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A Dorian scale on guitar

Every note of the scale on the neck, 7 positions with tab, and the chords to play it over. Tap a note on the fretboard to hear it.

A Dorian: A (1) · B (2) · C (♭3) · D (4) · E (5) · F♯ (6) · G (♭7)

E1
B2
G3
D4
A5
E6

Swipe the neck sideways to see frets up to 15.

Tap any fret to hear its note.

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About the A Dorian scale

A Dorian is a minor scale with a major sixth (F♯). That one note makes it the minor sound of funk, soul, and jam-band rock. It has the same notes as G major.

Notes of the A Dorian scale

A Dorian has 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are 2-1-2-2-2-1-2 frets.

  • A1
  • B2
  • C♭3
  • D4
  • E5
  • F♯6
  • G♭7

A Dorian scale positions

Seven positions with three notes on each string cover the whole neck. Three notes per string keeps your hand in one place and makes fast runs even. Position 1 starts on the root, A, on the low E string.

  1. Position 1

    Frets 5–10
    EADGBe5678910ABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯GABCD
    e|----------------------------------------------7--8--10-8--7-----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------7--8--10----------------10-8--7--------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------5--7--9-----------------------------------9--7--5-----------------------------|
D|-------------------5--7--9-----------------------------------------------------9--7--5--------------------|
A|----------5--7--9-----------------------------------------------------------------------9--7--5-----------|
E|-5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8--7--5--|

  2. Position 2

    Frets 7–12
    EADGBe789101112BCDEF♯GABCDEF♯GABCDE
    e|----------------------------------------------8--10-12-10-8-----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------8--10-12----------------12-10-8--------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------7--9--11----------------------------------11-9--7-----------------------------|
D|-------------------7--9--10----------------------------------------------------10-9--7--------------------|
A|----------7--9--10----------------------------------------------------------------------10-9--7-----------|
E|-7--8--10----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-8--7--|

  3. Position 3

    Frets 8–14
    EADGBe891011121314CDEF♯GABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯
    e|----------------------------------------------10-12-14-12-10----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------10-12-13----------------13-12-10-------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------9--11-12----------------------------------12-11-9-----------------------------|
D|-------------------9--10-12----------------------------------------------------12-10-9--------------------|
A|----------9--10-12----------------------------------------------------------------------12-10-9-----------|
E|-8--10-12----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12-10-8--|

  4. Position 4

    Frets 10–15
    EADGBe101112131415DEF♯GABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯G
    e|----------------------------------------------12-14-15-14-12----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------12-13-15----------------15-13-12-------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------11-12-14----------------------------------14-12-11----------------------------|
D|-------------------10-12-14----------------------------------------------------14-12-10-------------------|
A|----------10-12-14----------------------------------------------------------------------14-12-10----------|
E|-10-12-14----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14-12-10-|

  5. Position 5

    Frets 12–17
    EADGBe121314151617EF♯GABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯GA
    e|----------------------------------------------14-15-17-15-14----------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------13-15-17----------------17-15-13-------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------12-14-16----------------------------------16-14-12----------------------------|
D|-------------------12-14-16----------------------------------------------------16-14-12-------------------|
A|----------12-14-15----------------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12----------|
E|-12-14-15----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12-|

  6. Position 6

    Frets 2–7
    EADGBe234567F♯GABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯GAB
    e|-------------------------------3-5-7-5-3-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------3-5-7-----------7-5-3-------------------------|
G|-------------------2-4-5-----------------------5-4-2-------------------|
D|-------------2-4-5-----------------------------------5-4-2-------------|
A|-------2-3-5-----------------------------------------------5-3-2-------|
E|-2-3-5-----------------------------------------------------------5-3-2-|

  7. Position 7

    Frets 3–8
    EADGBe345678GABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯GABC
    e|-------------------------------5-7-8-7-5-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------5-7-8-----------8-7-5-------------------------|
G|-------------------4-5-7-----------------------7-5-4-------------------|
D|-------------4-5-7-----------------------------------7-5-4-------------|
A|-------3-5-7-----------------------------------------------7-5-3-------|
E|-3-5-7-----------------------------------------------------------7-5-3-|

Filled notes are the root, A. The tab runs up the position and back down.

Chords that go with A Dorian

These are the chords of the scale: a triad built on each of its notes. Any progression made of them works with A Dorian.

  1. Ami
  2. Bmii
  3. CIII
  4. DIV
  5. Emv
  6. F♯dimvi°
  7. GVII

Relative scale

A Dorian has the same notes as G major. You can play the same shapes; what changes is the note you treat as home, G.

G major scale

How to practise the A Dorian scale

  1. Learn position 1 first. Play it up and down slowly with a metronome until every note is even.
  2. Say or hear the root each time you pass it, so you always know where home is.
  3. Join two positions: slide from the top of one into the next until you can move across the neck.
  4. Improvise over the chords above with only three or four notes at first, then add more.

Hear A Dorian in a real song

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A Dorian scale FAQ

What notes are in the A Dorian scale?

A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G. The formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.

How many positions does the A Dorian scale have?

Seven, when it is played with three notes on each string, as on this page. It is also taught as five CAGED shapes; both cover the whole neck with the same notes.

What chords go with the A Dorian scale?

Am, Bm, C, D, Em, F♯dim, G.

What is the difference between A Dorian and A minor?

A Dorian has a major sixth (F♯) where A minor has a minor sixth. That one note makes it brighter and less sad. A minor scale

More guitar scales

All guitar scales