C Dorian Mode

What is the C Dorian Mode?

Dorian is the second mode of the major scale and sounds like a minor scale with a brighter edge, thanks to its natural 6th degree. That single raised note gives it a sophisticated, less heavy quality you can hear in everything from Miles Davis's "So What" to Carlos Santana's lead work. Here's how the C Dorian Mode lays out on the fretboard.

Notes and Positions

The second mode - minor with a raised 6th. Jazz and funk favorite. On bass, the fretboard view helps you visualize where the important tones sit for building lines across positions. Use a finger-per-fret approach first, then add shifts only when the line needs a wider range. In the key of C, the notes are: C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb.

How to Use It

You'll often hear it in Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Latin. A good way to internalize the sound is to sing the root, then sing a few scale degrees before you play them.

Practice root-on-E and root-on-A boxes separately, then connect them with one clean position shift. Use the interactive fretboard above to spot repeats of the same note on different strings and frets.