7 Variations Of The Dorian Mode For Guitar - Diagrams & Formula Charts

What's The Dorian Mode?

Firstable, let's learn the Dorian mode, it is constructed with the following intervals:

• Root / tonic (1)
• Major second (2)
• Minor third (b3)
• Perfect fourth (4)
• Perfect fifth (5)
• Major sixth (6)
• Minor seventh (b7)
• Octave (back to the root)

Comparing it to the natural minor scale, the Dorian mode differs in that it has a natural (major) sixth instead of a minor sixth.

This gives the Dorian mode its characteristic sound, often described as somewhat "brighter" or "happier" than the natural minor scale and obvious choice over iim7 chords.

1 - Dorian Bebop Scale

The Dorian Bebop scale is a common scale in jazz music.

It adds an extra chromatic passing tone between the minor third and the fourth of the scale, making it an eight-note scale instead of the traditional seven-note Dorian scale.

This added chromatic note creates a more bebop-like sound and facilitates smoother melodic lines, especially when improvising over jazz tunes.

The formula for the Dorian Bebop scale is :

1 (tonic) - 2 (major second) - b3 (minor third) - 3 (major third) - 4 (perfect fourth) - 5 (perfect fifth) - 6 (major sixth) - b7 (minor seventh).

So, in D Dorian Bebop, it would be :

D, E, F, Gb, G, A, B, C.

2 - Dorian Blues Scale

The Dorian blues scale is a variation of the standard minor blues scale, which incorporates the notes of the Dorian mode.

It adds a major sixth to the traditional blues scale, giving it a distinct flavor.

It can also be seen as the Dorian mode with a passing diminished fifth (b5).

The formula for the Dorian blues scale in the key of D would be:

D, E, F, G, Ab (G#), A, B, C.

So, it includes the tonic (1), major second (2), minor third (b3), perfect fourth (4), diminished fifth (b5) perfect fifth (5), major sixth (6), and minor seventh (b7).

3 - Dorian Blues b9 Scale

The Dorian blues b9 scale is a variation of the Dorian blues scale previously discussed.

As the name implies it has a flat ninth (b9) instead of a natural ninth (9). Resulting the following interval pattern :

Tonic (1), minor second (b2), minor third (b3), perfect fourth (4), diminished fifth (b5), perfect fifth (5), major sixth (6), and minor seventh (b7).

The formula for the Dorian Blues Flat Ninth Scale in the key of D would be:

D, Eb, F, G, Ab (G#), A, B, C.

4 - Doriolian Scale

Doriolian" is not a standard term in music theory, which could be interpreted as a scale that combines elements of both the Dorian and Aeolian modes.

One could conceptualize such a scale by, for instance, starting with the Dorian mode (with its characteristic raised sixth degree) and flattening the sixth degree, which is typical of the Aeolian mode.

More simply, this is the Dorian mode with a supplementary passing tone (b6) between the fifth and the sixth.

Here is the interval formula :

Tonic (1), minor second (b2), minor third (b3), perfect fourth (4), perfect fifth (5), minor sixth (b6), major sixth (6), and minor seventh (b7).

This would give in the key of D :

D, E, F, G, A, Bb, B, C.

5 - Doriolian b5 Scale

The Doriolian b5 scale is built the same as the previous Doriolian scale but it contains a flat fifth instead of a natural fifth making it an nice choice to play over half-diminished chords.

The interval formula is :

Tonic (1), minor second (b2), minor third (b3), perfect fourth (4), diminished fifth (b5), minor sixth (b6), major sixth (6), and minor seventh (b7).

This would give in the key of D :

D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, B, C.

6 - Dorian Melodic Bebop Scale

In the context of bebop music the Dorian melodic bebop scale adds an extra chromatic passing tone between the minor 7th and the tonic.

As you can see, it's essentially a Dorian scale with an added major 7th (C#). 

Here are the notes for the Dorian melodic bebop scale in D :

D, E, F, G, A, B, C, C#.

The interval formula is :

Tonic (1), major second (2), minor third (b3), perfect fourth (4), perfect fifth (5), major sixth (6), minor seventh (b7), major seventh (7).

7 - Double Dorian Bebop Scale

The double Dorian bebop scale further includes a chromatic passing tone, a flat second (b2) between the tonic and the major second, thus creating an eight-note scale.

Here are the notes for the D double Dorian bebop scale :

D, Eb, E, F, G, A, B, C.

The interval formula is :

Tonic (1), minor second (b2), major second (2), minor third (b3), perfect fourth (4), perfect fifth (5), major sixth (6), minor seventh (b7).