The Dorian Mode

[mosiddiqi]

Yep..that "M" word again ...following Paulowski's request for some more info, I thought the best thing to do, given that Mark's excellent vids cover the subject already, was to perhaps post some examples of what I do with them and try and get the sound of these modes ('cos that's the most important thing imo) in your ears rather than a theoretical idea on paper or the webz or whatever

Rule number One that we already mentioned in the other thread:

There's Diatonic music and then there's Modal (non-diatonic) music. The harmony defines whether you're playing Diatonic or Modal music. There is nothing Modal about this progression:

CMaj7/Amin7/FMaj7/G7..it's in the key of C Major. If you play your C Major scale from D-D thinking "I'm playing Dorian here"..you're not. You're playing C Major. That's because the function of those notes from D-D will still be the same as if you were playing from C-C or E-E or whatever..it'll all sound like C Major over that progression...try it.

However, if your progession is a static vamp on Dmin7.....or E5/Bb5..well then, there's no clearly defined key. Each chord becomes the key..that's where modes are useful.

Take that first progression, a vamp on Dmin7..now this could be seen as a II chord in the key of C Major..but it never resolves to CMajor. You're going to hear D as the strong "home" note here.

So, now let's try our C Major scale from D-D (as D is the strong note) and we get D E F G A B C D...otherwise known as the Dorian Mode.

Looking at these notes with D as the root, we see that it can be described as a D minor scale (given the b3 "F") with a Major 6 (B). The Major 6 is a very distinctive sound played over a Min or Min7 type chord. It gives Dorian it's "flavour"..especially with the 2nd/9th also highlighted in your phrases. If you try and hold a B note over a Dmin chord you'll hear it straightaway..it's not so tense that you can't hold it..it kind of adds a quality that I think is essentially what we call Dorian.

Depending on the song you're playing, to me it has a very Santana'esq vibe. I always find it helpful to think of ideas like this in terms of an artist or song that I can easily identify...rather than thinking "Dorian, that means 2nd mode Major Scale" I think "Santana" or "Jimmy Page-No Quarter"..I want that sound.

I put together a quick example of what this actually sounds like. I hope it's clear to you that it sounds NOTHING like C Major even though all the notes used are from the C Major scale. The Dminor backing track is available freely here:

http://www.fretjam.info/media-files/dminor-dorianbk.mp3

and my take is here:

http://www.box.net/shared/jpz6vue1l3

A lot of phrases end on or make use of the Maj6 and 2/9 to highlight the Dorian sound. Pretty sloppy as I didn't spend much time on it, it's supposed to help you "hear" the Dorian sound rather than be a "take" as it were.

If you find this useful, I'll do something similar with the Phrygian Mode next. . If not...well, I tried.

 

[paulowski]

Good stuff, Mo....thanks. I'll get back again when I've heard the audio.

I would add this to one of your paragraphs (addition in capitals):

"Looking at these notes with D as the root, we see that it can be described as a D minor scale (given the b3 "F") with a Major 6 (B), INSTEAD OF A MINOR 6TH (Bb)".

This much of the theory I understand............. Dorian mode is a minor scale with the sixth note NOT flatted. Therefore, it is an "optional extra" minor scale, with a different sound to the standard minor scale with a flatted sixth........and so can add variety to your minor scale choices.

Just throwing that in to help things along........keep going, you're doing well. A lot of people need help with this, judging by the amount of stuff about it on the net.

 

[jrockbridge]

I'm the musical equivalent of illiterate, so I didn't understand what you wrote. However, I picked up my acoustic guitar and followed along with what you were playing in the clip. It makes sense to my ears and fingers. I appreciate the post.

 

[mosiddiqi]

Good stuff, Mo....thanks. I'll get back again when I've heard the audio.

I would add this to one of your paragraphs (addition in capitals):

"Looking at these notes with D as the root, we see that it can be described as a D minor scale (given the b3 "F") with a Major 6 (B), INSTEAD OF A MINOR 6TH (Bb)".

This much of the theory I understand............. Dorian mode is a minor scale with the sixth note NOT flatted. Therefore, it is an "optional extra" minor scale, with a different sound to the standard minor scale with a flatted sixth........and so can add variety to your minor scale choices.

Just throwing that in to help things along........keep going, you're doing well. A lot of people need help with this, judging by the amount of stuff about it on the net.

Thanks Paul, and yes, you're absolutely right regarding how I should have worded the "minor with a Maj6" part

I'm the musical equivalent of illiterate, so I didn't understand what you wrote. However, I picked up my acoustic guitar and followed along with what you were playing in the clip. It makes sense to my ears and fingers. I appreciate the post.

You know, that is all that matters really ..glad it was of some use.

 

[paulowski]

The modes in colour (or color, if you prefer)................see attached graphic.

Top row.....C major scale starting on C as tonic, long boxes representing two-fret steps, short boxes representing single-fret steps.............

Bottom row.....C major scale starting on D as tonic...........note how the step pattern changes. This is D Dorian......it uses the same step pattern as C major, but starting one two-fret step later, ie on the second note.

The D Dorian step pattern produces a minor scale.

The rest of the modes use the parent major scale step pattern, but each starts progressively further along it.

Phrygian mode starts on the third note of the parent major scale......on an E note in C major. Looking at the graphic, you should be able to work out the step pattern for E Phrygian, and come to the conclusion that it, too, is a minor scale.

Confused?

Just ask Mo!

 

[paulowski]

Bored here at the moment, so I've done each major scale mode in full colour. I would get out more, if there were anywhere to go.

Hope this helps anyone out there in search of modes fun.

 

[paulowski]

And here is a handy-dandy diagram showing you which kind of chords you can play the modes over.

Dorian is the second mode of any major scale, so D Dorian uses the notes of C major scale. And it's good over Dm7........it is the same as the natural minor scale but for a raised sixth.

In the same way, A Dorian uses the notes of G major scale, and is good over Am7.......it's the same as the natural minor scale but for a raised sixth.

Works every time!

Phrygian is the third mode of a major scale, so A Phrygian uses the notes of F major scale...............this results in a natural minor scale but with a flat 2nd.


Once you get the hang of it, you can harmonize each note of each mode, in the same way you can harmonize each note of the major scale. This opens things up immensely, so take it easy and stay calm!

 

[mosiddiqi]

Good stuff Paul!

 

[go cat go]

Bored here at the moment, so I've done each major scale mode in full colour. I would get out more, if there were anywhere to go.

Hope this helps anyone out there in search of modes fun.

Thanks for this! Awesome!