Chord Colors

A♯ Dorian b2 scale

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About the A sharp Dorian b2 scale

A sharp Dorian b2 is used for jazz solos over suspended and minor chords. Think of it as a dark dorian with a flat second, the second mode of melodic minor.

Its notes are A, B, C, D, E, F♯♯, and G. The formula is H W W W W H W. It is the second mode of G Melodic Minor Ascending.

Also called Phrygian ♮6 and Javanese.

Learn more about the A♯ Dorian b2 scale

The open-string notes G and B all sit inside this mode. A guitarist finds the lowest A at the 1st fret of the A string. With a capo at the first fret, A Dorian 2 can be played with A-shape fingerings.

Positions

Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.

CAGED

Five shapes, each anchored to a chord form you already know, the pop and rock default that ties your scales to your chords. The outlined notes are that chord, so you can see the C, A, G, E, and D shapes inside the scale.

A shapeopen
G shapefr 3
E shapefr 5
D shapefr 7
C shapefr 10
3NPS

3NPS stands for 3 notes per string. It lays the scale out in seven even shapes for rock and metal lead, and favors speed because the picking pattern stays consistent across every string.

Shape 1fr 1
Shape 2fr 2
Shape 3fr 4
Shape 4fr 6
Shape 5fr 7
Shape 6fr 9
Shape 7fr 11
7-position system

7 four-fret boxes, one per scale degree, each a single hand position with almost no shifting. The jazz and classical way, from William Leavitt's Berklee method.

Position 1fr 1
Position 2fr 3
Position 3fr 4
Position 4fr 6
Position 5fr 7
Position 6fr 9
Position 7fr 11

Chords in the key of A sharp Dorian b2

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

i A sharp minor
Position 1 of 4
II+ B augmented
Position 1 of 4
III C sharp
Position 1 of 4
IV D sharp
Position 1 of 4
E sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
vi° F double sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
vii G sharp minor
Position 1 of 4
4fr

Seventh chords in A sharp Dorian b2

The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.

i A sharp minor seven
Position 1 of 4
II+ B major seven sharp five
Position 1 of 4
III C sharp seven
Position 1 of 4
IV D sharp seven
Position 1 of 4
E sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
vi° F double sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
vii G sharp minor major seven
Position 1 of 4

Progressions in A sharp Dorian b2

Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.

Notes and intervals

1A#A♯Root
2BBMinor 2nd
3C#C♯Minor 3rd
4D#D♯Perfect 4th
5E#E♯Perfect 5th
6F##F♯♯Major 6th
7G#G♯Minor 7th
StepsH W W W W H W
Semitones1-2-2-2-2-1-2
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Related scales

Dorian b2 in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

Embed this scale

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Bb Dorian b2 scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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