Skip to content
Tomus

Mode reference

Dorian mode

The minor scale with a natural sixth where natural minor has a flattened one · C Dorian = C – D – E♭ – F – G – A – B♭

Dorian is the second mode of the major scale, which means C Dorian uses the notes of B♭ major but treats C as home. The table below keeps that relationship on every root: the same step pattern, started somewhere new.

Minor without the heaviness. The raised sixth lifts it, which is why it is the default minor sound in folk, funk and modal jazz.

C Dorian

  1. C1
    tone
  2. D2
    semi
  3. E♭3
    tone
  4. F4
    tone
  5. G5
    tone
  6. A6
    semi
  7. B♭7
    tone
  8. C8
C Dorian, with the step between each pair of degrees. T is a tone, S a semitone.
CDE♭FGAB♭C
C Dorian ascending, with each accidental written on its note.
CDEFGABCE♭B♭
C Dorian on the keyboard, from C up to C. The tonic is the darker key.

Every degree

DegreeNoteInterval from the tonicSemitones
1CUnison0
2DMajor second2
3E♭Minor third3
4FPerfect fourth5
5GPerfect fifth7
6AMajor sixth9
7B♭Minor seventh10

Hear what makes it Dorian

The explorer marks the natural sixth — the note that separates Dorian from natural minor on the same tonic. Flip between the two and play each; that one note is the whole difference.

Dorian on every root

Each row is the same step pattern started somewhere new. The last column is the major scale that contains the same notes — useful when you want to find the mode by thinking in a key you already know.

TonicNotesSame notes as
CC – D – E♭ – F – G – A – B♭B♭ major
D♭D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭C♭ major
DD – E – F – G – A – B – CC major
E♭E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭D♭ major
EE – F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ – DD major
FF – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭E♭ major
F♯F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D♯ – EE major
GG – A – B♭ – C – D – E – FF major
A♭A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭G♭ major
AA – B – C – D – E – F♯ – GG major
B♭B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭A♭ major
BB – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – AA major

Hearing it rather than spelling it

A mode is only a mode while the music keeps treating its tonic as home. Played over a B♭ bass, C Dorian is just B♭ major. Played over a C drone, the natural sixth — what sets it apart from C natural minor — becomes unmistakable. That is why modal writing tends to stay on one chord for a long time.

Keep going

Nearby modes

All seven modes

Was this helpful?