG♯AB♭B
Scale

Every F♯ Dorian note on the neck.

3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABD♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯A
F♯ Dorian scale guide

The F♯ Dorian scale

Dorian is a minor scale with a major 6th. That one raised note makes it sound less dark than natural minor. It is common in funk, jazz, and rock solos over a minor chord that stays put.

It uses the same notes as E major, starting from F♯ instead of E.

Notes
F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
Steps
W H W W W H W
W is two frets, H is one fret

F♯ Dorian scale positions

Two common ways to split the neck into positions. CAGED gives five shapes, each built around a chord shape you may already know. Three notes per string gives seven patterns that are faster to play.

CAGED shapes

Five shapes named after the chord shape each one is built around.

  1. 3579121517F♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯A

    D shape

    Frets 1 to 5. Starts on F♯, the root, on the lowest string. The D shape of E major, the parent scale.
  2. 3579121517G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB

    C shape

    Frets 4 to 7. Starts on G♯, the 2, on the lowest string. The C shape of E major, the parent scale.
  3. 3579121517BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯

    A shape

    Frets 6 to 10. Starts on B, the 4, on the lowest string. The A shape of E major, the parent scale.
  4. 3579121517C♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

    G shape

    Frets 8 to 12. Starts on C♯, the 5, on the lowest string. The G shape of E major, the parent scale.
  5. 3579121517D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯

    E shape

    Frets 11 to 14. Starts on D♯, the 6, on the lowest string. The E shape of E major, the parent scale.

Three notes per string

Seven patterns. Pattern 1 starts on the root on the lowest string.

  1. 3579121517F♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB

    Position 1

    Frets 2 to 7. Starts on F♯, the root, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  2. 3579121517G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯

    Position 2

    Frets 4 to 9. Starts on G♯, the 2, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  3. 3579121517ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯

    Position 3

    Frets 5 to 11. Starts on A, the ♭3, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  4. 3579121517BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

    Position 4

    Frets 7 to 12. Starts on B, the 4, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  5. 3579121517C♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯

    Position 5

    Frets 9 to 14. Starts on C♯, the 5, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  6. 3579121517D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯

    Position 6

    Frets 11 to 16. Starts on D♯, the 6, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  7. 3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯A

    Position 7

    Open strings to fret 5. Starts on E, the ♭7, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.

Chords in F♯ Dorian

Built from the notes of the scale, so the F♯ Dorian scale works over all of them.