Dorian Minor and the II-V-I Progression
II-V7-I ... A Jazz Standard. The Dorian Minor Mode
It seems to me that as often as the standard three chord progression happens in rock, popular and country the II-V-I happens in jazz. This is probably an exaggeration on my part but many jazz tunes do utilize this progression. This lesson we will start by constructing the Dorian Minor Mode.
Construction of the Dorian Minor mode
A whole B whole C# half D whole E whole F# whole G# half A
Above the A major scale. Starting this time on the 2nd degree we will build a mode.
B whole C# half D whole E whole F# whole G# half A whole B
Once again as in the Aeolian mode note the first two intervals are whole half. This is three frets making this a minor 3rd interval which makes the mood sad as opposed to happy (major 3rd). This is then a minor mode.
The II-V-I Progression
The chords and modes for this progression
Start this mode on the 6th string, 5th fret with your long finger.
Start this mode on the 6th string, 5th fret with your index finger.
Start this mode on the 5th string, 7th fret (E) with your long finger.
Start this mode on the 6th string, 5th fret with your long finger.
An alternative to the last Ionian mode would be using a root 5/3 Ionian mode as shown below. For A you would want to start this mode with your long finger on the 5th string at the 12th fret.
This is a fairly standard jazz progression that you might want to record the chords for a while to play against. The more you practice this the "more you will hear" and that is really where the fun begins.
Thanks for your attention and happy guitar playing.
Copyright © John Mericle 2000-2009 All Rights Reserved
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The Meeting of the Spirits
Valentine's day 1979, the original trio (Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia) performed one of the most memorable concerts ever at the Royal Albert Hall in London. This unprecedented meeting of guitar virtuosos from very different musical backgrounds came together as one of the ultimate improvisational studies in history, second only to Miles Davis's Bitches Brew. The DVD of this concert "The Meeting of the Spirits" is available from Netflicks.