Ab Dorian: What the Cb Is For
Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F and Gb are the notes of the Ab Dorian scale, drawn from Gb major. The Cb is just B in sound, and G# Dorian avoids it with sharps, so choose whichever your chart prefers.
On the neck the root is on the 4th fret of the low E string and on the 11th fret of the A string. Jazz players often add a passing note to Dorian, which is the idea behind bebop scales.
Play the Ab dorian scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the Ab dorian scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ab | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Bb | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| Cb | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| Db | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| Eb | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| F | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| Gb | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 |
Structure
Ab dorian scale notes:
How the dorian scale is built:
The dorian scale is built from the degrees 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7, which gives the step pattern W-H-W-W-W-H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is mode 2 of the Major Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.
Ab Dorian Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (G)
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 Ab dorian scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Related modes
These scales share the same notes as the dorian scale, starting from a different degree.
The dorian scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
