A Dorian Scale
The A Dorian scale contains 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G.
A Dorian scale on the piano
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What is the Dorian scale?
Dorian is the second mode of the major scale — a minor scale with a raised sixth. That one note is what makes it sound brighter and less mournful than natural minor, and it is why Dorian carries so much folk, modal jazz and rock writing.
A Dorian uses the same notes as G Dur, started from degree 2 instead of the first. The notes are shared; the tonic, and therefore the sound, is not.
A Dorian is a scale, not a key. It has no key signature of its own — music that uses it is normally written in the key signature of its parent scale, with any extra accidentals added as they occur.
Scale degrees of A Dorian
| Trinn | Note | Intervall | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | P1 | 0 |
| 2 | B | M2 | 2 |
| 3 | C | m3 | 3 |
| 4 | D | P4 | 5 |
| 5 | E | P5 | 7 |
| 6 | F♯ | M6 | 9 |
| 7 | G | m7 | 10 |
Chords in A Dorian
These are the triads built on each degree of A Dorian using only notes from the scale.
Other scales on A
Every scale type that starts on A, for comparison.
Dorian in every key
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What notes are in the A Dorian scale?
The A Dorian scale has 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G.
What is the formula for the A Dorian scale?
The A Dorian scale follows the step pattern W–H–W–W–W–H–W, where H is a half step and W is a whole step.
What scale is A Dorian derived from?
A Dorian is the mode of G Dur that starts on its 2 degree. Both scales use the same notes but resolve to a different tonic.
What chords are in the A Dorian scale?
The triads built from the A Dorian scale are Am, Bm, C, D, Em, F♯dim, G.
