G♯ Dorian mode (A♭ Dorian)
G♯ Dorian mode is G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯, with G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯, E♯ and F♯. Formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7. Press play and follow the keys.
The notes, one step at a time
Counted in steps it goes W H W W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between A♯–B and E♯–F♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval from G♯ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | root | |
| 2 | A♯ | major second | |
| ♭3 | B | minor third | |
| 4 | C♯ | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | D♯ | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | E♯ | major sixth | |
| ♭7 | F♯ | minor seventh |
What G♯ Dorian sounds like
Compared with G♯ natural minor, G♯ Dorian raises one note: the 6th, to E♯. That's the note to lean on if you want the mode to sound like itself.
The Dorian vamp is G♯m to C♯: a minor chord going to a major IV, which only happens because of the raised 6th (E♯).
Compared with G♯ natural minor scale, G♯ Dorian mode has E♯ where the other has E; the other six notes are shared. Hear G♯ natural minor scale and compare.
G♯ Dorian mode uses the same seven notes as F♯ major, starting from G♯ instead of F♯. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Dorian is playing it over a G♯ bass or chord.
Playing G♯ Dorian
On the piano it uses five black keys (G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯) and two white. E♯ is a white key with a sharp or flat name, because each letter can appear only once in the scale.
The guitar box starts with the root at the 4th fret of the low E string and spans frets 2–8: 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 G♯ Dorian mode; the ones that differ from the F♯ major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
Same notes, different home: C♯ Mixolydian (starting on the 4th note, C♯), E♭ natural minor (starting on the 5th note, E♭), F Locrian (starting on the 6th note, F), F♯ major (starting on the 7th note, F♯), B♭ Phrygian (starting on the 2nd note, B♭) and B Lydian (starting on the 3rd note, B). Play any of them over a drone on its first note and the mood changes, even though the keys you press don't.
G♯ Dorian mode across the fretboard
Anchor points for G♯: low E string fret 4, A string fret 11. Five overlapping fingerings cover the neck, starting near frets 1, 4, 6, 9 and 11 on the low E string. Over a minor chord, play natural minor first, then raise the 6th to hear Dorian lift the sound.
On the piano, G♯ Dorian mode uses 5 black keys (G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯) and 2 white.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: G♯–B, A♯–C♯, B–D♯, C♯–E♯, D♯–F♯, E♯–G♯, F♯–A♯.
Practice patterns for G♯ Dorian mode
Once G♯ Dorian is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 7 notes.
- Three-note runs: G♯ A♯ B · A♯ B C♯ · B C♯ D♯ · C♯ D♯ E♯ · D♯ E♯ F♯ · E♯ F♯ G♯.
- Land on E♯: G♯ E♯ G♯ E♯ G♯: the natural 6th lifts it above natural minor.
Scales to compare with G♯ Dorian
Dorian mode in every key
G♯ Dorian mode: questions
What are the notes of the G♯ Dorian mode?
G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯. As degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the G♯ Dorian mode?
Six: G♯, A♯, C♯, D♯, E♯ and F♯.
What chords are in the G♯ Dorian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives G♯m (i), A♯m (ii), B (III), C♯ (IV), D♯m (v), E♯dim (vi°) and F♯ (VII).
What's the difference between G♯ Dorian mode and G♯ natural minor scale?
E♯ in G♯ Dorian; E in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as G♯ Dorian mode?
F♯ major. G♯ Dorian is F♯ major played from its 2nd note, G♯.
Generated from the step pattern 2-1-2-2-2-1-2 and checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.