C Dorian
Minor scale with a raised 6th
Formula (vs major scale)
Characteristic note
The natural 6th (♮6) — A in C Dorian. It’s the note that gives Dorian its sound (ringed in magenta on the neck).
Mood
Minor but hopeful — jazzy and funky, thanks to the bright natural 6th.
e.g. "So What" (Miles Davis), "Scarborough Fair".
Brightness (brightest → darkest)
Parent scale
C Dorian uses the notes of the Bb major scale, started on C (the 2nd degree).
About the Guitar Modes Visualizer
Guitar Tool Hub's free guitar modes visualizer maps all seven diatonic modes — Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian — across the full fretboard in any key, with tap-to-play audio on every note. Each mode comes with its scale formula relative to the major scale, its characteristic note highlighted on the neck, its mood, where it sits on the brightness scale from Lydian to Locrian, and the parent major scale it's built from. Ideal for learning modal soloing, understanding music theory on the fretboard, and finally hearing what makes Dorian different from Aeolian.
- 01All 7 modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian
- 02Scale formula relative to the major scale (e.g. Dorian = 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7)
- 03Characteristic note highlighted on the fretboard
- 04Brightness order from Lydian (brightest) to Locrian (darkest)
- 05Parent major scale relationship for every mode
- 06All 12 keys and 27 tunings
- 07Tap any note to hear it played — printable and downloadable
Frequently Asked Questions
Modes are seven scales built from the major scale by starting on each of its seven notes. Starting the C major scale on D gives D Dorian, on E gives E Phrygian, and so on. Each mode shares the same notes as its parent major scale but, because it starts on a different note, has a different pattern of intervals and its own distinct mood.
Each mode differs from the plain major or minor scale by one or two characteristic notes. Dorian is minor with a raised 6th (jazzy, hopeful), Phrygian is minor with a lowered 2nd (dark, Spanish), Lydian is major with a raised 4th (dreamy, bright), Mixolydian is major with a lowered 7th (bluesy, dominant), Aeolian is the natural minor scale, and Locrian is a diminished, unstable mode with a flat 2nd and flat 5th. The visualizer highlights each mode's characteristic note on the neck.
Pick a root note and a mode, and the visualizer highlights every note of that mode across the fretboard with the root and characteristic note marked. Tap notes to hear the sound, then solo over a backing chord or drone on the root to hear the mode's character. Emphasizing the characteristic note is what makes the mode sound modal rather than just major or minor.
Ordered from brightest to darkest, the modes are Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, Phrygian, and Locrian. Brighter modes have more raised (sharp) notes; darker modes have more lowered (flat) notes. The visualizer shows where the current mode sits on this brightness scale.
Yes. The Scale Visualizer is a general tool for looking up any scale, key, and tuning. The Modes Visualizer focuses on the seven diatonic modes and adds the modal theory around them — each mode's formula versus the major scale, its characteristic note on the neck, its brightness, and the parent major scale it comes from.
Yes — completely free. No account, no download, and no payment required.