Harmonic MinorDegree 4

Dorian ♯4

Rich purple with golden threads. A tapestry in a candlelit room. warm minor tones shot through with surprising brightness.

Ask Coach
Scale NotesDorian ♯4 in C
C
D
E♭
F♯
G
A
B♭
Interval Formula
12♭3♯456♭7
Primary Chord
The tonic chord built from this mode
Cm7

Chord Tones

CD♯GA♯

All Diatonic Chords

Cm7D7D♯maj7♯5F♯m7♭5Gm(maj7)Am7♭5A♯maj7
Chord Voicings
Guitar voicings for Cm7
Cm76Root, minor 3rd, minor 7th. The minor shell. swap one note from the maj7 shell to go minor.
Cm7Root, minor 3rd, minor 7th. Three-note shell on inner strings.
Cm7Full four-note drop-2 voicing. Root, 5th, b7th, b3rd with a warm, spread character.
Fretboard

Dorian ♯4 in C

123456789101112131415EADGBeF♯GAA♯CDD♯F♯GAA♯CDD♯F♯GAA♯CDD♯F♯GAA♯CDD♯GAA♯CDD♯F♯GAA♯CDD♯F♯GAA♯CDF♯GAA♯CDD♯F♯G
RootCharacteristic toneScale tone
Listen
Audio. Dorian ♯4 in C
Tempo:
180 BPM

Musical Context

Diatonic Context
Chords built from the G harmonic minor scale — click any chord for voicings
Where to Use Dorian ♯4
Primary Chord
Cm7
Function
Subdominant
Key Context
The iv chord in G harmonic minor

Dorian with an exotic twist.

Related Chord Voicings
Extensions, substitutions, and simplifications for Cm7

Extensions

Substitutions

Simplified Voicings

Example Progressions
Progressions where Dorian ♯4 applies (in C)
iv
iv: Cm7

A minor vamp where Dorian #4 adds an Eastern European, klezmer, or gypsy flavor.

Practice in Play Along →
iv → vii° → i → iv
iv: Cm7vii°: F♯dim7i: Gm(maj7)iv: Cm7

Dorian ♯4 (mode IV of melodic minor) has a unique Lydian quality inside a minor context.

Practice in Play Along →
Arpeggio Connection
The arpeggio that matches the Cm7 chord
Minor 7th
Cm7
Tones
C
R
E♭
♭3
G
5
B♭
♭7
Highlighted = guide tones (define chord quality)

Sound

Dorian with an exotic twist. the ♯4 adds a Lydian-like brightness inside a minor context. It's a sophisticated minor sound that hints at both darkness and unexpected light, with an Eastern European or klezmer flavor.

Practical Use Cases

  • ●Over m7 chords in harmonic minor contexts
  • ●Eastern European and klezmer-influenced playing
  • ●iv chord in harmonic minor
  • ●Adding exotic color to minor chord improvisation

Practical Notes

The fourth mode of harmonic minor. Think of it as Dorian with a ♯4; it retains Dorian's warm natural 6th but adds the raised 4th for an exotic, Eastern sound. The augmented 2nd between ♭3 and ♯4 is what gives it that klezmer/gypsy quality. It's a niche sound, but when you want 'exotic minor' without going full Phrygian, this is a great option. Works well in fusion and world-music-influenced jazz.

minorexoticharmonic-minor-familyklezmeradvanced

Practice Drills

Ascending & Descending in One PositionBeginnerTechnique
5 min

Play the mode ascending and descending within a single five-fret box. Build muscle memory and connect the sound to the shape.

Three-Notes-Per-String PatternsIntermediateTechnique
10 min

Play the mode using three notes on every string, stretching across the neck. Great for building legato technique and hearing the scale in a linear way.

Emphasize Characteristic Tones on Strong BeatsIntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Create short melodic phrases that land the mode's characteristic tone(s) on beats 1 and 3. This trains you to bring out the sound that defines the mode.

Improvise Over a Matching ChordBeginnerImprovisation
5 min

Play the mode's parent chord as a loop (or use a backing track) and improvise over it for two minutes. This connects the mode to its harmonic context.

Create 3 Licks Using Only Strings 1–3IntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Compose three short licks (2–4 beats each) using only the top three strings. This forces creativity within a constraint and builds upper-register vocabulary.

Resolve from Tension to StabilityIntermediateEar Training
8 min

Practice approaching chord tones from a half step above or below, training your ear to hear tension resolve.

Try Dorian ♯4 in Play Along

Practice improvising over real chord changes with guided scale and target note suggestions.

Compare With

Dorian vs Dorian ♯4
Standard Dorian versus its harmonic minor variant. Raising the 4th introduces an augmented 2nd interval that transforms the warm jazz sound into something exotic and Eastern European.

Related Modes

DorianMelodic MinorLydian

Your Notes

Your Notes

No notes yet for Dorian ♯4.

Start capturing your observations.