C Dorian Scale on Piano

The C Dorian scale sounds cool and open. It runs C – D – Eb – F – G – A – Bb and is written with two flats.

It shares its key signature with Eb major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

A minor scale with a raised 6th, which lifts it out of the gloom of natural minor without turning it major. Modal jazz, funk and a great deal of English folk song live here.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Left Hand (ascending)

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Why this fingering

2 black keys (Eb, Bb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto F; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in C Dorian

Note	Interval	RH Finger	LH Finger
CC4	Root (1)	1	5
DD4	Major 2nd (2)	2	4
EbEb4	Minor 3rd (b3)	3	3
FF4	Perfect 4th (4)	1	2
GG4	Perfect 5th (5)	2	1
AA4	Major 6th (6)	3	3
BbBb4	Minor 7th (b7)	4	2
CC5	Octave (8)	5	1

Other Dorian Scales

C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B

D – E – F – G – A – B – C

Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C – Db

E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D

F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D – Eb

F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E

G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F

G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E# – F#

A – B – C – D – E – F# – G

Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G – Ab

B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A

Other C Scales

C – D – E – F – G – A – B

C Natural Minor

C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb

C Harmonic Minor

C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B

C Melodic Minor

C – D – Eb – F – G – A – B

C Major Pentatonic

C – D – E – G – A

C Minor Pentatonic

C – Eb – F – G – Bb

C – Eb – F – Gb – G – Bb

C – D – E – F – G – A – Bb

C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B