F♭ Dorian at a glance
Dorian pops up in jazz standards, modal rock, Celtic folk, hip-hop samples and film scores. That bright sixth adds a hopeful edge to an otherwise minor mood. Built on the root F♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where F♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | F♭ G♭ A𝄫 B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E𝄫 |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7m |
| Step pattern | W H W W W H W |
| Chords in the key | F♭mG♭mA𝄫B𝄫C♭mD♭°E𝄫 |
Chords in the F♭ Dorian scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
F♭ Dorian on the piano
Improvisation drone · F♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano F♭ Dorian uses two black keys (G♭ and D♭) and five white. F♭, A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭ and E𝄫 are the white keys you'd normally call E, G, A, B and D.
F♭ · G♭ · A𝄫 · B𝄫 · C♭ · D♭ · E𝄫
Play F♭ Dorian on the online piano
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F♭ Dorian on the guitar
F♭ Dorian - fr 0–12
F♭ Dorian on the staff
Notes of the F♭ Dorian scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | G♭ | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | A𝄫 | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | B𝄫 | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | C♭ | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | D♭ | major 6th6M | 9 | |
| 7 | E𝄫 | minor 7th7m | 10 |
What makes F♭ Dorian different
Dorian is a minor mode with a major sixth, and that one note is all that separates it from natural minor. Because of the major sixth, the IV chord is major rather than minor, and the i to IV vamp is the sound most people recognise as Dorian. It's the second mode of the major scale, so it has the same notes as the major scale a whole step below its root. Its step pattern (W H W W W H W) reads the same forwards and backwards, and it's the brightest of the three common minor modes. On F♭, F♭ Dorian has D♭ where F♭ Natural Minor has D𝄫; every other note is shared with F♭ Natural Minor (F♭ G♭ A𝄫 B𝄫 C♭ D𝄫 E𝄫).
Modes from F♭ Dorian
Each note of this scale produces a different mode with its own character.
How to use the F♭ Dorian scale
The diatonic chords of F♭ Dorian are: i = F♭m, ii = G♭m, III = A𝄫, IV = B𝄫, v = C♭m, vi° = D♭°, VII = E𝄫. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in F♭ Dorian. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
Dorian pops up in jazz standards, modal rock, Celtic folk, hip-hop samples and film scores. That bright sixth adds a hopeful edge to an otherwise minor mood.
Practice tips
Solo over a minor 7 chord using only dorian notes. That raised sixth makes phrases sound bright without losing the minor character.
Formula & step pattern
The F♭ Dorian scale follows a minor scale with a raised sixth degree (W-H-W-W-W-H-W). Step pattern: W - H - W - W - W - H - W. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7m. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear F♭ Dorian
Start with the music described above: listen for F♭ Dorian in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the F♭ Dorian scale?
The F♭ Dorian scale contains F♭, G♭, A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭, D♭ and E𝄫.
What is the formula for the F♭ Dorian scale?
F♭ Dorian follows a minor scale with a raised sixth degree (W-H-W-W-W-H-W).
Is F♭ Dorian a major or minor scale?
F♭ Dorian is a dorian scale. Minor scale with a bright raised sixth - sophisticated and groove-friendly.
What chords belong to the F♭ Dorian scale?
The diatonic chords of F♭ Dorian are F♭m, G♭m, A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭m, D♭°, E𝄫.
Which genres use F♭ Dorian?
Dorian pops up in jazz standards, modal rock, Celtic folk, hip-hop samples and film scores. That bright sixth adds a hopeful edge to an otherwise minor mood.
How do you play the F♭ Dorian scale on the piano?
On the piano F♭ Dorian uses two black keys (G♭ and D♭) and five white. F♭, A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭ and E𝄫 are the white keys you'd normally call E, G, A, B and D.
What is the difference between F♭ Dorian and F♭ Natural Minor?
On F♭, F♭ Dorian has D♭ where F♭ Natural Minor has D𝄫; every other note is shared with F♭ Natural Minor (F♭ G♭ A𝄫 B𝄫 C♭ D𝄫 E𝄫).
How do I practise the F♭ Dorian scale?
Solo over a minor 7 chord using only dorian notes. That raised sixth makes phrases sound bright without losing the minor character.