Position 2nd of 7 · F Major Family
Dorian is the 2nd mode of the major scale. It sounds like minor but has a natural (raised) 6th degree that gives it a warm, soulful, jazz-inflected quality. In F Major, Dorian starts on G. The Dead Sea Scales system shows Dorian at Position 2.
The step formula tells you the distance between each note — W = Whole step (2 frets), H = Half step (1 fret):
Scale degrees relative to the root:
Root, Major 2nd, Minor 3rd, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th, Major 6th, Minor 7th
All 7 diatonic modes share the same notes — they just start on different degrees of the major scale. Dorian Mode is Position 2nd of 7. Understanding this relationship is the foundation of the Dead Sea Scales system.
Once you know where Dorian Mode sits in the pattern, you can connect it to the other 6 modes and begin navigating the entire fretboard by shape instead of memorizing individual scales.
The Dead Sea Scales system extends beyond the 7 diatonic modes using the 5 Missing Notes™ framework — the 5 chromatic notes that fall outside the major scale. Each missing note generates 7 new mode variations, giving you 35 extended scales plus the 7 originals = 42 total modes.
Hear & play the Dorian Mode on an interactive fretboard
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