E Dorian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
E Dorian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The E Dorian scale is the second mode of the major scale, offering a soulful and sophisticated minor sound. On Bass, it contains the notes E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D. 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 E Dorian are Em7, F#m7, GMaj7, A7, Bm7, C#m7b5, DMaj7. 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: E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
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
Em7 — F♯m7 — GMaj7 — A7 — Bm7 — C♯m7♭5 — DMaj7
How to Play E Dorian on Bass
On bass, locate E on the E string at fret 0. 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 E Dorian scale contains 2 sharps (F#, C#). Its relative major is G major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Practice the E Dorian scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 80 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 7 notes of the scale.
Try these progressions with the E Dorian scale: Em7 - A7 - Bm7 - Em7 (I-IV-V-I) or Em7 - F#m7 - A7 - Bm7 for a more stepwise movement.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the E 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 E Dorian scale contains 7 notes (E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for E Dorian
The E 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.