Dorian Mode Made Easy - with Simon Koretz



What is the Dorian Mode?
  
For those of you yet to investigate this great alternative to the Natural Minor and Minor Pentatonic scales, here's a quick insight into the structure and usage of this mode.

The Formula  is  
(1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6,b 7)
or the Natural Minor with a raised 6th Tone.

Dorian is a minor mode used over minor chords, we will use Bminor as our example.  (Figure  1 - 4).  Figure 5 is a Root 6 Major scale pattern. (Root note on 6th string) Key of A. If you know this one simple pattern, you can already be using Dorian Mode without learning any additional scale forms.  The trick is playing the Major scale 1 whole step below the key you are in, for example playing the A Major scale over B Minor chords or G Major over A Minor chords and so on. (Figures 6 - 8) are some examples of B Dorian licks based on this approach. Though we have only scratched the surface in this lesson, I hope you find some useful ideas you can incorporate into your soloing and songwriting.
  

(Fig 1) Bminor  (Fig 2) Bm7   (Fig 3)  Bm6   (Fig 4)  Bm9
1 --------7--------------7--------------7--------------9------
2 --------7--------------7--------------9--------------7------
3 --------7--------------7--------------7--------------7------
4 --------9--------------7--------------7--------------7------
5 --------9--------------9--------------9--------------9------
6 --------7--------------7--------------7--------------7------
(Fig 5)  A Major Scale
1 -----------------------------------7-9-10-------------------
2 ----------------------------7-9-10--------------------------
3 ----------------------6-7-9---------------------------------
4 ----------------6-7-9---------------------------------------
5 ----------5-7-9---------------------------------------------
6 ----5-7-9---------------------------------------------------


(Fig 6)
1 ------------------------------------------------------------
2 ------10fb(10)p7--9hb(9)p7----------------------------------
3 ----------------------------9p7-----------------------------
4 ---------------------------------9p7\6----------------------
5 ------------------------------------------------------------
6 ------------------------------------------------------------

(Fig 7)                          (Fig 8)
1 ---------------------------------7/9p7----7-------------------
2 ----------------7-10-9~~~~~~~~---------10---9p7---------------
3 --------------7---------------------------------7/9p6---6-----
4 ----------6-9-----------------------------------------7---7\6-
5 ------5h9-----------------------------------------------------
6 ----7---------------------------------------------------------
  

Simon is currently a full time Guitar tutor and is writing and playing for the New Zealand band 'EIGHT FORTY EIGHT'.

EIGHT FORTY EIGHT released the album 'Edge of Time' in 1993, and is currently recording material for a follow up album.

For all Guitar Tuition enquiries and questions about the band you can call Simon on Hamilton N.Z 07 8552235
  
h = hammer on
p = pull off
~~ = vibrato
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
hb - half bend
fb = full bend

All Music Academy