Dorian mode explained

Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different but interrelated subjects: one of the Ancient Greek harmoniai (characteristic melodic behaviour, or the scale structure associated with it); one of the medieval musical modes; or—most commonly—one of the modern modal diatonic scales, corresponding to the piano keyboard's white notes from D to D, or any transposition of itself.

Greek Dorian mode

The Dorian mode (properly harmonia or tonos) is named after the Dorian Greeks. Applied to a whole octave, the Dorian octave species was built upon two tetrachords (four-note segments) separated by a whole tone, running from the hypate meson to the nete diezeugmenon.

In the enharmonic genus, the intervals in each tetrachord are quarter tone–quarter tone–major third.

In the chromatic genus, they are semitone–semitone–minor third.

In the diatonic genus, they are semitone–tone–tone.

In the diatonic genus, the sequence over the octave is the same as that produced by playing all the white notes of a piano ascending from E to E,^[1] a sequence equivalent to the pattern of the modern Phrygian mode, although the temperament differs by small amounts.

Placing the single tone at the bottom of the scale followed by two conjunct tetrachords (that is, the top note of the first tetrachord is also the bottom note of the second), produces the Hypodorian ("below Dorian") octave species: A | B C D E | (E) F G A. Placing the two conjunct tetrachords together and the single tone at the top of the scale produces the Mixolydian octave species, a note sequence equivalent to modern Locrian mode.^[2]

Medieval Dorian mode

The early Byzantine church developed a system of eight musical modes (the octoechos), which served as a model for medieval European chant theorists when they developed their own modal classification system starting in the 9th century.^[3] The success of the Western synthesis of this system with elements from the fourth book of De institutione musica of Boethius, created the false impression that the Byzantine octoechos was inherited directly from ancient Greece.^[4]

Originally used to designate one of the traditional harmoniai of Greek theory (a term with various meanings, including the sense of an octave consisting of eight tones), the name was appropriated (along with six others) by the 2nd-century theorist Ptolemy to designate his seven tonoi, or transposition keys. Four centuries later, Boethius interpreted Ptolemy in Latin, still with the meaning of transposition keys, not scales. When chant theory was first being formulated in the 9th century, these seven names plus an eighth, Hypermixolydian (later changed to Hypomixolydian), were again re-appropriated in the anonymous treatise Alia Musica. A commentary on that treatise, called the Nova expositio, first gave it a new sense as one of a set of eight diatonic species of the octave, or scales.

In medieval theory, the authentic Dorian mode could include the note B "by licence", in addition to B.^[5] The same scalar pattern, but starting a fourth or fifth below the mode final D, and extending a fifth above (or a sixth, terminating on B), was numbered as mode 2 in the medieval system. This was the plagal mode corresponding to the authentic Dorian, and was called the Hypodorian mode.^[6] In the untransposed form on D, in both the authentic and plagal forms the note C is often raised to C to form a leading tone, and the variable sixth step is in general B in ascending lines and B in descent.^[7]

Modern Dorian mode

The modern Dorian mode (also called "Russian minor" by Balakirev,^[8]) by contrast, is a strictly diatonic scale corresponding to the white keys of the piano from D to D (shown below)

or any transposition of its interval pattern, which has the ascending pattern of whole steps and half steps as follows:

whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half, whole

Thus, the Dorian mode is a symmetric scale, since the pattern of whole and half steps is the same ascending or descending.

The modern Dorian mode can also be thought of as a scale with a minor third and seventh, a major second and sixth, and a perfect fourth and fifth, notated relative to the major scale as:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

It may be considered an "excerpt" of a major scale played from the pitch a whole tone above the major scale's tonic, i.e., a major scale played from its second scale degree up to its second degree again. The resulting scale is, however, minor in quality, because, as the D becomes the new tonal centre, the F a minor third above the D becomes the new mediant, or third degree. Thus, when a triad is built upon the tonic, it is a minor triad.

The modern Dorian mode is equivalent to the natural minor scale (or the Aeolian mode) but with a major sixth. The modern Dorian mode resembles the Greek Phrygian harmonia in the diatonic genus.

It is also equivalent to the ascending melodic minor scale with a minor seventh.

