Harmonizing Dorian scales into chords
The Dorian mode is often played over minor seventh chords. The Dorian can be harmonized into chords and since the scale is often combined with four-note chords, these are presented here.
Four-note chords
D Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Tonality |
Minor |
Minor |
Major |
Dominant |
Minor |
Diminished |
Major |
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
B |
C |
Chords |
Dm7 |
Em7 |
Fmaj7 |
G7 |
Am7 |
Bø |
Cmaj7 |
Notes in chord |
D-F-A-C |
E-G-B-D |
F-A-C-E |
G-B-D-F |
A-C-E-G |
B-D-F-A |
C-E-G-B |
D# / Eb Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
D# |
E# |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B# |
C# |
Chords |
D#m7 |
E#m7 |
F#maj7 |
G#7 |
A#m7 |
B#ø |
C#maj7 |
Notes in chord |
D#-F#-A#-C# |
E#-G#-B#-D# |
F#-A#-C#-E# |
G#-B#-D#-F# |
A#-C#-E#-G# |
B#-D#-F#-A# |
C#-E#-G#-B# |
E Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
Chords |
Em7 |
F#m7 |
Gmaj7 |
A7 |
Bm7 |
C#ø |
Dmaj7 |
Notes in chord |
E-G-B-D |
F#-A-C#-E |
G-B-D-F# |
A-C#-E-G |
B-D-F#-A |
C#-E-G-B |
D-F#-A-C# |
F Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
F |
G |
G# |
A# |
C |
D |
D# |
Chords |
Fm7 |
Gm7 |
G#maj7 |
A#7 |
Cm7 |
Dø |
D#maj7 |
Notes in chord |
F-G#-C-D# |
G-A#-D-F |
G#-C-D#-G |
A#-D-F-G# |
C-D#-G-A# |
D-F-G#-C |
D#-G-A#-D |
F# / Gb Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
Chords |
F#m7 |
G#m7 |
Amaj7 |
B7 |
C#m7 |
D#ø |
Emaj7 |
Notes in chord |
F#-A-C#-E |
G#-B-D#-F# |
A-C#-E-G# |
B-D#-F#-A |
C#-E-G#-B |
D#-F#-A-C# |
E-G#-B-D# |
G Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
E |
F |
Chords |
Gm7 |
Am7 |
Bbmaj7 |
C7 |
Dm7 |
Eø |
Fmaj7 |
Notes in chord |
G-Bb-D-F |
A-C-E-G |
Bb-D-F-A |
C-E-G-Bb |
D-F-A-C |
E-G-Bb-D |
F-A-C-E |
G# / Ab Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
F |
F# |
Chords |
G#m7 |
A#m7 |
Bmaj7 |
C#7 |
D#m7 |
Fø |
F#maj7 |
Notes in chord |
G#-B-D#-F# |
A#-C#-F-G# |
B-D#-F#-A# |
C#-F-G#-B |
D#-F#-A#-C# |
F-G#-B-D# |
F#-A#-C#-F |
A Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
Chords |
Am7 |
Bm7 |
Cmaj7 |
D7 |
Em7 |
F#ø |
Gmaj7 |
Notes in chord |
A-C-E-G |
B-D-F#-A |
C-E-G-B |
D-F#-A-C |
E-G-B-D |
F#-A-C-E |
G-B-D-E |
A# / Bb Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
A# |
B# |
C# |
D# |
F |
G |
G# |
Chords |
A#m7 |
B#m7 |
C#maj7 |
D#7 |
Fm7 |
Gø |
G#maj7 |
Notes in chord |
A#-C#-F-G# |
B#-D#-G-A# |
C#-F-G#-B# |
D#-G-A#-C# |
F-G#-B#-D# |
G-A#-C#-F |
G#-B#-D#-F |
B Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
Chords |
Bm7 |
C#m7 |
Dmaj7 |
E7 |
F#m7 |
G#ø |
Amaj7 |
Notes in chord |
B-D-F#-A |
C#-E-G#-B |
D-F#-A-C# |
E-G#-B-D |
F#-A-C#-E |
G#-B-D-F# |
A-C#-E-F# |
C Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
C |
D |
D# |
F |
G |
A |
A# |
Chords |
Cm7 |
Dm7 |
D#maj7 |
F7 |
Gm7 |
Aø |
A#maj7 |
Notes in chord |
C-D#-G-A# |
D-F-A-C |
D#-G-A#-D |
F-A-C-D# |
G-A#-D-F |
A-C-D#-G |
A#-D-F-G |
C# / Db Dorian Scale Four-note chords
Degrees |
im7 |
iim7 |
IIImaj7 |
IV7 |
vm7 |
viø |
VIImaj7 |
Notes |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
Chords |
C#m7 |
D#m7 |
Emaj7 |
F#7 |
G#m7 |
A#ø |
Bmaj7 |
Notes in chord |
C#-E-G#-B |
D-F#-A#-C# |
E-G#-B-D# |
F#-A#-C#-E |
G#-B-D#-F# |
A#-C#-E-G# |
B-D#-F#-G# |
Understanding the table and its symbols
The tables give plenty of information and if you didn't grasp it all please read on.
Degrees: Referring to the relations of the notes in the scale on a general basis. These have Roman numerals, why is explained below.
Notes: Simply referring to the notes in the particular scale.
Chords: Referring to the chord with the same tonic as the note.
Notes in chord: Simply referring to the notes belonging to the chord.
Roman numerals: Roman numerals indicate chord categories. Uppercase Roman numerals represent major chords while lowercase Roman numerals represent minor chords.
°: The degree symbol represents diminished (dim).
Ø: This symbol represents a half-diminished chord.
Notes
Dorian is especially common in jazz and often in ballads. As substitutions for the im7, iim7 and vm7, minor sixth, minor ninth and minor eleventh chords can be used.