A Dorian Scale Charts
Explore A Dorian across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. Intervals: 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7.
A Dorian full fretboard chart
A Dorian uses A, B, C, D, E, F#, G across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5E | 6F# | b7G | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||||||
| 2B | 2B | b3C | 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||||||
| 3G | b7G | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | RA | |||||||
| 4D | 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | 5E | |||||||
| 5A | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | RA | 2B | b3C | ||||||
| 6E | 5E | 6F# | b7G | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (5), F#4 at fret 2 (6), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2), C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4), E5 at fret 12 (5), F#5 at fret 14 (6), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (2), C4 at fret 1 (b3), D4 at fret 3 (4), E4 at fret 5 (5), F#4 at fret 7 (6), G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root), B4 at fret 12 (2), C5 at fret 13 (b3), D5 at fret 15 (4).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root), B3 at fret 4 (2), C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4), E4 at fret 9 (5), F#4 at fret 11 (6), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (4), E3 at fret 2 (5), F#3 at fret 4 (6), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2), C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4), E4 at fret 14 (5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), B2 at fret 2 (2), C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4), E3 at fret 7 (5), F#3 at fret 9 (6), G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), B3 at fret 14 (2), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (5), F#2 at fret 2 (6), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2), C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4), E3 at fret 12 (5), F#3 at fret 14 (6), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Dorian Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 5-9 for A Dorian.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 2B | 6F# | b7G | |||
| 3G | b3C | 4D | 5E | ||
| 4D | b7G | RA | 2B | ||
| 5A | 4D | 5E | 6F# | ||
| 6E | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2), C5 at fret 8 (b3).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (6), G4 at fret 8 (b7).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4), E4 at fret 9 (5).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (4), E3 at fret 7 (5), F#3 at fret 9 (6).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2), C3 at fret 8 (b3).
A Dorian Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 3-7 for A Dorian.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G | RA | 2B | ||
| 2B | 5E | 6F# | |||
| 3G | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 4D | 6F# | b7G | RA | ||
| 5A | b3C | 4D | 5E | ||
| 6E | b7G | RA | 2B | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (5), F#4 at fret 7 (6).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (2), C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (6), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4), E3 at fret 7 (5).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2).
A Dorian Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 1-5 for A Dorian.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 6F# | b7G | RA | ||
| 2B | 4D | 5E | |||
| 3G | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 4D | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||
| 5A | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 6E | 6F# | b7G | RA | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (6), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (4), E4 at fret 5 (5).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (root), B3 at fret 4 (2), C4 at fret 5 (b3).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (5), F#3 at fret 4 (6), G3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (2), C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (6), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root).
A Dorian Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 0-4 for A Dorian.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||
| 2B | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 3G | b7G | RA | |||
| 4D | 4D | 5E | 6F# | ||
| 5A | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 6E | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (5), F#4 at fret 2 (6), G4 at fret 3 (b7).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (2), C4 at fret 1 (b3), D4 at fret 3 (4).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (4), E3 at fret 2 (5), F#3 at fret 4 (6).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), B2 at fret 2 (2), C3 at fret 3 (b3).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (5), F#2 at fret 2 (6), G2 at fret 3 (b7).
A Dorian Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 10-14 for A Dorian.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 4D | 5E | 6F# | ||
| 2B | 2B | b3C | |||
| 3G | 6F# | b7G | RA | ||
| 4D | b3C | 4D | 5E | ||
| 5A | b7G | RA | 2B | ||
| 6E | 4D | 5E | 6F# | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (4), E5 at fret 12 (5), F#5 at fret 14 (6).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (2), C5 at fret 13 (b3).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (6), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4), E4 at fret 14 (5).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), B3 at fret 14 (2).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (4), E3 at fret 12 (5), F#3 at fret 14 (6).
A Dorian Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 8-12 for A Dorian.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b3C | 4D | 5E | ||
| 2B | RA | 2B | |||
| 3G | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||
| 4D | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 5A | 6F# | b7G | RA | ||
| 6E | b3C | 4D | 5E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4), E5 at fret 12 (5).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (root), B4 at fret 12 (2).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (5), F#4 at fret 11 (6), G4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (2), C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (6), G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4), E3 at fret 12 (5).
A Dorian Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 7-11 for A Dorian.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 2B | 6F# | b7G | RA | ||
| 3G | 4D | 5E | |||
| 4D | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 5A | 5E | 6F# | b7G | ||
| 6E | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (2), C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (6), G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (4), E4 at fret 9 (5).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2), C4 at fret 10 (b3).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (5), F#3 at fret 9 (6), G3 at fret 10 (b7).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (2), C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4).
Dorian scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · b3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- 6
Practice the A Dorian sound
- Say and play the scale: Play A → B → C → D → E → F# → G → A up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → b3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on F# (6) before landing on A. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 5–9), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next A as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Dorian into the matching course and practice resources.