E Dorian
- Notes
- E F# G A B C# D
- Degrees
- 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7
Character
A minor scale whose 6th is not flattened. It differs from the natural minor by exactly one note, and that note lifts the darkness out of it.
As a result the IV chord is major, where the natural minor has a minor chord. A bright fourth appearing inside a minor progression is the Dorian sound.
Common in jazz, funk and modal rock. Over a single minor seventh chord held for a long time, it is the most natural choice.
Scales with the same notes
This scale starts on note 2 of the D Major Scale scale and contains exactly the same notes. The fretboard positions are identical, so a shape you already know carries over.
Diatonic chords in this key
Seventh chords built on each scale note, using only notes from the scale. These do not clash with one another, so they are the reference set when you build a progression.
| Degree | Position | Chord |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | i7 | Em7 |
| 2 | ii7 | F#m7 |
| b3 | IIImaj7 | Gmaj7 |
| 4 | IV7 | A7 |
| 5 | v7 | Bm7 |
| 6 | vi°7 | C#m7♭5 |
| b7 | VIImaj7 | Dmaj7 |
Practice
Use the parent major scale shape and move the root to its second note. There is no new fretboard shape to learn.
Alternate it with the natural minor to hear the 6th. That one note is the whole reason to reach for Dorian.