F# Dorian Scale on Piano

The F# Dorian scale sounds cool and open. It runs F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E and is written with four sharps.

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

Interval Circle

WHWWWHWCC#5DD#6Eb7FF#1GG#2Ab3A#B4

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)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

Why this fingering

4 black keys (F#, G#, C#, D#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto A and E; 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
F#F#4Root (1)23
G#G#4Major 2nd (2)32
AA4Minor 3rd (b3)11
BB4Perfect 4th (4)24
C#C#5Perfect 5th (5)33
D#D#5Major 6th (6)42
EE5Minor 7th (b7)11
F#F#5Octave (8)23

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