F♯ Dorian

Soulful, minor but with hope — built from E major

PARENT FAMILY · E MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	E Ionian	Emaj7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7 – Amaj7 – B7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	F♯ Dorian	F♯m7 – G♯m7 – Amaj7 – B7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7♭5 – Emaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	G♯ Phrygian	G♯m7 – Amaj7 – B7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7♭5 – Emaj7 – F♯m7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	A Lydian	Amaj7 – B7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7♭5 – Emaj7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	B Mixolydian	B7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7♭5 – Emaj7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7 – Amaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	C♯ Aeolian	C♯m7 – D♯m7♭5 – Emaj7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7 – Amaj7 – B7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	D♯ Locrian	D♯m7♭5 – Emaj7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7 – Amaj7 – B7 – C♯m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

F♯m7

II

G♯m7

III

Amaj7

IV

B7

V

C♯m7

VI

D♯m7♭5

VII

Emaj7

▸ Play F♯ Dorian over F♯m7 and B7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

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

Where to use F♯ 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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