Chord Colors

C♯ Dorian b5 scale

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About the C sharp Dorian b5 scale

C sharp 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 C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The formula is W H W H 1½ H W. It is the second mode of B Harmonic Major.

Also called Maqam Karcigar.

In C Dorian 5, the open strings sound E, G, and B. The lowest C on a standard-tuned guitar sits at the 4th fret of the A string. Placed at the first fret, a capo lets C Dorian 5 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 3
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 3
Position 4fr 6
Position 5fr 7
Position 6fr 9
Position 7fr 11

Chords in the key of C sharp Dorian b5

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

C sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
ii D sharp minor
Position 1 of 4
iii E minor
Position 1 of 4
IV F sharp
Position 1 of 4
V+ G augmented
Position 1 of 4
vi° A sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
VII B
Position 1 of 4

Seventh chords in C sharp Dorian b5

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

C sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
4fr
ii D sharp minor seven
Position 1 of 4
iii E minor major seven
Position 1 of 4
IV F sharp seven
Position 1 of 4
V+ G major seven sharp five
Position 1 of 4
vi° A sharp diminished seven
Position 1 of 4
VII B major seven
Position 1 of 4

Progressions in C sharp Dorian b5

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

Notes and intervals

1C#C♯Root
2D#D♯Major 2nd
3EEMinor 3rd
4F#F♯Perfect 4th
5GGDiminished 5th
6A#A♯Major 6th
7BBMinor 7th
StepsW H W H 1½ H W
Semitones2-1-2-1-3-1-2
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 b5 in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

Embed this scale

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Db Dorian b5 scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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