Fiddling With Dorian Scales
Full sheet music
Take-home message
Dorian scales are made from major scales in two ways:
- Same Notes, Different Root – Dorian mode is built from the second step of a major scale. It has the same notes as the parent (major) scale, but it starts and ends in a different place and uses a different root drone. For example, D Major is the parent to E Dorian.
- Different Notes, Same Root – Take any major scale and lower the the 3rd and seventh steps by a half step to get a Dorian scale with the same root note. For example, D Major gets transformed into D Dorian.
Playing Dorian and other modes will expand your musical mind, help you learn tunes, improve left-hand technique and prepare you for improvisation. Plus….you know what I’m going to say…they’re fun. And…
