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Guitar scale · Phrygian natural 6

D Dorian b2 Scale

Mode 2 of Melodic Minor: Dorian with a lowered 2nd. A minor scale with a Phrygian edge and a major 6th.

Notes DEbFGABC
Formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
Steps H W W W W H W
Mood Dark, Jazzy, Suspended
Heard in Over 7sus4♭9 chords, Modal Jazz

Interactive scale diagram

D Dorian b2 Scale · Standard tuning

STR OP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 E A D G B E

Tap any note to hear it.

D Dorian b2 Scale tab: all 5 positions

Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.

Position 1 · E shape frets 10–14
e|-------------------------------------------10-11-13-|
B|-------------------------------------12-13----------|
G|----------------------------10-12-14----------------|
D|-------------------10-12-13-------------------------|
A|----------10-12-14----------------------------------|
E|-10-11-13-------------------------------------------|
Position 2 · D shape frets 12–16
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-|
B|----------------------------------13-15-16-------|
G|-------------------------12-14-16----------------|
D|----------------12-13-15-------------------------|
A|-------12-14-15----------------------------------|
E|-13-15-------------------------------------------|
Position 3 · C shape frets 14–18
e|-------------------------------------------15-17-|
B|----------------------------------15-16-18-------|
G|-------------------------14-16-17----------------|
D|-------------------15-17-------------------------|
A|-------14-15-17-18-------------------------------|
E|-15-17-------------------------------------------|
Position 4 · A shape frets 17–21
e|-------------------------------------------17-19-20-|
B|-------------------------------------18-20----------|
G|----------------------------17-19-20----------------|
D|-------------------17-19-21-------------------------|
A|----------17-18-20----------------------------------|
E|-17-19-20-------------------------------------------|
Position 5 · G shape frets 19–22
e|----------------------------------------19-20-22-|
B|----------------------------------20-22----------|
G|-------------------------19-20-22----------------|
D|----------------19-21-22-------------------------|
A|----------20-22----------------------------------|
E|-19-20-22----------------------------------------|

How to play D Dorian b2 on guitar

Find the root first: D is at fret 10 on the low E string and fret 5 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every D on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (♭3, 5, ♭7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.

Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 10–14. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.

Degrees

DegreeNote
1 D
♭2 Eb
♭3 F
4 G
5 A
6 B
♭7 C

Chords in D Dorian b2

Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in D Dorian b2; tap one to see its shapes.

Degree Chord 7th chord Function
i Dm Dm7 Tonic
♭II+ Ebaug Ebmaj7#5 Supertonic
♭III F F7 Mediant
IV G G7 Subdominant
v° Adim Am7b5 Dominant
vi° Bdim Bm7b5 Submediant
♭vii Cm Cm(maj7) Leading tone / subtonic

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Questions

What notes are in the D Dorian b2 Scale?
The D Dorian b2 Scale has 7 notes: D, Eb, F, G, A, B, C.
What chords are in the D Dorian b2 Scale?
The chords of D Dorian b2 are Dm (i), Ebaug (♭II+), F (♭III), G (IV), Adim (v°), Bdim (vi°), Cm (♭vii).
What is the formula of the dorian b2 scale?
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, which is the step pattern H W W W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Where do I play D Dorian b2 on the guitar?
The root D is at fret 10 on the low E string and fret 5 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 10–14, and four more positions connect it up the neck.

Dorian b2 Scale in every key

More scales in D