Chord Colors

F Dorian b5 scale

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About the F Dorian b5 scale

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

Also called Maqam Karcigar.

Three open-string notes belong to F Dorian 5, namely D, G, and B. On guitar, the deepest F within reach is the 1st fret of the low E string. With a capo at the first fret, F Dorian 5 can be played with E-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.

E shapeopen
D shapefr 2
C shapefr 5
A shapefr 7
G 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 10
Position 7fr 11

Chords in the key of F Dorian b5

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

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

Seventh chords in F Dorian b5

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

F minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
ii G minor seven
Position 1 of 4
3fr
iii A flat minor major seven
Position 1 of 4
IV B flat seven
Position 1 of 4
V+ C flat major seven sharp five
Position 1 of 4
vi° D diminished seven
Position 1 of 4
VII E flat major seven
Position 1 of 4

Progressions in F Dorian b5

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

Notes and intervals

1FFRoot
2GGMajor 2nd
3AbA♭Minor 3rd
4BbB♭Perfect 4th
5CbC♭Diminished 5th
6DDMajor 6th
7EbE♭Minor 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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F Dorian b5 scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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