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Dorian Mode Licks
Dorian Mode Licks With Backing Track
Have you watched my latest Dorian mode practice track video? If not, check out the video below as you can use it to practise many of these weekly vertical video guitar licks.
I have asked so many of my students to search YouTube for Dorian mode backing tracks when certain ideas have been covered in their lessons. I thought it was about time I uploaded my own Dorian backing track.
Dorian Mode Lesson Included
Rather than just a backing track, you can follow along with the scrolling words throughout the video and learn what the Dorian Mode is, how to use it, and how to use specific arpeggios and pentatonic scales when improvising with this easy-to-use mode of the major scale.
What Is The Dorian Mode?
The Dorian mode is mode 2 of the major scale. A Dorian mode contains the same notes as G major scale. The difference is that the A note is the root note of the A Dorian mode and all other notes of the scale have sound characteristics relative to the A note. When playing G major scale, all other notes of the scale have sound characteristics relative to the G note.
If you do not know scale patterns for A Dorian mode, you can use G major scale patterns to improvise A Dorian sounds. The patterns are the same, although the sound is different.
This is explained in the video and the backing track allows you to hear and experience the sound of the Dorian mode. If you still have questions, ask me in the YouTube comments section and I will do my best to answer them.
How To Create Your Own Backing Tracks
The basic outline for the backing track in the video above was created by exporting an iReal Pro track into Logic Pro. If you would like to learn how to do this yourself, my blog post How To Create Backing Tracks In Logic Pro Using iReal Pro and the accompanying video show you how to do this.
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A Minor Chromatic Neighbour Tone Guitar Lick
Even though it is not specifically a Dorian lick, this idea will work over my backing track shown above. The tempo is different, so it would be a great idea to experiment with different rhythmic values, such as playing the lick in triplets and sextuplets.
This lick is based around a basic Am triad, so you will have plenty of opportunities to use this idea in your guitar improvisation.
Once you understand the concept behind this lick, try using it with other arpeggio types, the easiest option being a major triad.
E Dorian Melodic Idea
This lick is a Dorian lick, although it is in a different key to the backing track. If you would like to use this lick over the track, you will need to move it to the key of A minor.
You should practise all musical ideas in various, and ideally all keys. Doing this allows you to truly understand what it is you are playing and to be able to use the idea in many musical situations.
If you do not understand how to move this idea into the same key as the backing track, it is quite simple. The lick begins by using your second finger, so move your second finger to fret 12 and play the lick from there. Simple!
C Major Pentatonic Scale Sliding Lick
In the backing track video, you will learn that various pentatonic scales can be used when improvising with the Dorian mode. C major pentatonic scale can be used anytime A Dorian mode is required, so this lick will work well.
The lick requires a bit of sliding up your fretboard, so have some fun with this one.
Some nice syncopated phrasing is also used at the beginning of the lick, so this should give you inspiration for phrasing ideas of your own.
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