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