C Dorian ♯4 scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

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Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

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Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

C Dorian ♯4

♯4 over a minor 3rd and natural 6th. Gypsy / Romanian minor.

Where you hear it: Over minor chords with a ♯11 colour.

Key signature 2♭ (B♭ E♭)as B♭ major / G minor, plus F♯ written in

Step pattern W – H – W+H – H – W – H – W

Parent scale: G harmonic minor (starts on its 4th degree)
Compared with C major: ♭3 E → E♭, ♯4 F → F♯, ♭7 B → B♭
Compared with C natural minor: ♯4 F → F♯, ♯6 A♭ → A

Hover to compare

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the pentatonic r ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭7: playedother notes of Dorian ♯4: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as C Dorian ♯4

G Harmonic minor1st degree A Locrian ♮62nd degree B♭ Ionian ♯53rd degree C Dorian ♯44th degree D Phrygian dominant5th degree E♭ Lydian ♯26th degree F♯ Ultralocrian7th degree

Every chord in C Dorian ♯4

Cm71/23
easyfret 3· shell
D71/19
easyopen
E♭maj71/16
easyfret 11· shell
F♯dim71/4
easyfret 4
Gm(maj7)1/4
mediumfret 10
Am7♭51/14
easyfret 5· shell
B♭maj7♯51/9
easyfret 6· shell

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in C Dorian ♯4

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i – II
The “Romanian minor” sound. The II is a major chord a whole step up and its 3rd is the ♯4, the note that sets this mode apart from Dorian.
i – II – ♭III – i
Home, the major II, ♭III and back: the roots climb a whole step and then a half step, then fall to i.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Cm you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of C Dorian ♯4.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i Cm7

Notes: C E♭ G B♭

fret 8 · 1/10

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

II D7

Notes: D F♯ A C

open · 1/13

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♭III E♭maj7

Notes: E♭ G B♭ D

fret 11 · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♯iv° F♯dim7

Notes: F♯ A C E♭

fret 4 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

v Gm(maj7)

Notes: G B♭ D F♯

fret 10 · 1/4

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vi° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII+ B♭maj7♯5

Notes: B♭ D F♯ A

fret 3 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

C Dorian ♯4

♯4 over a minor 3rd and natural 6th. Gypsy / Romanian minor.

Where you hear it: Over minor chords with a ♯11 colour.

Key signature 2♭ (B♭ E♭)as B♭ major / G minor, plus F♯ written in

Step pattern W – H – W+H – H – W – H – W

Parent scale: G harmonic minor (starts on its 4th degree)
Compared with C major: ♭3 E → E♭, ♯4 F → F♯, ♭7 B → B♭
Compared with C natural minor: ♯4 F → F♯, ♯6 A♭ → A

Hover to compare

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as C Dorian ♯4

G Harmonic minor1st degree A Locrian ♮62nd degree B♭ Ionian ♯53rd degree C Dorian ♯44th degree D Phrygian dominant5th degree E♭ Lydian ♯26th degree F♯ Ultralocrian7th degree

Every chord in C Dorian ♯4

Cm71/23
easyfret 3· shell
D71/19
easyopen
E♭maj71/16
easyfret 11· shell
F♯dim71/4
easyfret 4
Gm(maj7)1/4
mediumfret 10
Am7♭51/14
easyfret 5· shell
B♭maj7♯51/9
easyfret 6· shell

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in C Dorian ♯4

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i – II
The “Romanian minor” sound. The II is a major chord a whole step up and its 3rd is the ♯4, the note that sets this mode apart from Dorian.
i – II – ♭III – i
Home, the major II, ♭III and back: the roots climb a whole step and then a half step, then fall to i.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Cm you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of C Dorian ♯4.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i Cm7

Notes: C E♭ G B♭

fret 8 · 1/10

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

II D7

Notes: D F♯ A C

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭III E♭maj7

Notes: E♭ G B♭ D

fret 11 · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♯iv° F♯dim7

Notes: F♯ A C E♭

fret 4 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

v Gm(maj7)

Notes: G B♭ D F♯

fret 10 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

vi° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII+ B♭maj7♯5

Notes: B♭ D F♯ A

fret 3 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Dorian ♯4

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Dorian ♯4

Every chord in C Dorian ♯4

Iconic progressions in C Dorian ♯4

i – II

i – II – ♭III – i

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Dorian ♯4

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Dorian ♯4

Every chord in C Dorian ♯4

Iconic progressions in C Dorian ♯4

i – II

i – II – ♭III – i

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Dorian ♯4

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Dorian ♯4

Every chord in C Dorian ♯4

Iconic progressions in C Dorian ♯4

i – II

i – II – ♭III – i

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Dorian ♯4

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Dorian ♯4

Every chord in C Dorian ♯4

Iconic progressions in C Dorian ♯4

i – II

i – II – ♭III – i

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitar

Colour key

C Dorian ♯4 on the guitar