G♯ Dorian

Soulful, minor but with hope — built from F♯ major

PARENT FAMILY · F♯ MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	F♯ Ionian	F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	G♯ Dorian	G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	A♯ Phrygian	A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	B Lydian	Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	C♯ Mixolydian	C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	D♯ Aeolian	D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	F Locrian	Fm7♭5 – G♭maj7 – A♭m7 – B♭m7 – Bmaj7 – D♭7 – E♭m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ F F♯

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

G♯m7

II

A♯m7

III

Bmaj7

IV

C♯7

V

D♯m7

VI

Fm7♭5

VII

F♯maj7

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

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

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

Where to use G♯ 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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