Scale of the Month - October 2007 – A Dorian

The Scale

There are many ways in which to play an A Dorian scale, but we’ll stick with the 5th fret box position used over the last few months:

Ascending
E|-------------------------------------------------5--7--8---------
B|--------------------------------------5--7--8--------------------
G|----------------------------4--5--7------------------------------
D|------------------4--5--7----------------------------------------
A|-----------5--7--------------------------------------------------
E|-5--7--8---------------------------------------------------------

Descending
E|--8--7--5--------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------8--7--5-----------------------------------------------
G|--------------------7--5--4--------------------------------------
D|------------------------------7--5--4----------------------------
A|----------------------------------------7--5---------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------8--7--5-----------

The Theory

The Dorian mode starts on the second note of the Major scale, so the notes of A Dorian are the same as its parent - G Major. The intervals are WHWWWHW. The Dorian mode is minor in tonality – similar to Aeolian (Natural Minor) but with a raised 6th by comparison, making it a slightly 'happier' alternative to natural minor. It works especially well over minor 7th and 9th chords.

The Dorian mode is used extensively in Rock, Blues and Jazz, and is combined with diminished scales by fusion players. Dorian licks can be substituted well into your standard minor pentatonic runs to add colour – check out July's Scale of the Month on the Minor Pentatonic here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23331.

Some Example licks (Tab symbol key below)

1) Climbing:

E|--------------------------------------------------------
B|--------------8—7b8br7--5-----------------------------
G|--------5h7------------------7p5-----------------------
D|--5/7------------------------------7--5—4b5~~~------
A|-------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------

2) Slide:

E|--7/8\7--5---------------------------------------------------------------
B|-------------7p5—7/8\7--5-----------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------7p5--9--7--5-------------------------------
D|----------------------------------------------9--7--5--7-----------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------

3) Sweep Picking:

E|--17p14-------------------19p15---------------------------15h20—20b22~-----
B|-----------15-----------------------17-----------------17---------------------
G|----------------16-----------------------17-------17--------------------------
D|---------------------17-----------------------19------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


4) Hammers & Pulls:

E|--5------------------------------------------------------------
B|--7h8p7p5--------7h8p7---------------------------------------
G|-------------7/9-----------9p7------/14-----------------------
D|----------------------------------9----------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------------------
E|---------------------------------------------------------------


Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.

Full Access Subscribers can access more lessons in the Dorian Mode at www.guitartricks.com – including:

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=3074
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9862


Private Message me using the links above and tell me which scale should be scale of the Month for November...