Dorian mode

Dorian mode is such a cool scale. It evokes medieval chant and the blues. Its characteristic minor sixth chord is almost a diminished chord. And it’s unique among the diatonic modes for being symmetrical, meaning that it uses the same sequence of intervals going up and down. When you write Dorian on the chromatic circle, it’s left-right symmetrical, and it’s even more obviously symmetrical on the circle of fifths.

Dorian mode is like a combination of the natural minor scale and Mixolydian mode. You can make Dorian by raising the sixth of natural minor, or by flatting the third of Mixolydian.

If you prefer seeing things in notation, here’s a Noteflight explainer.

In medieval European music, there was only one Dorian mode, the one on the white keys, what we now call D Dorian. Here’s the Dies irae sequence, a 13th century Gregorian chant in Dorian mode:

Unlike modern Dorian mode, Medieval Dorian was flexible; it could include the note B-flat instead of B, turning it into D natural minor, and it could also sometimes include C-sharp instead of C to make D harmonic or melodic minor. This is what’s happening in “Greensleeves“, which we would understand now as being mostly Dorian with some melodic minor mixed in. Other iconic old-timey Dorian tunes include “Drunken Sailor“, a favorite of mine from grade school, and “Scarborough Fair“, as most famously recorded by Simon and Garfunkel.

Because of its medieval vibe, Dorian is useful for writing fake Gregorian chants, as in the Halo theme music.

Dorian is also important for jazz, not because it evokes medieval Europe, but because it overlaps so heavily with the sound of the blues. If you are playing a blues song in A, then A Dorian mode makes a very good blues scale, especially if you bend the C up toward C-sharp. The characteristic tritone between the flat third and sixth is the basis of the bluesy melody in “Waiting for Benny” by Charlie Christian.

The archetypal Dorian mode jazz tune is Miles Davis’ “So What.” It switches between D Dorian and E-flat Dorian.

John Coltrane played on this recording, and it evidently made a strong impact on him. He wrote many tunes in Dorian, and arranged several folk and traditional songs that use it too. Here’s his version of “Greensleeves”, (mainly) in D Dorian.

And here’s “Spiritual” in C Dorian.

Dorian is important in Latin music, too. Here’s “Oye Como Va” by Tito Puente as recorded by Santana. It’s in A Dorian.

Rock and funk mainly use Dorian over endless i7-IV7 grooves like the one in “Oye Como Va.” My favorite example is “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder. It’s in E-flat Dorian, using Ebm7 and Ab7.

Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” spends a long time in B-flat Dorian, using Bbm7 and Eb7.

The main groove in Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky” is in G Dorian, using Gm7 and C7. Listen at 1:07.

Parliament’s “Flash Light” is somewhere between B and C Dorian.

Chic’s “Le Freak” is in A Dorian.

Björk’s song “Hidden Place” song fits into none of the above categories, but I love it, so here it is in all its D Dorian glory.

Like its cousin Mixolydian, Dorian is a wonderful mode for improvising. There are no wrong notes! Drone a D and jam on the white keys of the piano. Everything will sound good. Tonal harmony is wonderful and everything, but Europeans were a little too hasty in abandoning the modes. I’m glad we brought them back.