A dorian
A natural minor with one note raised: F♯. Seven notes: A B C D E F♯ G. The same notes as G major, centred on A.
- Parent key
- G major Same notes
- Colour note
- F♯ The raised 6th
- Repeating chords
- Am – D i – IV
Across one chord in different positions. Down one place, every chord of the mode. | ||||
| iVampAmA · C · E | ||||
| iiBmB · D · F♯ | ||||
| ♭IIICC · E · G | ||||
| IVVampDD · F♯ · A | ||||
| vEmE · G · B | ||||
| vi°F♯°F♯ · A · C | ||||
| ♭VIIGG · B · D |
Light up
What makes it dorian
Natural minor, with the 6th raised
One note separates A dorian from A natural minor: F becomes F♯. Over the same root, that turns Am – Dm into Am – D.
A natural minor
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
A dorian
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F♯
- G
Hear the difference
One chord that says dorian
Am6 holds F♯, the colour note. Play it to hear those notes together.
The brightness ladder
Seven modes on A
From brightest to darkest, each row lowers one note of the row above. Dorian is row 4 of seven.
↑ Brighter
- A lydianABC♯D♯EF♯G♯♯4
- A ionian (major)ABC♯DEF♯G♯—
- A mixolydianABC♯DEF♯G♭7
- A dorianABCDEF♯G♭3 ♭7
- A aeolian (natural minor)ABCDEFG♭3 ♭6 ♭7
- A phrygianAB♭CDEFG♭2 ♭3 ♭6 ♭7
- A locrianAB♭CDE♭FG♭2 ♭3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Darker ↓
Jam along
Three drills over the vamp
Play over the repeating Am – D chords with a metronome. The neck highlights the notes to aim for, with F♯ ringed.
- The vamp, with a clickAm – D, two bars each, in frets 2–5. Strum on the beat.80 bpmLevel 1
- Scale over the vampUp the scale and back down, one note a beat, while Am – D sounds. Stay in frets 2–5.80 bpmLevel 1
- Land on the colour noteOver D, aim for F♯. It is the note that makes it dorian.80 bpmLevel 2