D Dorian mode
D Dorian mode is D – E – F – G – A – B – C, all naturals. Formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7. Hit play and watch it light up on both instruments.
The notes, one step at a time
The step pattern is W H W W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between E–F and B–C.
| Degree | Note | Interval from D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | root | |
| 2 | E | major second | |
| ♭3 | F | minor third | |
| 4 | G | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | A | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | B | major sixth | |
| ♭7 | C | minor seventh |
The sound of D Dorian mode
Compared with D natural minor, D Dorian raises one note: the 6th, to B. That's the note to lean on if you want the mode to sound like itself.
The Dorian vamp is Dm to G: a minor chord going to a major IV, which only happens because of the raised 6th (B).
Compared with D natural minor scale, D Dorian mode has B where the other has B♭; the other six notes are shared. Hear D natural minor scale and compare.
D Dorian mode uses the same seven notes as C major, starting from D instead of C. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Dorian is playing it over a D bass or chord.
Where your hands go
On the piano it uses only white keys.
The guitar box starts with the root at the 10th fret of the low E string and spans frets 8–14: 17 notes, low string to high.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit D Dorian mode; the ones that differ from the C major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
If you know D Dorian mode, you already know the notes of C major (starting on the 7th note, C), E Phrygian (starting on the 2nd note, E), F Lydian (starting on the 3rd note, F), G Mixolydian (starting on the 4th note, G), A natural minor (starting on the 5th note, A) and B Locrian (starting on the 6th note, B).
D Dorian mode across the fretboard
Find D first: fret 10 of the 6th string, fret 5 of the 5th. Most guitarists learn it in five overlapping positions; on the low E string they begin around frets 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12. Over a minor chord, play natural minor first, then raise the 6th to hear Dorian lift the sound.
On the piano, D Dorian mode uses no black keys at all.
A good drill once the scale is under your fingers: play it in thirds, skipping one note each time. Here that's D–F, E–G, F–A, G–B, A–C, B–D, C–E.
Practice patterns for D Dorian mode
Once D Dorian is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 7 notes.
- Groups of three: D E F · E F G · F G A · G A B · A B C · B C D.
- Target B: D B D B D: the natural 6th lifts it above natural minor.
Scales to compare with D Dorian
Dorian mode in every key
D Dorian mode: questions
What are the notes of the D Dorian mode?
D, E, F, G, A, B and C, then D again at the octave. Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the D Dorian mode?
Zero: D Dorian is all naturals.
What chords are in the D Dorian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives Dm (i), Em (ii), F (III), G (IV), Am (v), Bdim (vi°) and C (VII).
What's the difference between D Dorian mode and D natural minor scale?
B in D Dorian; B♭ in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as D Dorian mode?
C major. D Dorian is C major played from its 2nd note, D.
Generated from the step pattern 2-1-2-2-2-1-2 and checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.