Guitar UpscaleDorian Mode on guitar
Dorian is a minor mode with a major sixth, a brighter minor sound used in funk, rock, jazz and folk songs.
| Notes in A | A B C D E F# G |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 |
| Steps | W H W W W H W (W whole step, H half step) |
| Note count | 7 |
| Style in the app | Minor, scale "Dorian" |
Play the A Dorian Mode on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale
About the Dorian Mode
Dorian is the second mode of the major scale. D Dorian has the notes of C major, played from D.
Its major 6th lifts the minor mood. Santana's "Oye Como Va", Miles Davis's "So What" and the folk song "Scarborough Fair" all lean on it.
Use it over a minor chord that moves to a major chord a fourth up, such as Am to D. That major IV chord is the Dorian sound.
Intervals from the root
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | In A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | A |
| 2 | Major 2nd | 2 | B |
| b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 | C |
| 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 | D |
| 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 | E |
| 6 | Major 6th | 9 | F# |
| b7 | Minor 7th | 10 | G |
Chords in the A Dorian Mode
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each note. These chords sound at home with the scale, so they make good progressions.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Am7 |
| ii | Bm | Bm7 |
| bIII | C | Cmaj7 |
| IV | D | D7 |
| v | Em | Em7 |
| vi° | F#dim | F#m7b5 |
| bVII | G | Gmaj7 |
Same notes, another starting note
Start the A Dorian Mode on another of its notes and you get these scales:
- From degree 2 (B): B Phrygian Mode
- From degree b3 (C): C Lydian Mode
- From degree 4 (D): D Mixolydian Mode
- From degree 5 (E): E Natural Minor scale
- From degree 6 (F#): F# Locrian Mode
- From degree b7 (G): G Major Scale
Dorian Mode in every key
| Key | Notes | Play it |
|---|---|---|
| C | C D Eb F G A Bb | Open |
| C# | C# D# E F# G# A# B | Open |
| D | D E F G A B C | Open |
| Eb | Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db | Open |
| E | E F# G A B C# D | Open |
| F | F G Ab Bb C D Eb | Open |
| F# | F# G# A B C# D# E | Open |
| G | G A Bb C D E F | Open |
| G# | G# A# B C# D# E# F# | Open |
| A | A B C D E F# G | Open |
| Bb | Bb C Db Eb F G Ab | Open |
| B | B C# D E F# G# A | Open |