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	Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – B♭maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	G Dorian	Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	A Phrygian	Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	A♯ Lydian	A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	C Mixolydian	C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	D Aeolian	Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	E Locrian	Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

G A A♯ C D E F

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

The Dorian scale on G contains the notes G, A, A♯, C, D, E, 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

Gm7

II

Am7

III

A♯maj7

IV

C7

V

Dm7

VI

Em7♭5

VII

Fmaj7

▸ Play G Dorian over Gm7 and C7 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 Gm7.

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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