Dorian Mode: Harmony Analysis - Part 1

[Algerock]

Hello Andrew! This is my first time viewing the video about the Dorian mode, and I'd like to say that it's top notch!! I have been struggling trying to understand what chords I could play over the Dorian mode(progression) building triads from it's scale just like with the C major scale. ButI'm not sure if it's the right way to go?? Should I build triads from the Dorian scale and build progressions from there or is there a different approach to building chord progression from each mode? Thanks!!

[danlovesnan]

ok, so we're talking about "more modern jazz", if you play classic jazz (40s-50s) and Bossa Nova you mostly relay on arpeggios. I do like the Dorian on blues, and of course other scales, arpeggios and the Mixolydian. Thank you.

[threeamax]

wow all this seems over my head after 20 years of playing lol...I just play by ear hahaha

[cybershane]

It's that 6th that messes me up... I was working on a song in Eb Dorian, and Am doesn't work because of that major 6th forces me into an A... My resolution, of course is Adim or Aaug (either works) - but I do like your solution just as well!

Thanks for this...

[danlovesnan]

for me it is a bit confusing: Bb major, then you mention C melodic minor...

Just a question: what is the meaning of creating a dorian progression? I mean, we create a new song, and then we try to play on it, we don't create songs in order to "stress" a DORIAN sound I guess...also in jazz you just have a nice song (standard jazz), and you have to play on it, a song isn't usually created in order to play on it in a certain way i guess. Interesting lesson anyway, maybe too advanced for me.

[mightyafrowhitey]

@danlovesnan Actually sometimes they are. Lots of Modal jazz, not to mention the blues are based alomost exclusively on Dorian.

[danlovesnan]

@mightyafrowhitey

Do you mean that in some standars all the chords progression were thought to be based on Dorian? Are you talking of modern jazz or be-bop?

[mightyafrowhitey]

@danlovesnan More like Modal jazz. Something like Miles Davis's Kind Of Blue, or Coltrane's Impressions. They don't really have what you would call chord progressions. Kind of a min7 vamp, which the Dorian mode would be best suited for. Also the basic meoldy is in Dorian. Don't get me wrong, you can play all kinds of scales over these songs, like they did. But the basic "sound" of the songs is Dorian. Also, when I play the blues, I normally use a cross between the blues scale and Dorian.

[gmurda]

Hey im not going to school for music but i study it strongly on my own. I found this to be very helpful. One of my favorite artist uses Dorian scale and Lydian scale very well. I thought I might interest you to check his music out. His name is John Frusciante. "Shadows Collide with People" and " The Empyrean " are his best albums to be personally. You seem like a cool dude who's open minded thought you might like it.

[BeatBay]

Hello Andrew, I love your lessons. They are by far the best I ever saw! Thank you for that! I have the same guitar like you on this video. Do you think I can get a great smooth jazz sound of this guitar if I change the bridge pick-up? thank you very much!

[TheSamskie]

Hey Thanks for this Lesson, Before I watched this Video Im starting to Hate the Dorian Mode because of that major 6th (frequent use of aeolian did that), now Im starting to understand, all I need now is a little Ear training for the Major 6th in Dorian, could you suggest any methods on what to do? THX!!

[oceanofdarknesse]

i am an absolute beginner in guitar music theory! but your lessons have opened up my mind in ways that i cannot explain in words.but i have a few problems regarding chord types. can you explain whether a domonant 7 chord is different from a major 7 chord? for example the way you are pressing your index finger on the first fret , that looks like you're playing the d# note on the 4th string.that would also justify the 4th degree in Cdorian i.e Fmixolydian.but that cant be a major 7.or am i wrong?

[mightyafrowhitey]

@oceanofdarknesse The dom7 chord is like a major 7th only with a flat 7 instead of a natural 7. Instead of 1 3 5 7 it's 1 3 5 7b. That's the 7th chord you would play on the 5th note of a harmonized major scale, as well as the tonic 7th chord in the mixolydian mode (which is obviously the same thing.)

[kharlos84]

hey man , how we mix the modes ? be in one and go to another ?

[BOULDERDP]

Why make this so difficult? Just move the major scale down 2 frets from the root note and bingo. The second note of the major scale lands on the root note of the key you are in. Then rock on.

