Dorian

The Dorian mode is a natural minor scale with a raised (major) sixth step, making it a distinctly minor type of scale with a moment of brightness. It is common in rock and pop styles. The notes, tones, and intervallic structure are shown below, based on E.

E Dorian, patterns 1 – 5

The Dorian mode has five different “positional” patterns on the neck. These contain and correspond to the minor pentatonic boxes (page 10). Below, the pentatonic boxes are shown in solid dots with added tones 2 and 6 shown in grey dots. Taken together, they form the full diatonic Dorian mode.

Fingering

Pattern 1 is in open (first) position. Pattern 2 is in second position. Pattern 3 is in fourth position (fifth for strings 1 and 2). Pattern 4 is in seventh position (stretch back a fret on string 3). Pattern 5 is in ninth position (tenth for strings 1 and 2).

The astute guitarist may notice that E Dorian uses the patterns of D major/B minor (but with roots on E). Nevertheless, it is best to learn each mode as a scale in its own right, with its parallel, “superimposed” pentatonic and anchor chords. This will also allow for quick and easy parallel modality changes—for example, changing between E natural minor and E Dorian “on the fly” during a guitar solo—using a relative pattern will not.

Other Tonalities

Here is the A Dorian mode along with the associated Am anchor chords. Shift it into other keys as well.

Three notes per string

You should already know the diatonic three-note-per-string patterns and sequence (pages 28 and 32), so all you really need here is the correct starting point. The shape shown on page 32 as “pattern 2” becomes pattern 1 for Dorian. Shift it to start on the sixth string root. In this case, to play G Dorian, we’ll start with this pattern on G at the third fret and continue from there.

continue with page 32 patterns 5, 6, 7, and 1 as 4, 5, 6, and 7 (down two frets)...