A Dorian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
A Dorian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Dorian scale is the second mode of the major scale, offering a soulful and sophisticated minor sound. On Bass, it contains the notes A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. Because it features a major sixth, it sounds brighter and more hopeful than the natural minor. It is the go-to scale for jazz, funk, and modal blues. The diatonic chords of A Dorian are Am7, Bm7, CMaj7, D7, Em7, F#m7b5, GMaj7. Commonly used in Funk, Jazz, Fusion, Neo-Soul, Blues. Notable players include Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, D'Angelo. Use over m7, m9, m11, m13 chords. The go-to scale for any minor chord in funk, jazz, and soul. Works especially well over long minor vamps.
Notes: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7
Formula: W-H-W-W-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Diatonic Chords
Am7 — Bm7 — CMaj7 — D7 — Em7 — F♯m7♭5 — GMaj7
How to Play A Dorian on Bass
On bass, locate A on the E string at fret 5. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The A Dorian scale contains 1 sharp (F#). Its relative major is C major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the A Dorian scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Try these progressions with the A Dorian scale: Am7 - D7 - Em7 - Am7 (I-IV-V-I) or Am7 - Bm7 - D7 - Em7 for a more stepwise movement.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the A Dorian scale to build walking bass lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats and using scale tones as approach notes. This is the foundation of functional bass playing.
The A Dorian scale contains 7 notes (A, B, C, D, E, F#, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Dorian
The A Dorian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.