[BOULDERDP]

@boblawblaws604 Don't over-intellectualize. Just try it. Play C major over Dm chords (Dorian mode) and voila, instant Santana. Mix it with D pentatonic minor and more voila. The best advice I ever got was 'dont think about it, just try it'.

[boblawblaws604]

@BOULDERDP - You're an idiot.

[BOULDERDP]

@BOULDERDP for dorian mode that is. And two more for phrygian etc. Its easy and a great way for beginners to start to learn transposing.

[new01]

Thanks for the lesson in dorian harmony. ii7 - i7 - v7 - i7 is smoooth, got to go finish my song now :)

[Harrybot]

I'm not sure if this is universal but when using Roman numerals for chord analysis I use a lower case letter if the quality is minor and an upper case letter if it is major in quality. Then I indicate any sevenths or color tones which are added such as ii-7 or V7#5

[CesarMole]

I believe since he is using the Contemporary Music Analysis. I do the same thing as you, but I know there are a few different ways to write the scale

[jsaic]

fantastic

[Testacabeza]

Just a question please: why are you making the C Dorian out of the Bb major scale and not from the C major starting from the D note and then transporting the result in parallel to the C major thus obtaining the formula 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7?

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hello Testacabeza,

Thanks for pointing this out. It is an excellent piece of information to see written rather than only spoken.

Also... I am considering this series as a "Masterclass" style of lecture, and I am expecting (and hoping) that someone watching this would already know a lot about scales.

Those guitar players who are wanting to improvise and write music from modal harmony are the audience I am catering to in this entire series. Especially improvisers!

Thanks again,

Andrew Wasson

[Testacabeza]

I understand. Thanks.

[satchrules101]

@creativeguitarstudio ok so C Dorian is the same as D Dorian I'm right right??

[pierolivier111]

@Testacabeza What is the difference? Isn't it the same formula?

[Rickyyy001]

Ahhhh yesss!!! this makes perfect sense, and i actually was making a little mistake myself i was harmoizing outside of the underlining causing me to get a incorrect 6th. Thank you for the vids they've really helped me in my schools jazzband and big band!!!

[Rickyyy001]

hey man great mode, but i have a quesion i hope you can answer. when you harmonize the chords and make them 7ths. how do you get that 6th quality chord. because when i harmonize them on thefretboard i just get the same chords as if were harmonizing the G maj but starting on the 2nd degree??? do you get what i'm saying? did you just make that Cmi6 a color tone?? i hope you can answer this it's been really giving me to run around!!!

Thank you

~Rick

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hello Rickyyy001,

The sixth chord is a separate chord altogether. It exists because the 6th note of the Dorian mode produces the correct interval, (Ma6) on top of the Tonic Family chord of "Cmi." In my example, I used it along-side of the seventh chords, however it is a separate chord in the grand scheme of things.

Hope this helps,

Andrew

[Blandified]

Duuuuude... Absolutely love these modal vids! Keep 'em up and try to hit all of them.

[Draugoth]

Again, great lesson Andrew. I hope I speak for everybody when I say we appreciate the lessons, shoot I know I do. Best mode instruction I've come across.

[spudone]

Thanks for making this awesome video! I learned all about modes on trumpet years ago, and it's really nice to learn how to make a chord progression out of that knowledge.

[iwantagoodnameplease]

You used two types of chord representation in this video. I'm used to seeing the chords written as:

I ii iii IV V vi vii I

What is this style know as? What were the other two types you used call and why do they all exist? (ie: why not just use one? :))

[creativeguitarstudio]

As to the Roman Numeral Analysis... keep in mind that there are Four popular types of analysis, (the classical style is taught in the majority of music schools). The four types are: Classical: Uses uppercase numerals for major & lower for minor. Jazz Analysis: Uses all uppercase with quality noted; i.e., "IImi7" Nashville: Applies numbers with quality, i.e., "2mi7" Contemporary Harmony: Uses only uppercase roman numerals. Just Google 'em each for more details!

- Andrew W.

[northlander30]

Andrew do you have lessons that can be bought on music and guitar theory?

[creativeguitarstudio]

I do have a digital music theory course (eBooks). I just need to set it up for download through PayPal and make a page online for people to access the PayPal links. If you're a subscriber to my personal website, (a link is on my YouTube channel homepage) you'll get a notice in the weeks ahead about it when it's all online ready to go!

Thanks, Andrew W.