The Dorian mode on guitar
Natural minor with a raised 6th. Darker than major, brighter than natural minor: the sound of a lot of funk, jazz and Latin rock.
A Dorian
A1B2C♭3D4E5F#6G♭7
Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 · Steps: W · H · W · W · W · H · W (W = whole step, H = half step) · 7 notes
Where it sits on the neck
Every A Dorian note from the open strings to the 12th fret, standard tuning. Gold dots are the root. Above the 12th fret the pattern repeats.
On a phone, swipe the diagram sideways to see the whole neck.
Songs that use it
- Oye Como Va (Santana), in A Dorian
In Fretdle
It's the daily board's scale on Fridays. The scale's notes are hidden on the board: you only see the roots, so knowing this pattern is the whole game.