D# Dorian #4 Ukulele Scale
Ukulele scale — fretboard diagram
D# Dorian #4 Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D# Dorian #4 scale, known in Eastern Europe as the Ukrainian Dorian or Misheberak, has a deeply soulful, crying quality. On Ukulele, the notes are D#, F, F#, A, A#, C, C#. It is a pillar of Jewish Klezmer music and traditional Balkan folk songs. Commonly used in Klezmer, Balkan Folk, Metal, Film Scores. Notable players include Itzhak Perlman, Bregovic, System of a Down. Use over m7 chords in Klezmer and Balkan contexts. The #4 adds the exotic 'weeping' quality that defines these traditions.
Notes: D#, F, F#, A, A#, C, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4A, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 #4 5 6 b7
Formula: W-H-WH-H-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: ukrainian dorian, romanian minor, altered dorian
How to Play D# Dorian #4 on Ukulele
On ukulele, find D# on the fret 2 area, and work through the scale within a four-fret span. You may need to shift positions once to cover all 7 notes. Practice each position separately before linking them together.
The D# Dorian #4 scale contains 4 sharps (D#, F#, A#, C#). Its relative major is F# major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the D# Dorian #4 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.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on D# to let the characteristic intervals of the Dorian #4 scale come through clearly.
Ukulele Tips
The compact fretboard of the ukulele makes the D# Dorian #4 scale easy to visualize in a single position. Use this to your advantage by memorizing the scale shape relative to chord shapes you already know.
The D# Dorian #4 scale contains 7 notes (D#, F, F#, A, A#, C, C#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D# Dorian #4
The D# Dorian #4 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.
Explore D# Dorian #4 Further
- Harmonize the D# Dorian #4 scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- D# Dorian #4 on Guitar
- D# Dorian #4 on Bass
- D# Dorian #4 on Piano