Chapter 9 of 12 · Part 3: The seven sounds
Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian
Direct answer
Dorian is natural minor with a natural 6. Aeolian is natural minor. Phrygian is natural minor with flat 2. Each one has flat 3 and a perfect 5, so each one supports a minor home chord.
Common mix-up: Minor does not name one scale. A minor chord tells you the basic quality; degrees 2 and 6 tell you which common minor mode surrounds it.
Dorian lifts; Phrygian presses
Against Dm, B natural gives Dorian its lift and works with a G major chord. B-flat gives Aeolian its familiar natural-minor pull. E-flat sits one fret above D in Phrygian, so the tension crowds the root.
All three modes share flat 3. Listen for natural 6 in Dorian, flat 6 in Aeolian, and especially flat 2 in Phrygian.
Let the chords narrow the choice
Dm-G points to D Dorian because G major needs B. Dm-B-flat points to Aeolian because B-flat is the flat 6. Dm-E-flat makes Phrygian's flat 2 hard to miss.
A melody can borrow a note, so do not name the mode from one quick event. A repeated chord is much stronger evidence.
Formulas, notes, and what to hear
| Scale or mode · hear it | Formula | Notes | Listen for |
|---|---|---|---|
D Dorian | Formula1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | NotesD E F G A B C | HearB natural and G major |
D Aeolian | Formula1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | NotesD E F G A B♭ C | HearB-flat and natural-minor gravity |
D Phrygian | Formula1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | NotesD E♭ F G A B♭ C | HearE-flat pressing against D |
Songs using Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian
Miles Davis — “So What”
The main section stays on D minor harmony and uses B natural. That natural 6 separates D Dorian from D natural minor.
R.E.M. — “Losing My Religion”
The mandolin riff and vocal center A minor. F natural supplies the flat 6 that separates Aeolian from Dorian.
Metallica — “Wherever I May Roam”
The intro and main riff press F against an E center. That half-step from the root to flat 2 is the Phrygian sound to catch.
Fretboard map
Standard tuning, frets 0-12. Blue is the root, and the light-blue ring marks the characteristic note.
Tap any dot to hear that exact pitch. Swipe sideways to see the full neck. With a keyboard, use Tab and press Enter or Space.
Choose a dot to hear its pitch
Interactive lab
Minor-mode ear streak
1. Play the sound. 2. Choose the mode. 3. Read the clue before moving on. A wrong answer resets the current streak.
Round 1 of 3
Current streak: 0
Choose one answer after listening.
Original tab exercises
Play slowly enough to hear the interval named in this chapter. Every exercise is original OpenFret material, so you can practice the idea without copying a song.
Swipe sideways to follow the full line.
Original OpenFret exercise · standard tuning unless marked otherwise
Swipe sideways to follow the full line.
Original OpenFret exercise · standard tuning unless marked otherwise
Swipe sideways to follow the full line.
Original OpenFret exercise · standard tuning unless marked otherwise
Practice assignment
Take this to the guitar
Loop Dm-G, Dm-B-flat, and Dm-E-flat. Over each, limit yourself to five notes plus the characteristic degree, and build a two-bar call and response.
Mastery check
Play-through and four-question quiz
Play the chapter piece first. Score 75% on the quiz to pass. You can retake it right away.
Chapter play-through
Play the whole chapter
Move Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian through low, middle, and high positions. The relay turns their three defining notes into one ear-training line.
- Bring out B natural in Dorian and B-flat in Aeolian.
- Let E-flat press against D in Phrygian.
- Keep the D-minor sound intact through every position shift.
Swipe sideways to follow the full line.
Original OpenFret exercise · standard tuning unless marked otherwise
0 of 4 questions answered
Answer the remaining 4 questions to check your work.
The minor modes FAQ
Which minor mode is brightest?
Dorian, because its natural 6 sits one semitone above Aeolian's flat 6 while the other shared degrees stay the same.
Is Aeolian just minor?
It is specifically natural minor. Harmonic and melodic minor are different minor scales, covered in chapter 6.
What makes Phrygian sound distinctive?
The flat 2 only a semitone above the root. A minor tonic moving to a major flat-II chord makes it especially clear.