Chord Colors

C♯ Dorian b2 scale

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About the C sharp Dorian b2 scale

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

Also called Phrygian ♮6 and Javanese.

Learn more about the C♯ Dorian b2 scale

E, D, and B are open guitar strings that sit inside the scale, ready to drone under a riff. A guitarist finds the lowest C at the 4th fret of the A string. With a capo at the first fret, C Dorian 2 can be played with C-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.

C shapefr 1
A shapefr 3
G shapefr 6
E shapefr 8
D 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 1open
Shape 2fr 2
Shape 3fr 4
Shape 4fr 5
Shape 5fr 7
Shape 6fr 9
Shape 7fr 10
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 1open
Position 2fr 2
Position 3fr 4
Position 4fr 6
Position 5fr 7
Position 6fr 9
Position 7fr 10

Chords in the key of C sharp Dorian b2

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

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

Seventh chords in C sharp Dorian b2

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

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

Progressions in C sharp Dorian b2

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

Notes and intervals

1C#C♯Root
2DDMinor 2nd
3EEMinor 3rd
4F#F♯Perfect 4th
5G#G♯Perfect 5th
6A#A♯Major 6th
7BBMinor 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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Db Dorian b2 scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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