The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1
    Hey guys,

    Say you wanted to harmonize F# Dorian in a way to highlight the traits that make this mode "interesting/unique". How would you go about this process? Besides adhering to the i - ii - III - IV - v - vidim - VII format and maybe featuring the major 6th interval in my voicings wherever possible, is there a "correct" way to do this?

    I've been messing around with this lately and it's fascinating how a lot of these notes I'm adding - despite being native to F# Dorian - are giving me all sorts of interesting extensions on the resulting chord. Is there a name for what I'm (attempting) to do? If so, where would be a good place to learn more about it? Whatever the case, I'm a novice having a lot of fun! Thanks guys

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  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fretty Krueger
    Hey guys,

    Say you wanted to harmonize F# Dorian in a way to highlight the traits that make this mode "interesting/unique". How would you go about this process? Besides adhering to the i - ii - III - IV - v - vidim - VII format and maybe featuring the major 6th interval in my voicings wherever possible, is there a "correct" way to do this?

    I've been messing around with this lately and it's fascinating how a lot of these notes I'm adding - despite being native to F# Dorian - are giving me all sorts of interesting extensions on the resulting chord. Is there a name for what I'm (attempting) to do? If so, where would be a good place to learn more about it? Whatever the case, I'm a novice having a lot of fun! Thanks guys
    That’s an interesting question - what makes Dorian sound Dorian?

    So, another way of looking at it is how few notes do you include for it to have the quality of Dorian-ness. Obivously a m13 arpeggio gives you the full pitch set.

    Theory books give Dorian as the default mode of the m7 chord. Of course this isn’t necessarily the case as there are three m7 chords and therefore three m7 modes within the major scale alone. The Dorian is the least ‘avoid note’ - ish of the three, but I don’t think m7 gives the ear enough to go on in isolation. Also m7 is kind of lame haha .

    I would tend to say the ‘so what’ voicing feels very dorian, 1-4-b7-b3-5

    Also the poly chord C/Dm

  4. #3
    Your "So What Voicing" reference took me down the quartal harmony rabbit hole . . I'm amazed at how great those harmonies are sounding in place of minor pentatonic stuff.

    Incredible, Christian - Thank you!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Christian Miller
    That’s an interesting question - what makes Dorian sound Dorian?

    So, another way of looking at it is how few notes do you include for it to have the quality of Dorian-ness. Obivously a m13 arpeggio gives you the full pitch set.

    Theory books give Dorian as the default mode of the m7 chord. Of course this isn’t necessarily the case as there are three m7 chords and therefore three m7 modes within the major scale alone. The Dorian is the least ‘avoid note’ - ish of the three, but I don’t think m7 gives the ear enough to go on in isolation. Also m7 is kind of lame haha .

    I would tend to say the ‘so what’ voicing feels very dorian, 1-4-b7-b3-5

    Also the poly chord C/Dm

  5. #4

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    Have you checked out 3-part 4th voicings? Take F#-B-E and try moving it through the scale. You can invert it to B-E-F# and E-F#-B and repeat the process if you're inspired. If you find a structure you particularly like, maybe add a bass note on the lower strings for a fuller voicing. Best wishes for your music!

    PK

  6. #5

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    I have thought about this too. As far as I know, there aren't any official ways to go about tonalities besides standard major and minor. But there are obviously more tonalities than major and minor. Blues is a huge one, minor major is another huge one. You're discovering viewing Dorian as a tonality and not just a mode. I think this is an awesome idea. My advice is that I don't think there is an official way to go about it. You would just have to use your discretion to make alterations here or there to make it functional, sound good, or do what you want with it. Kind of like how minor changes the phrygian mode to be the V chord, functionally.

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by paulkogut
    Have you checked out 3-part 4th voicings? Take F#-B-E and try moving it through the scale. You can invert it to B-E-F# and E-F#-B and repeat the process if you're inspired. If you find a structure you particularly like, maybe add a bass note on the lower strings for a fuller voicing. Best wishes for your music!

    PK
    +1. Quartal voicing = instant modal.

    The note that makes dorian is the major 6.