F Dorian Scale on Piano

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

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

Interval Circle

WHWWWHWC5DbD6Ebb7EF1GbG2Abb3ABb4B

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)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

Why this fingering

3 black keys (Ab, Bb, Eb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto C; 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 F Dorian

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
FF4Root (1)15
GG4Major 2nd (2)24
AbAb4Minor 3rd (b3)33
BbBb4Perfect 4th (4)42
CC5Perfect 5th (5)11
DD5Major 6th (6)23
EbEb5Minor 7th (b7)32
FF5Octave (8)41

Other Dorian Scales

C Dorian
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – Bb
C# Dorian
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B
D Dorian
D – E – F – G – A – B – C
Eb Dorian
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C – Db
E Dorian
E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D
F# Dorian
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E
G Dorian
G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F
G# Dorian
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E# – F#
A Dorian
A – B – C – D – E – F# – G
Bb Dorian
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G – Ab
B Dorian
B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A

Other F Scales

F Major
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – E
F Natural Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb
F Harmonic Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E
F Melodic Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D – E
F Major Pentatonic
F – G – A – C – D
F Minor Pentatonic
F – Ab – Bb – C – Eb
F Blues
F – Ab – Bb – B – C – Eb
F Mixolydian
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb
F Chromatic
F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E