A♭ Dorian Scale

A♭ dorian

Notes

A♭ · B♭ · C♭ · D♭ · E♭ · F · G♭

Intervals

  • RootA♭ (1P)
  • Major 2ndB♭ (2M)
  • Minor 3rdC♭ (3m)
  • Perfect 4thD♭ (4P)
  • Perfect 5thE♭ (5P)
  • Major 6thF (6M)
  • Minor 7thG♭ (7m)

Fretboard

EBGDAE357912FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BA♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭

On the fretboard, B represents C♭.

Open in visualizer →

Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.

Modal character

A♭ Dorian is the 2nd mode of F♯ Major — the same seven notes started from its 2nd degree.

1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

Characteristic note — natural 6th (♮6). The natural 6th is what separates Dorian from the natural minor scale, lending a brighter, jazzier color to an otherwise minor sound.

Dorian lives over minor 7th chords (m7, m9, m11) and especially m6 and m13, where the natural 6th is a chord tone. It is the go-to sound for minor-key vamps and modal grooves, and the mode of the ii chord in a major ii–V–I.

Chords that use this mode

3-Notes-Per-String positions

Seven movable patterns, each covering all 6 strings with 3 consecutive scale tones per string. Root notes are shown in red.

All 7 patterns
Pattern 1frets 1–6
EBGDAE357FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭
Pattern 2frets 2–7
EBGDAE357G♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭B
Pattern 3frets 4–9
EBGDAE579A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭
Pattern 4frets 6–11
EBGDAE7912B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭
Pattern 5frets 7–13
EBGDAE79121314BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭F
Pattern 6frets 9–14
EBGDAE912131415D♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭
Pattern 7frets 11–16
EBGDAE121314151617E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭

Quartal voicings

Stacked perfect 4ths across four adjacent strings, sorted nut to heel. Root notes are circled in red.

All voicings
EBGDAE3FB♭E♭A♭
F root
EBGDAE3B♭E♭A♭D♭
Bb root
EBGDAE3E♭A♭D♭G♭
Eb root
EBGDAE57A♭D♭G♭B
Ab root
EBGDAE79E♭A♭D♭G♭
Eb root
EBGDAE35FB♭E♭A♭
F root
EBGDAE79B♭E♭A♭D♭
Bb root
EBGDAE9FB♭E♭A♭
F root
EBGDAE79A♭D♭G♭B
Ab root
EBGDAE121314E♭A♭D♭G♭
Eb root
EBGDAE121314A♭D♭G♭B
Ab root
EBGDAE9B♭E♭A♭D♭
Bb root

Diagrams

Ab Dorian Scale fretboard charts — tap any diagram to open it full size to save or print.

Ab Dorian Scale — notes Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb shown across the full guitar fretboard, frets 0 to 12.
Whole neck — frets 0–12
Ab Dorian Scale — seven 3-notes-per-string positions shown as fretboard neck slices.
Seven 3NPS positions
Ab Dorian Scale — quartal voicings shown as chord-box diagrams for all four roots.
Quartal voicings — 3 string sets, sorted nut to heel