The Dorian mode is the second mode of the major scale, built from the pattern W–H–W–W–W–H–W, or 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 semitones. D Dorian is D, E, F, G, A, B, C, and it sounds minor but with a bright, lifted 6th that sets it apart from natural minor.
What is the Dorian mode?
The Dorian mode is the second mode of the major scale, built from the pattern whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half, whole, or in semitones, 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10. D Dorian is D, E, F, G, A, B, C, the notes of the C major scale starting on D. It sounds minor, because its 3rd is minor, but it has a bright, lifted quality that the natural minor scale does not have, because its 6th is major. The Dorian mode is the most widely used mode in popular music after the major and minor scales themselves. It appears in folk music, Celtic music, rock, jazz and funk, wherever a minor sound is wanted without the sadness of the natural minor scale. The raised 6th is the note that does it: in D Dorian the 6th is B, a major 6th above D, while in D natural minor the 6th is Bb, a minor 6th, and that one semitone lifts the whole scale from dark to hopeful. The D dorian scale shows the notes, and the D minor scale shows the natural minor version for comparison.
How the Dorian mode works
Compare Dorian with the natural minor scale on the same root, and only one note differs: the 6th. D natural minor is D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, while D Dorian is D, E, F, G, A, B, C. The 3rd is minor in both, the 7th is minor in both, and the 6th is the only note that changes, from minor to major. That single raised note is what gives Dorian its character: the scale sounds minor, but the major 6th adds a brightness that the natural minor scale lacks, and it creates a major IV chord, G major in the key of D Dorian, where the natural minor scale gives a minor iv chord. The Dorian mode fits over a minor 7th chord, which is why jazz players use it constantly: the ii chord of a major key is a minor 7th chord, and the Dorian mode is the scale that fits it. In a ii–V–I progression in C major, the ii chord is Dm7, and the D Dorian scale, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, fits it perfectly, because every note of the scale is a note of the chord or an extension of it. The Dm7 guitar chord is the chord Dorian belongs to, and the ii–V–I progression in C major is where it is used most.
Worked example — A Dorian. A Dorian is the second mode of the G major scale, so it contains the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, starting on A: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. Compare it with A natural minor, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and only the 6th differs: F# in Dorian, F in natural minor. The raised 6th gives A Dorian a major IV chord, D major, where A natural minor gives D minor, and that major IV chord is the sound that marks a song as Dorian. Play A Dorian over an Am7 chord and listen for the F# lifting the scale. The A dorian scale shows the notes, and the Am7 guitar chord is the chord it fits.
How to practise the Dorian mode
Practise Dorian by comparing it with natural minor on the same root, so your ear learns the single note that makes the mode what it is.
- Play the D natural minor scale and then the D dorian scale, and listen for the 6th rising from Bb to B.
- Improvise over a Dm7 chord using the D Dorian scale, and notice how the major 6th, B, sounds bright against the minor chord.
- Play the modes of C major in order, and stop on Dorian, listening for the minor sound with a lift that sets it apart from Aeolian.
- On guitar, learn the Dorian shape in one position, then move it to a new root and name the parent major scale it comes from.
- Use the scale finder to find the Dorian mode of any major scale, and check that its 6th is major.
Common mistakes
- Playing natural minor instead of Dorian — The natural minor scale has a minor 6th, while Dorian has a major 6th, and using the wrong one over a Dorian chord will clash on the 6th. Check the 6th before you play.
- Forgetting the parent major scale — Dorian is the second mode of a major scale, so D Dorian comes from C major, not from D major. If you build Dorian from the major scale on the same root, you will get the wrong notes.
- Using Dorian over a major chord — Dorian is a minor mode, with a minor 3rd, so it clashes with a major chord. It fits minor 7th chords, not major chords, so check the chord before you choose the mode.
Quick reference
This table lists the Dorian mode in six keys, with the parent major scale in the last column so you can see that each Dorian scale comes from the major scale a whole tone below it. D Dorian comes from C major, A Dorian comes from G major, and the pattern holds for every row: the parent major scale is always one whole tone below the Dorian root.
| Dorian mode | Notes | Parent major scale |
|---|---|---|
| D Dorian | D – E – F – G – A – B – C | C major |
| A Dorian | A – B – C – D – E – F# – G | G major |
| E Dorian | E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D | D major |
| G Dorian | G – A – A# – C – D – E – F | F major |
| C Dorian | C – D – D# – F – G – A – A# | A# major |
| B Dorian | B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A | A major |
Work through the table by building each Dorian scale from its parent major scale, starting the parent scale on its second degree, and checking your answers against the rows. When you can do that without looking, compare each Dorian scale with the natural minor scale on the same root, and name the raised 6th in each case.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in D Dorian?
D, E, F, G, A, B, C. They are the notes of the C major scale starting on D, and the interval pattern is 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 semitones above the root.
How is Dorian different from natural minor?
One note: the 6th. Dorian has a major 6th, while natural minor has a minor 6th. In D Dorian the 6th is B, while in D natural minor it is Bb, and that one semitone lifts the whole scale.
What chord does Dorian fit over?
A minor 7th chord. Dorian is the scale for the ii chord of a major key, and it fits Dm7 in the key of C major, Am7 in the key of G major, and Em7 in the key of D major.
Where is the Dorian mode used?
In folk music, Celtic music, rock, jazz and funk, wherever a minor sound is wanted without the sadness of the natural minor scale. It is the most widely used mode in popular music after the major and minor scales.
Is Dorian major or minor?
Minor, because its 3rd is minor, three semitones above the root. The major 6th gives it a brighter sound than the natural minor scale, but the minor 3rd is what decides the quality, and it is minor.