How To Use The Dorian Mode On Guitar
Getting a little bored with the 'ol pentatonic minor scales
? Ready to spice things up with some new notes? Let's crack open the book on modes and see how you can bring the Dorian mode into play quickly and easily.
There are different ways to think about the derivation of modes. I'll present them here and you can make your own choice as to which you like.
First... Dorian is the second mode. That means it has the same key signature as the major scale a whole step below it. Example: D is the second note in C Major. So D Dorian and C Major have the same key signature (no sharps or flats). So if you're faced with soloing in D Dorian, start by using your C Major scale and you're on your way.
If you were looking for the notes in B Dorian? What's the relative major? A major. So B Dorian and A Major share the same notes.
To keep things simple I'll use D Dorian for the rest of the examples here. To get a little deeper understanding, it's good to know how to go beyond just dropping into the relative major pattern.
Here's our scales:
C Major - C D E F G A B C
D Dorian - D E F G A B C D (same notes with a different starting point or 'tonal center')
Now, play those D Dorian notes on your guitar and decide if the scale sounds major or minor to you. Remember major sounds happy, minor sounds sad. Because of the minor 3rd interval between D and F, that will sound minor. Every mode sound "major-ish" or "minor-ish".
Do how does D Dorian differ from D minor? Let's look at the notes:
D Dorian - D E F G A B C D
D Minor - D E F G A Bb C D
Just one note, the sixth scale degree is different. So here's your second way of thinking about Dorian. It's the same as a natural minor scale but with a sharp 6th scale degree. So in D Dorian that B natural is your money note (the one that gets you paid, baby!) Make sure you use that to get the Dorian-ness across to the listener.
Now let's talk chords a bit. Here's the diatonic chords in D Dorian. Really they're exactly the same as C Major, but just starting from the D:
D Dorian - Dm Em F G Am Bdim C Dm
D Minor - Dm Edim F Gm Am Bb C Dm
To write a chord progression in D Dorian, first you need to use that D minor chord as your tonal center (home base). Then make sure that you use the chords that are affected by changing that Bb to B natural. As you'll see above that would be the Em, Gm, and Bdim. Using those chords against a D minor will give you that Dorian sound. Trying it with some of your stock progressions of i IV V and such.
Some popular progressions in this mode are i - ii and i - IV. But jam some out and see what kind of combinations you come up with.
The big idea is to include the one note that's different from the regular minor scale. The #6 here and you'll be breaking that pentatonic habit in no time!
How To Use The Dorian Mode On Guitar
By: Phil Johnson
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