B♭ Dorian scale

4 flats: B♭ D♭ E♭ A♭ · pattern W–H–W–W–W–H–W

B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭

CFGB♭D♭E♭A♭B♭
Step patternWHWWWHW

Chords in B♭ Dorian

iB♭m
iiCm
IIID♭
IVE♭
vFm
vi°Gdim
VIIA♭

Scale degrees

DegreeNoteNameHalf steps from B♭
1B♭Tonic0
2CSupertonic2
3D♭Mediant3
4E♭Subdominant5
5FDominant7
6GSubmediant9
7A♭Subtonic10

About this scale

Dorian is natural minor with a raised 6th (G), which gives it a brighter, hopeful minor sound heard in funk, jazz and songs like “Scarborough Fair”. It’s the 2nd mode of G♯ major.

Seventh chords in B♭ Dorian scale

i7 B♭m7ii7 Cm7IIImaj7 D♭maj7IV7 E♭7v7 Fm7viø7 Gm7♭5VIImaj7 A♭maj7

Other B♭ scales

Dorian scale in other keys

Questions

What are the notes of the B♭ Dorian scale?

B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, and back to B♭.

How many sharps or flats are in B♭ Dorian scale?

4: B♭, D♭, E♭, A♭.

What is the step pattern of the Dorian scale?

W–H–W–W–W–H–W, where W is a whole step (two keys) and H is a half step (the next key). Start that pattern on B♭ to get this scale.