Notable compositions in Dorian mode

Traditional

• "Drunken Sailor"^[9]
• "Scarborough Fair"^[9]
• "Noël nouvelet" (15th century French Christmas carol, often sung in English as "Sing We Now of Christmas")^[10]

Medieval

• "Ave maris stella", Gregorian chant (Marian hymn)^[11]
• "Dies irae" (original setting in Gregorian chant, sequence).
• "Victimae paschali laudes", Gregorian chant (sequence)^[12]
• "Veni Sancte Spiritus", Gregorian chant (sequence)^[13]
• Alle Psallite Cum Luya, an anonymous three-part Latin motet from the late 13th or early 14th century, recorded in the Montpellier Codex and thought to have originated in France.
• Chominciamento di gioia, a 14th-century monophonic Italian estampie in five sections (British Library, Add MS 29987, No. 78).
• Lamento di Tristano, a 14th-century monophonic Italian dance in two parts, with the second section designated "La Rotta" (British Library, Add MS 29987, No. 91).
• La Manfredina, a 14th-century monophonic Italian dance in two parts, with the second section designated "La Rotta della Manfredina" (British Library, Add MS 29987, No. 92).
• The Kyrie, Gloria, and Credo of Messe de Nostre Dame (Mass of Our Lady), a polyphonic mass composed before 1365 by French poet and composer Guillaume de Machaut (c. 1300–1377).
• "Personent Hodie", Medieval Latin Christmas carol

Renaissance

• "Il est bel et bon", a madrigal by Pierre Passereau

Baroque

• "Chorale prelude for organ in Dorian mode, BuxWV 180: Christ, unser Herr zum Jordan kam", an organ piece by Dieterich Buxtehude.
• "Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 538", an organ piece by Johann Sebastian Bach (also informally known as "the Dorian" to distinguish it from the better known "Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565"). Although Bach left no explicit indication, the piece is commonly assumed to be in the Dorian mode, since it bears no key signature.

Romantic

• The "Et incarnatus est" in the Credo movement of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.^[14]
• The "Royal March of the Lions" from Camille Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals suite uses Dorian mode to evoke a "Persian style."^[15]
• Large portions of the Symphony No. 6 by Jean Sibelius are in the Dorian mode.^[16]
• In "La Brise" (from the Mélodies Persanes, Op. 26), Saint-Saëns uses an E Dorian scale in the first half of the song.^[17]

Jazz

• "Maiden Voyage" by Herbie Hancock^[18] – The composition takes an AABA form with chords in the "A" sections in D Dorian and the "B" section in E Dorian.
• "Milestones" by Miles Davis^[18]
• "Oye Como Va" by Tito Puente, popularized by Santana^[19]
• "So What" by Miles Davis^[18] – The composition takes an AABA form with the "A" sections in D Dorian and the "B" section in E Dorian.^[20]

Popular

• "Born Under a Bad Sign" written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell. The song is a simple but atypical I7-V7-IV7 12-bar progression with a key signature corresponding to C major but with every B and E lowered to B and E, making the song C Dorian.^[21]
• "Dorian" by First of October. The song uses the modern Dorian scale on the piano during the choruses to build tension, while staying in the key of D minor for the verses and melody.
• "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles^[22] is often cited as a Dorian modal piece, and while the melody line in places uses the major sixth scale degree, the chord progression is in Aeolian (I–VI and VI–I).^[23]
• The chord sequence i–III–VII–IV is sometimes used in pop songs, where the harmonic rhythm leads the listener to think of it as a minor song. In the final chord of the sequence, however, the third is a major sixth above the tonic, as in the Dorian scale. Examples include: "Mad World" by Tears for Fears.^[24]
• "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams (B Dorian)
• "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" (1973) by Vicki Lawrence
• "Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang is often written in E minor with a persistent C accidental,^[25] but is actually played in E Dorian.^[26] It shares a key signature (F, C) with its relative key, D major.
• "Tick Tock" by Clean Bandit (and Mabel) sounds heavily pentatonic, but is in fact (nominally) in the 'D' Dorian mode.
• "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons (B Dorian)
• "Autumn Sweater" by Yo La Tengo (D Dorian)
• "Adiemus" by Karl Jenkins performed with Miriam Stockley, Mary Carewe and London Philharmonic Orchestra (D Dorian)
• "Mad World" by Tears for Fears (F Dorian, F Dorian cover by Gary Jules)
• "Karma Police" by Radiohead (A Dorian)
• "Everything Means Nothing To Me" by Elliott Smith (B Dorian)
• "I Me Mine" by the Beatles (A Dorian, then briefly D Dorian #4)
• "15 Step" by Radiohead (G Dorian)
• "Don't Bother Me" by the Beatles (E Dorian)
• "Lotus Flower" by Radiohead (verse; D Dorian)
• "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson (verse; F Dorian)
• "Blinding Lights" by the Weeknd (F Dorian)
• "Thriller" by Michael Jackson (C Dorian)
• "Riders on the Storm" by the Doors (E Dorian)
• "Breathe" by Pink Floyd (E Dorian)
• "Lucky" by Radiohead (chorus; E Dorian)
• "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix (E Dorian)
• "I Can't Dance" by Genesis (B Dorian)
• "Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd (G Dorian)
• "Give It to Me Baby" by Rick James (D Dorian)
• "Blue Jeans" by Lana Del Rey (F Dorian)
• "Love Me Again" by John Newman (G Dorian)
• "Woodstock" by Joni Mitchell (E Dorian)
• "Supersonic" by Oasis (E Dorian)
• "No Quarter" by Led Zeppelin (C Dorian)
• "Money" by Pink Floyd (B Dorian)
• "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" by the Beatles (chorus; E Dorian)
• "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin (chorus; A Dorian)
• "Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles (D Dorian)
• "What Goes Around... Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake (A Dorian)
• "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak (B Dorian)
• "Burn it Down" (D Dorian) and "New Divide" (F Dorian) by Linkin Park
• "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana (G Dorian)
• "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by Ylvis (C Dorian)
• "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars (D Dorian)
• "Feather" by Sabrina Carpenter (B Dorian)

