About the B Dorian b5 scale
B Dorian b5 is used for jazz solos and moody, unsettled passages. Think of it as a dorian minor with a flat fifth, dark and off balance.
Its notes are B, C♯, D, E, F, G♯, and A. The formula is W H W H 1½ H W. It is the second mode of A Harmonic Major.
Also called Maqam Karcigar.
In B Dorian ♭5, the open strings sound E, A, D, and B. A guitarist finds the lowest B at the 2nd fret of the A string. With a capo at the second fret, B Dorian ♭5 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.
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.
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.
Chords in the key of B Dorian b5
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Seventh chords in B Dorian b5
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Progressions in B Dorian b5
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | BB | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | C#C♯ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | DD | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | EE | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | FF | Diminished 5th |
| 6 | G#G♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | AA | Minor 7th |
| Steps | W H W H 1½ H W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-1-2-1-3-1-2 |
| Degrees | 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Dorian b5 in other keys
C Dorian b5 scaleD flat Dorian b5 scaleD Dorian b5 scaleE flat Dorian b5 scaleE Dorian b5 scaleF Dorian b5 scaleG flat Dorian b5 scaleG Dorian b5 scaleA flat Dorian b5 scaleA Dorian b5 scaleB flat Dorian b5 scale
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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