Community Challenge 07 | Write something in Dorian Mode (Patreon)

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Hi Everyone,

This week's Community Challenge is: Write something in Dorian Mode

This means, write a chord progression, a melody, a whole song - whatever you like! Something simple, something complex. As long as it's in Dorian, you're good!

Post your creations to the Community Forum.

I love Dorian mode and I've noticed that music like funk and soul tends to be in Dorian mode very often.

Compare the chords in Em to the Chords in E dorian:

Minor:    Em F#°   G Am Bm C      D
Dorian:  Em F#m G A     Bm C#° D

You've got Em, G, Bm, and D in common

Except in Em, D is D7 (dom) and in E Dorian, A is A7 (dom)
 
The most simple Dorian chord progression (an excellent starting point) is a i IV progression:

Em A7, for example

If you want to get fancier, you can do the "Dorian reveal" progression:

Em G D A7 (Mad World Verse does this progression i III VIII IV but in the key of F#m)

This progression is nice because it lets Em really feel like home, then ends with the A7.

Sometimes people call Dorian Mode "Hopeful" because of that major IV chord. I like to think of it as Hopeful Minor or Cool Minor because to me, Dorian is like Natural Minor but more interesting.

If you want to mix and match Natural Minor and Dorian mode, that is OK for this challenge! But do not mix it with Harmonic or Melodic Minor. (Thats ok in general, but don't do it for this challenge)

Examples of songs in Dorian Mode (or with Dorian sections):
The Payback by James Brown
Mad World - Tears for Fears
Good Times - CHIC
Scarborough Fair - Simon & Garfunkel
So What - Miles Davis
I Wish - Stevie Wonder
Moondance - Van Morrison