D Dorian

Soulful, minor but with hope — built from C major

PARENT FAMILY · C MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (C major). D Dorian is the II mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	C Ionian	Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	D Dorian	Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	E Phrygian	Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	F Lydian	Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	G Mixolydian	G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	A Aeolian	Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	B Locrian	Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

D E F G A B C

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7

The Dorian scale on D contains the notes D, E, F, G, A, B, C. The pentatonic subset is D, E, G, A, C.

Characteristic note: the natural 6th separates Dorian from the minor (Aeolian).

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Dm7

II

Em7

III

Fmaj7

IV

G7

V

Am7

VI

Bm7♭5

VII

Cmaj7

▸ Play D Dorian over Dm7 and G7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

SOULFUL, MINOR BUT WITH HOPE

D Dorian is a minor mode with a soulful, minor but with hope character. It is the II mode of C major — it uses the same 7 notes as C Ionian but is rooted on D, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Dm7.

Where to use D Dorian

Jazz, blues-rock, funk, Latin.

Famous examples

So What (Miles Davis)
Oye Como Va
Scarborough Fair

What makes it distinctive: the natural 6th separates Dorian from the minor (Aeolian).

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