Squeezebox Studio
Scale

D Dorian on a G/C melodeon

D Dorian uses D, E, F, G, A, B and C. On a G/C you can play the whole scale up from D4 and D5.

It has the same notes as C major, so the buttons are the same; what changes is the note the tune comes home to.

From D4 to D5

Push, above the linePull, below the line

Every note of this octave is on the C row, so you can play it without leaving the row. That takes six changes of bellows going up.

Crossing the rows cuts that to two changes of bellows, at the cost of four moves between rows:

C rowinsideB♭4G♯41'G3B32'C4D413'E42F434'G44A455'C57B466'E5D587'G5F58'C6A59'E6B510'G rowoutsideC♯4E♭41D3F♯32G3A33B3C44D4E45G4F♯46B4A47D5C58G5E59B5F♯510D6A511
The first way, marked on the box: numbers give the order, blue halves are push and orange are pull.
Every button for each note of this octave
NoteButtons
D45 push, 3′ pull
E45 pull, 4′ push
F44′ pull
G46 push, 5′ push
A47 pull, 5′ pull
B47 push, 6′ pull
C58 pull, 6′ push
D58 push, 7′ pull

From D5 to D6

Push, above the linePull, below the line

No single row has every note of this octave, so you have to cross between the rows. This is the way with the fewest changes of bellows: three going up, and three moves between rows.

C rowinsideB♭4G♯41'G3B32'C4D43'E4F44'G4A45'C5B46'E5D517'G54F538'C67A559'E6B5610'G rowoutsideC♯4E♭41D3F♯32G3A33B3C44D4E45G4F♯46B4A47D5C58G5E529B5F♯510D68A511
The same way, marked on the box: numbers give the order, blue halves are push and orange are pull.
Every button for each note of this octave
NoteButtons
D58 push, 7′ pull
E59 pull, 7′ push
F58′ pull
G59 push, 8′ push
A511 pull, 9′ pull
B510 push, 10′ pull
C69′ push
D611 push

Above and below

From D3 the scale is incomplete: this box has no E3 or F3. Tunes that go that far down will need a different note there, or a different key.

Tab is only the start

A scale shows where the notes are, but a tune rarely runs straight up the octave. Whether you play a note on the push or the pull depends on the notes either side of it, the rhythm, and whether you play along the rows or across them. Along or across the rows explains the difference.

Same notes, different home: C major, A minor, G Mixolydian.

D Dorian on other boxes: D/G melodeon, B/C button accordion.

Other keys on a G/C: G major, C major, F major, E minor, A minor, B minor, D minor, A Dorian, G Dorian, D Mixolydian, A Mixolydian, G Mixolydian, C Mixolydian. Or see every key compared and the G/C button chart.