Bb Dorian b2: Fretboard Guide
The Bb Dorian b2 scale runs Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, G and Ab. Cb is a B in disguise, which is the only spelling quirk.
Bb sits on the 6th fret of the low E string and the 1st fret of the A string, an easy spot for the A-string shapes. Jazz players meet this mode as the second mode of melodic minor, and bebop scales add more jazz vocabulary.
Play the Bb dorian b2 scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the Bb dorian b2 scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bb | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Cb | b2 | Minor 2nd | 1 |
| Db | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| Eb | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| F | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| G | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| Ab | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 |
Structure
Bb dorian b2 scale notes:
How the dorian b2 scale is built:
The dorian b2 scale is built from the degrees 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7, which gives the step pattern H-W-W-W-W-H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is mode 2 of the Melodic Minor Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.
It is also known as Phrygian #6.
Bb Dorian b2 Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (A)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the Bb dorian b2 scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Related modes
These scales share the same notes as the dorian b2 scale, starting from a different degree.
The dorian b2 scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
