Chord Colors

E Dorian scale

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About the E Dorian scale

E Dorian is used for funk, jazz, Celtic tunes and moody-but-groovy rock like "So What" and "Scarborough Fair". Think of it as a minor scale with a hopeful lift, thanks to its raised sixth. It is E Mixolydian with the third lowered.

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

Also called Kafi and Kharaharapriya.

Learn more about the E Dorian scale

Five open-string notes belong to E Dorian, namely E, A, D, G, and B. The lowest E on a guitar is the open low E string.

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.

E shapeopen
D shapefr 2
C shapefr 4
A shapefr 6
G shapefr 9
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 5
Position 5fr 7
Position 6fr 9
Position 7fr 10

Chords in the key of E Dorian

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

i E minor
Position 1 of 4
ii F sharp minor
Position 1 of 4
III G
Position 1 of 5
IV A
Position 1 of 4
v B minor
Position 1 of 4
vi° C sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
VII D
Position 1 of 4

Seventh chords in E Dorian

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

i E minor seven
Position 1 of 4
ii F sharp minor seven
Position 1 of 4
III G major seven
Position 1 of 4
IV A seven
Position 1 of 4
v B minor seven
Position 1 of 4
vi° C sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
4fr
VII D major seven
Position 1 of 4

Progressions in E Dorian

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

Common
Common

Notes and intervals

1EERoot
2F#F♯Major 2nd
3GGMinor 3rd
4AAPerfect 4th
5BBPerfect 5th
6C#C♯Major 6th
7DDMinor 7th
StepsW H W W W H W
Semitones2-1-2-2-2-1-2
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 in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

Embed this scale

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E Dorian scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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