Learn the C♭ Dorian scale — notes, intervals, chords, modes, and more.
The C♭ Dorian scale contains the following notes:
C♭ – D♭ – E♭♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B♭♭The scale degrees of the C♭ Dorian scale are:
1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, 6, ♭7| Scale Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C♭ |
| 2 | D♭ |
| ♭3 | E♭♭ |
| 4 | F♭ |
| 5 | G♭ |
| 6 | A♭ |
| ♭7 | B♭♭ |
The C♭ Dorian scale uses the interval pattern W, H, W, W, W, H, W
| From | To | Step |
|---|---|---|
| C♭ | D♭ | W |
| D♭ | E♭♭ | H |
| E♭♭ | F♭ | W |
| F♭ | G♭ | W |
| G♭ | A♭ | W |
| A♭ | B♭♭ | H |
| B♭♭ | C♭ | W |
| Scale Degree | Note | Interval from C♭ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♭ | Perfect Unison |
| 2 | D♭ | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | E♭♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | F♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | G♭ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | A♭ | Major 6th |
| ♭7 | B♭♭ | Minor 7th |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | C♭m | C♭, E♭♭, G♭ |
| ii | D♭m | D♭, F♭, A♭ |
| III | E♭♭ | E♭♭, G♭, B♭♭ |
| IV | F♭ | F♭, A♭, C♭ |
| v | G♭m | G♭, B♭♭, D♭ |
| vi° | A♭dim | A♭, C♭, E♭♭ |
| VII | B♭♭ | B♭♭, D♭, F♭ |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i7 | C♭m7 | C♭, E♭♭, G♭, B♭♭ |
| ii7 | D♭m7 | D♭, F♭, A♭, C♭ |
| IIImaj7 | E♭♭maj7 | E♭♭, G♭, B♭♭, D♭ |
| IV7 | F♭7 | F♭, A♭, C♭, E♭♭ |
| v7 | G♭m7 | G♭, B♭♭, D♭, F♭ |
| viø7 | A♭m7♭5 | A♭, C♭, E♭♭, G♭ |
| VIImaj7 | B♭♭maj7 | B♭♭, D♭, F♭, A♭ |
The modes of C♭ Dorian use the same notes but start on different scale degrees.
| Mode | Starting note | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| B♭♭ Ionian | B♭♭ | B♭♭, C♭, D♭, E♭♭, F♭, G♭, A♭ |
| C♭ Dorian | C♭ | C♭, D♭, E♭♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| D♭ Phrygian | D♭ | D♭, E♭♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, C♭ |
| E♭♭ Lydian | E♭♭ | E♭♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, C♭, D♭ |
| F♭ Mixolydian | F♭ | F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, C♭, D♭, E♭♭ |
| G♭ Aeolian | G♭ | G♭, A♭, B♭♭, C♭, D♭, E♭♭, F♭ |
| A♭ Locrian | A♭ | A♭, B♭♭, C♭, D♭, E♭♭, F♭, G♭ |
C♭ Dorian is the 2nd mode of the B♭♭ major scale. Both share the same 7 notes — Dorian simply starts on the 2nd degree (C♭) instead of the root (B♭♭).
The only difference is the 6th degree. C♭ Dorian has a major 6th (A♭), while C♭ natural minor has a minor 6th. That raised 6th gives Dorian a brighter, slightly more hopeful character compared to natural minor's darker sound.
C♭ Dorian has a minor 3rd (E♭♭) and a minor 7th (B♭♭), while C♭ major has a major 3rd and major 7th. This gives Dorian a minor quality overall, but its major 6th (A♭) keeps it from sounding as dark as natural minor.