THE DORIAN MODE (Emin7, Emin9, Emin11)

The dorian mode is built on the 2^nd note of the major scale. E dorian would have the same notes as the D major scale (D E F# G A B C#) because E is the 2^nd scale degree of D. Therefore, E dorian is the notes of D major beginning on the note E = E F3 G A B C# F (E dorian). An understanding of the intervallic relationship between these notes is necessary in order to understand the character of the dorian scale. To do that we must compare these notes to the standard scale which all music theory is derived: THE MAJOR SCALE. If we compare E dorian to the notes of E major we have:

E Major:


E Dorian:

Now you can see that the only difference is that the 3rd and 7th degrees are flat (lowered ½ step) in the dorian scale. By numbering the degrees we get a scale formula we can use which will be consistant with every dorian scale in every key.

Dorian:

You can see by this scale’s interval content that the chords possible from dorian are minor chord characters: Emin7 (1 b3 5 b7), Emin9 (1 b3 5 b7 9) and Emin11 (1 b3 b7 11 ). These are just a few of the possibilities for chords available using the dorian interval structure:1 2(9) b3 5 6(13) b7 . The most popular dorian chord is undoubtedly the minor 7 chord.