F Dorian b2 Near the Nut
Start with the root on the 1st fret of the low E string and the F Dorian b2 scale falls right under your hand: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D and Eb.
Compare it with F Phrygian: the only change is the natural D in place of Db. The same notes make up Eb melodic minor, so that scale is a shortcut to the right frets, and the A string root is on the 8th fret.
Play the F dorian b2 scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the F dorian b2 scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Gb | b2 | Minor 2nd | 1 |
| Ab | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| Bb | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| C | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| D | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| Eb | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 |
Structure
F 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.
F Dorian b2 Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (low E)
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 F 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.