B Dorian scale on guitar

The B Dorian scale has 7 notes: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A (B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G sharp, and A). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.

B 1
C♯ C sharp 2
D ♭3
E 4
F♯ F sharp 5
G♯ G sharp 6
A ♭7

BPM

Rhythm Metronome

B Dorian scale on guitar: the whole fretboard with the notes B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A, from fret 0 to 15

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (B) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 4 (frets 0 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: open (E), 2 (F♯), 4 (G♯)
string 5: open (A), 2 (B), 4 (C♯)
string 4: open (D), 2 (E), 4 (F♯)
string 3: 1 (G♯), 2 (A), 4 (B)
string 2: 2 (C♯), 3 (D), 5 (E)
string 1: 2 (F♯), 4 (G♯), 5 (A)

Position 5 (frets 2 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 2 (F♯), 4 (G♯), 5 (A)
string 5: 2 (B), 4 (C♯), 5 (D)
string 4: 2 (E), 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯)
string 3: 2 (A), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
string 2: 3 (D), 5 (E), 7 (F♯)
string 1: 4 (G♯), 5 (A), 7 (B)

Position 6 (frets 4 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 4 (G♯), 5 (A), 7 (B)
string 5: 4 (C♯), 5 (D), 7 (E)
string 4: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯), 7 (A)
string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯), 7 (D)
string 2: 5 (E), 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯)
string 1: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)

Position 7 (frets 5 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
string 5: 5 (D), 7 (E), 9 (F♯)
string 4: 6 (G♯), 7 (A), 9 (B)
string 3: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯), 10 (A)
string 1: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)

Position 1 (frets 7 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)
string 5: 7 (E), 9 (F♯), 11 (G♯)
string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
string 3: 7 (D), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
string 2: 9 (G♯), 10 (A), 12 (B)
string 1: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)

Position 2 (frets 9 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
string 5: 9 (F♯), 11 (G♯), 12 (A)
string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
string 3: 9 (E), 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 10 (D), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)

Position 3 (frets 10 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 10 (D), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)
string 5: 11 (G♯), 12 (A), 14 (B)
string 4: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 14 (E)
string 3: 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯), 14 (A)
string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯), 15 (D)
string 1: 12 (E), 14 (F♯)

Fretboard positions

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (B) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes.

Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.

Formula

B
W
C♯
H
D
W
E
W
F♯
W
G♯
H
A
W
B

Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · ♭7. Steps: W – H – W – W – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step).

About the Dorian scale

A minor mode with a major 6th. A "groovy" minor sound, common in funk, jazz and rock (Santana).

Harmonized scale (chords in the key)

The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.

Degree	Triad	Seventh chord
Im	Bm	Bm7
IIm	C♯m	C♯m7
III	D	D7M
IV	E	E7
Vm	F♯m	F♯m7
VI°	G♯°	G♯m7(b5)
VII	A	A7M

Arpeggios of these chords on guitar

Scales with the same notes

More B scales

Dorian in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the B Dorian scale?

The notes of the B Dorian scale are B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G sharp, and A. The root, degree 1, is B.

What is the formula of the B Dorian scale?

In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: W – H – W – W – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do you play the B Dorian scale on guitar?

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (B) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes. There are 7 positions on guitar, each with the full fingering.

Which chords belong to the B Dorian scale?

The chords of the harmonized scale are: Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m, G♯°, A.

On other instruments

All scales on guitar