Guitar · dorian

E Dorian mode on guitar

The E Dorian mode has seven notes: E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯ and D (1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7). A minor scale with a major 6th, which keeps it from sounding sad. The sound of minor funk, soul and jazz: play it over a m7 chord or a two-chord vamp like Am7 to D.

Key
Scale
The notes of the E Dorian mode
NoteEF♯GABC♯D
Interval1 (root)2♭3456♭7
Step to the nextwholehalfwholewholewholehalfwhole
Make a practice sheet of it
The whole neckevery E Dorian mode note from the nut to fret 15, the root a diamond
EADGBE135791215openR2♭3456♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭345♭7R2♭3456♭7R♭3456♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭3

5 positions to learn it in

On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.

D shapefrets 2–5
EADGBE1352♭3456♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭34
C shapefrets 4–7
EADGBE457456♭7R2♭3456♭7R245
A shapefrets 6–10
EADGBE67956♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭3456♭7
G shapefrets 8–12
EADGBE89126♭7R2♭3456♭7R2♭3♭3456♭7R
E shapefrets 11–14
EADGBE1112R2456♭7R2♭3456R2

Chords that go with the E Dorian mode

The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E (Em) is where it sounds at home.

On theChordSeventh chord
root (E)EmhomeEm7home
2 (F♯)F♯mcolourF♯m7colour
♭3 (G)GdaylightGmaj7daylight
4 (A)Athe doorA7the door
5 (B)Bmsoft fallBm7soft fall
6 (C♯)C♯dimthe edgeC♯m7♭5the edge
♭7 (D)DheroicDmaj7heroic

Scales with the same notes

It has the same notes as the D major scale, started from its second note, E.

Questions

What notes are in the E Dorian mode?

E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯ and D. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W H W W W H W (W a whole step, H a half step).

What chords go with the E Dorian mode?

The chords made only of its notes: Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm, C♯dim and D, and as seventh chords Em7, F♯m7, Gmaj7, A7, Bm7, C♯m7♭5 and Dmaj7. E is home: Em is the chord it sounds most settled over.

The Dorian mode in every key

CC♯DE♭EFF♯GG♯AB♭B

Other scales in E

E majorE minorE minor pentatonicE major pentatonicE bluesE MixolydianE LydianE PhrygianE harmonic minorE melodic minorE Phrygian dominant

Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.