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Fig. 1 · A# Dorian · first 12 frets

guitar scale

A♯ Dorian

A♯1B♯2C♯♭3D♯4E♯5F𝄪6G♯♭7

Minor with a natural sixth. The second mode of the major scale.

The same sounds spelled from the other side are B♭ Dorian.

on ukuleleon piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · A# Dorian, ascending

Every accidental is written in, rather than left to a key signature, so the letters can be read one at a time.

The step pattern

A♯WB♯HC♯WD♯WE♯WF𝄪HG♯WA♯

What is true of it

A♯ Dorian is A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F𝄪 and G♯, and back to A♯.

Its steps are W – H – W – W – W – H – W, where W is a whole step and H a half.

Written correctly it needs 8 alterations, F𝄪 among them. That is what the letters force, and it is also why nobody writes music in this key: the same notes spelled from the other side are easier to read.

On the same tonic, A♯ natural minor differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the guitar its notes fall in 43 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

C♯majorC♯maj7major seventhD♯majorD♯7dominant seventhG♯majorG♯maj7major seventhA♯mminorA♯m7minor seventh

Found by testing every chord in the catalogue against these 7 sounds, not chosen.

Other scales on A♯

A♯ PhrygianmodeA♯ LydianmodeA♯ MixolydianmodeA♯ majormajorA♯ natural minorminorA♯ harmonic minorminor

C dorC♯ dorD♭ dorD dorD♯ dorE♭ dorE dorF dorall 374