Dorian mode explained
The second mode of the major scale, characterised by a minor quality with a raised sixth degree
In Depth
The Dorian mode differs from the natural minor scale by one note: its sixth degree is raised, creating a minor triad on the tonic but a major triad on the subdominant. The interval pattern is W-H-W-W-W-H-W. This raised sixth gives Dorian a brighter, more ambiguous minor quality. The mode is fundamental to jazz improvisation, particularly over minor seventh chords. In folk music, Dorian melodies are common in English, Irish, and Scandinavian traditions. Scarborough Fair is a well-known Dorian melody.
Miles Davis's So What, one of the most influential jazz recordings ever made, is built entirely on the Dorian mode.