Other

• Kimigayo, the national anthem of Japan
• The Halo theme, taking significant inspiration from the aforementioned medieval Gregorian chants to effect an "ancient and mysterious" sound, is written in E dorian
• The Angry Birds theme

See also

• Kafi, the equivalent scale in Hindustani music
• kOdipPaalai / Pann Marudham in Ancient Tamil music, see Evolution of Panns
• Kharaharapriya, the equivalent scale in Carnatic music
• Ukrainian Dorian scale

External links

• Dorian Mode – Analysis
• Dorian Scale over the Circle of Fifths
• Dorian Scale on guitar

Notes and References

1. [Thomas J. Mathiesen]
2. [Thomas J. Mathiesen]
3. Harold S. Powers, "Mode, §II: Medieval modal theory, 2: Carolingian synthesis, 9th–10th centuries", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan; New York: Grove's Dictionaries of Music, 2001).
4. Peter Jeffery, "Oktōēchos", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan; New York: Grove's Dictionaries of Music, 2001).
5. Harold S. Powers, "Dorian", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, 29 vols., edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001): 7:507.
6. Harold S. Powers, "Hypodorian", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, 29 vols., edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001): 12:36–37.
7. Felix Salzer and Carl Schachter, Counterpoint in Composition: The Study of Voice Leading (New York: Columbia University Press, 1989): 10. .
8. [Richard Taruskin]
9. Web site: Ger . Tillekens. 2002. Marks of the Dorian family. 31 January 2023. icce.rug.nl.
10. Web site: Noel Nouvelet – French Noel. hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com. 18 December 2019.
11. The Benedictines of Solesmes (eds.), Liber Usualis, with introduction and rubrics in English. (Tournai and New York: Desclée & Co., 1961): 1259–1261.
12. The Benedictines of Solesmes (eds.), Liber Usualis, with introduction and rubrics in English. (Tournai and New York: Desclée & Co., 1961): 780.
13. The Benedictines of Solesmes (eds.), Liber Usualis, with introduction and rubrics in English. (Tournai and New York: Desclée & Co., 1961): 880–881.
14. [Michael Steinberg (music critic)|Michael Steinberg]
15. Book: Brian Rees. Camille Saint-Saëns: A Life. 1999. Chatto & Windus. London, UK. 978-1-85619-773-1. 261. 1st. 19 October 2017.
16. Lionel Pike, "Sibelius's Debt to Renaissance Polyphony", Music & Letters 55, no. 3 (July 1974): 317–326 (citation on 318–319).
17. Web site: Kayali . Francis . 2008 . The eclecticism of Camille Saint-Saëns: defining a "French sound" in music 1866-1896 . 12 May 2022.
18. Ronald Herder, 1000 Keyboard Ideas, (Katonah, New York: Ekay Music, 1990): 75. .
19. Wayne Chase, Web site: How Keys and Modes REALLY Work. Vancouver, British Columbia. Roedy Black. 1 December 2011.
20. Book: Hellmer. Jeffrey. Jazz Theory and Practice: For Performers, Arrangers and Composers. Lawn. Richard. 2005. Alfred Music. 978-1-4574-1068-0. 190.
21. Transcription in "R&B Bass Bible" (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 2005). .
22. Web site: Notes on 'Eleanor Rigby'. 11 August 2008. Alan W. Pollack. Alan W. Pollack.
23. Web site: Bill T. Roxler. Thoughts on Eleanor Rigby. 25 August 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140202102023/http://www.billtroxler.com/f/21.4_Thoughts_on_Eleanor_Rigby.pdf. 2 February 2014.
24. Web site: Mad World Deconstructed Anthony Pacheco. 21 April 2017. Anthony Pacheco.
25. Web site: Nile. Rodgers. Bernard. Edwards. Gang. Sugarhill. 12 November 2007. Rapper's Delight. 31 August 2020. Musicnotes.com.
26. Book: Letsch, Glenn. R & B bass. 2005. Hal Leonard Corporation. 978-0-634-07370-0. en.