Scales & Modes

Sound

C Bebop Dorian

Neck Diagram

Dorian with an added major third passing tone.

How it sounds, and where to use it

Often described as swinging jazz lines: the extra note keeps chord tones on the beat.

How usual it sounds: as tight as it gets: the notes sit side by side on the circle of fifths, which is why it sounds so familiar. (No gaps round the circle of fifths. See its shape.)

Same notes as F Bebop Dominant: read its key signature from there.

Solo with it over:CCmC7Cm7Csus4Csus2C6Cm6

Chords on C made only from this scale's notes, so every note of the scale sits safely over them.

Open it in Note shapes

Mode 5 of F Bebop Dominant: the same notes, started from its degree 5.

Formula: W-H-H-H-W-W-H-W · Arpeggios in C Bebop Dorian

Step12345678
NoteCDE♭EFGAB♭
Degree12♭33456♭7
IntervalP1M2m3M3P4P5M6m7

Degree and Interval are the same thing written two ways: how far each note is from the root (♭3 and m3 here). See them all on the Intervals page → Click either one in the table to open that interval.

Modes

Order

Two octaves across; each mode starts one scale degree later and is numbered from its own root. ▶ plays a mode.

Mode 5
1
2
♭3
3
4
5
6
♭7
1
2
♭3
3
4
5
6
♭7
I
Mode 5
1
2
♭3
3
4
5
6
♭7
8
II
Mode 6
1
♭2
2
♭3
4
5
♭6
♭7
8
III
Mode 7
1
♭2
2
3
♯4
5
6
7
8
IV
Mode 8
1
♭2
♭3
4
♭5
♭6
♭7
7
8
V
Bebop Dominant
1
2
3
4
5
6
♭7
7
8
VI
Bebop Minor
1
2
♭3
4
5
♭6
6
♭7
8
VII
Bebop Locrian add 5
1
♭2
♭3
4
♯4
5
♭6
♭7
8
VIII
Mode 4
1
2
3
4
♯4
5
6
7
8

For more on modes, check out

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