F Dorian mode on guitar
The F Dorian mode has seven notes: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D and E♭ (1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7). A minor scale with a major 6th, which keeps it from sounding sad. The sound of minor funk, soul and jazz: play it over a m7 chord or a two-chord vamp like Am7 to D.
| Note | F | G | A♭ | B♭ | C | D | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | whole | half | whole | whole | whole | half | whole |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the F Dorian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; F (Fm) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (F) | Fmhome | Fm7home |
| 2 (G) | Gmcolour | Gm7colour |
| ♭3 (A♭) | A♭daylight | A♭maj7daylight |
| 4 (B♭) | B♭the door | B♭7the door |
| 5 (C) | Cmsoft fall | Cm7soft fall |
| 6 (D) | Ddimthe edge | Dm7♭5the edge |
| ♭7 (E♭) | E♭heroic | E♭maj7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the E♭ major scale, started from its second note, F.
Questions
What notes are in the F Dorian mode?
F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D and E♭. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W H W W W H W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the F Dorian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: Fm, Gm, A♭, B♭, Cm, Ddim and E♭, and as seventh chords Fm7, Gm7, A♭maj7, B♭7, Cm7, Dm7♭5 and E♭maj7. F is home: Fm is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Dorian mode in every key
Other scales in F
F majorF minorF minor pentatonicF major pentatonicF bluesF MixolydianF LydianF PhrygianF harmonic minorF melodic minorF Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.