A Dorian Scale on Guitar
A B C D E F♯ G — minor with a raised 6th: the funky, soulful minor.
A dorian
Tap any fret to hear it. Gold dots are the root. Positions start at each scale note on the low string, so position 1 is the lowest box.
Notes and Intervals
| Note | Interval | From the root |
|---|---|---|
| A | R | Root · 0 semitones |
| B | 2 | Major 2nd · 2 semitones |
| C | ♭3 | Minor 3rd · 3 semitones |
| D | 4 | Perfect 4th · 5 semitones |
| E | 5 | Perfect 5th · 7 semitones |
| F♯ | 6 | Major 6th · 9 semitones |
| G | ♭7 | Minor 7th · 10 semitones |
Positions in Standard Tuning
| Position | Frets | Low E string starts on |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | E |
| 2 | 1–5 | F♯ |
| 3 | 2–6 | G |
| 4 | 4–8 | A · root |
| 5 | 6–10 | B |
| 6 | 7–11 | C |
| 7 | 9–13 | D |
Positions are numbered from the lowest box on the neck, as in the explorer above. Add 12 to any of them for the same shape an octave higher.
About the A Dorian Scale
The A Dorian mode is A, B, C, D, E, F♯ and G. It is a minor scale — it has the minor third, C — but its 6th is natural (F♯) rather than flat. That one note lifts the mood: Dorian sounds minor but not sad, which is why it suits funk, soul, jazz and jam-band soloing.
A Dorian uses the same notes as G major; it is G major played from its second note. You can find every Dorian shape by playing a major scale shape from its 2nd degree.
Finding It on the Fretboard
The scale has 7 notes, so it has 7 positions: five-fret windows that each start on a different scale note on the low E string. The one that starts on the root, A, covers frets 4 to 8. It is the shape most lessons teach first, and the easiest to keep your bearings in, because the root is under your hand on both E strings. Use the position buttons in the explorer to isolate each one, and switch the labels to intervals to see what every fret does in the scale.
Chords in the Scale
Stacking every other note of the scale gives these seven chords. Any of them, and progressions made from them, can be played under the scale:
How to Practise It
- Play A Dorian over an A drone and compare it with A natural minor. Only the F♯ differs; listen for it.
- Loop Am7 to D7 — the classic Dorian vamp — and solo, landing on F♯ over the D7.
- Start from the A minor pentatonic box and add B and F♯. That is the most common way rock players reach for Dorian.
- Try the same idea in D Dorian (all naturals, D to D) and E Dorian.
A steady reference makes every one of these more useful: open the drone generator on A in another tab and play against it.
Where You Hear It
Santana's "Oye Como Va" vamps between Am7 and D9, the defining Dorian chords. Miles Davis's "So What" is built on D Dorian. Funk grooves on a single minor-seventh chord very often call for Dorian rather than natural minor.
Whenever a minor-key song uses a major IV chord — Am to D — Dorian is the scale that fits both chords.
Explore every scale in every key in the scale explorer, or print the free guitar charts to practise away from a screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the notes of the A Dorian scale?
A, B, C, D, E, F♯ and G: root, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, 6 and ♭7.
What is the difference between Dorian and natural minor?
The 6th. Dorian has a major sixth (F♯ in A); natural minor has a minor sixth (F). Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as A Dorian?
G major. Dorian is the second mode of the major scale, so A Dorian is G major played from A.