Originally Posted by: hdoran
This is immensely helpful. You say the following and I want to make sure I understand this concept.

You are welcome. It's sounds like you've got the idea! The E dorian is simply the notes of D major (or B minor) with the emphasis on the note E.

But you still have to figure out what to do with the E major chord; the exception to the key of D major.

The first step is figuring out which key a group of chords imply. Next, look for exceptions that will imply altering or changing the scale.

These two steps should eventually lead to the broader goals: play the chord changes & build a melody.