C♯ Dorian

Soulful, minor but with hope — built from B major

PARENT FAMILY · B MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (B major). C♯ Dorian is the II mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	B Ionian	Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	C♯ Dorian	C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	D♯ Phrygian	D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	E Lydian	Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	F♯ Mixolydian	F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	G♯ Aeolian	G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	A♯ Locrian	A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

The Dorian scale on C♯ contains the notes C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B. The pentatonic subset is C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯, B.

Characteristic note: the natural 6th separates Dorian from the minor (Aeolian).

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

C♯m7

II

D♯m7

III

Emaj7

IV

F♯7

V

G♯m7

VI

A♯m7♭5

VII

Bmaj7

▸ Play C♯ Dorian over C♯m7 and F♯7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

C♯ Dorian is a minor mode with a soulful, minor but with hope character. It is the II mode of B major — it uses the same 7 notes as B Ionian but is rooted on C♯, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is C♯m7.

Where to use C♯ Dorian

Jazz, blues-rock, funk, Latin.

Famous examples

So What (Miles Davis)
Oye Como Va
Scarborough Fair

What makes it distinctive: the natural 6th separates Dorian from the minor (Aeolian).

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