The Dorian Mojo
The Dorian Mojo & Info
The Dorian Scale - This must-know scale is a very cool minor scale used in Jazz, Pop, and Rock. Songs like Pink Floyds "Another Brick In The Wall" and "Oye Como Va" by Santana, to name a few.
A good exercise to do is transcribe solos from songs that have the Dorian vibe. Then, once you have the notes, note how the Dorian mode is used for maximum mojo.
A tune by Miles Davis, "So What," is one example of the Dorian Mojo, and Miles Plays it well. It's played on the trumpet but crosses over to the guitar nicely. Miles totally put this in the Dorian Mode. It all starts in D Dorian and then moves up to Eb Dorian. It's all about chord tones, as most of the solo notes are from the chords.
A Word On Modes
One way is to think about it is the "tonal center." So when the music or chords center around one strong chord tone, that is the "tonal center."
On the major scale, we have 7 possible tonal centers. The notes we choose to emphasize will determine the mode. It sounds simple, and the truth is, it is. Most of the time, you are playing modally just by using your ears.
Resolving your phrases to the correct chord tone used in the underlying harmony (chord progression).
I can't stress enough how important it is to know all the notes on the fretboard and your triad shapes and inversions. Knowing the notes as well as the triads (1-3-5) Gmaj G-B-D are the keys that will unlock your mojo for your guitar soloing and improvisation.
You need to have a good understanding of the major scale check out our other post on the major scale.
Tonal Center
A chord progression with chords from the key of A resolves tonally to "A," then you can use the A major scale resolving to chord tones of the A chord.
If your chord progression uses chords from the A major scale but resolves tonally to B minor, you can use the A major scale but target and resolve to tones of the B minor chord. This is known as the B Dorian mode and directly relates to the II minor chord.
If the progression uses chords from the A major scale, the progression resolves tonally to the C# minor chord. You can play the A major scale but target and resolve to tones of the C# minor chord. This is the C# Phrygian mode. It's that simple.
How to Use the Dorian Scale
Use Dorian scale to solo over minor 7th and dominant 7th chords, in that II–7 V7 I progression that I hear about so much, and a way to add some mojo to that minor pentatonic scale used in blues and rock.
Use the Dorian mode with the minor pentatonic scale. The minor pentatonic scale is widespread in rock, hard rock, and metal music. The Dorian mode allows guitarists to use minor pentatonic riffs but adds a major sixth note to get a brighter feel.
For Extra Practice…
Sample Track
D Dorian Jam Track- Dm7 and G7 Two Chord Vamp
Conclusion
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