Songs that use the Dorian mode

From Pink Floyd to Stevie Wonder, Lana Del Rey to Scarborough Fair, dorian's distinctive flavour can be heard in many different styles of music and is a refreshing, brighter alternative to the typical minor scale.
📌NOTE: I decided to remove the section on "Get Lucky" as it wasn't a perfect example of Dorian. I will actually be making a video about this soon explaining it further. Sorry for any confusion caused.
SOURCES:
“Mad World” isolated vocal: / mad-world-gary-jules-v...
“What is a mode?”, Leonard Bernstein: • Video
Stream my new EP "The Longest March" at Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0wKKJ...
or download it at Bandcamp: davidbennettpiano.bandcamp.com/
An extra special thanks goes to Vidad Flowers, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇
SUPPORT ME ON PATREON: / davidbennettpiano
0:00 Introduction
0:44 Riders On The Storm by The Doors
1:31 Mad World by Tears for Fears
2:55 Dorian is a mode
4:14 Scarborough Fair
5:01 Woodstock by Joni Mitchell
5:40 Blue Jeans by Lana Del Rey
6:20 Drive by R.E.M.
7:10 the "Dorian vamp"
10:26 Dorian Vs. Aeolian
11:41 Pink Floyd and Dorian
12:29 Dorian in Modal Jazz
13:41 Outro

[@DavidBennettPiano]

📍REVISION: If you're wondering where it's gone, I've decided to remove the brief section featuring "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd. Some commenters pointed out that the song actually fits better into C aeolian, rather than F dorian and, on reflection, I agree with them! Sorry for any confusion caused and thanks for your support! 😊

[@henrythegreatamerican8136]

I must be the only one who saw DORIAN in the title and immediately thought of the Smashing Pumpkins song named Dorian. It's definitely not their best song..... but it was okay.

[@realsongbook]

Greatl. Because of this observation I worked my animated analysis with C aeolian: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q52tfJeod7t4es0 There's a lot of sites out there pointing it's Eb (even some says it's C#), but I disagree. Regards and good work!

[@Lpm100]

How much you analyze any of the following songs? Wave, Terrence Shider Big Man on Mulberry Street, Billy Joel. (I believe that it's in Dorian)

[@brianbuck7352]

l

[@hutif]

New to your channel, and I must say, I'm really impressed that you would admit to being wrong and try to learn from the experience rather than dig in for the sake of your ego. I subscribed.

[@fredericmoeri9222]

doiran is actually kind of funny and kind of sad

[@chrisw4997]

The dreams of which are Dorian are the best I've ever had

[@fasuto8656]

I find it hard to tell you, i find it hard to take

[@kamikkaze5164]

sounds like life

[@frigginjerk]

Ah, like when a clown dies.

[@fasuto8656]

@@frigginjerk it's the lyrics of mad world.

[@mcmusic33]

All I’m saying is that this dude deserves way more credit than he currently gets. The production quality and content depth on these videos is amazing and I love watching them!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Wow, thanks! That really means a lot. These videos are an utter mission but it’s worth it when I get comments like this 😃

[@massimovareschi1963]

@@DavidBennettPiano dude I could have never gone to music college or studied music full time these videos give me information that I literally couldn't learn anywhere else.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Massimo Vareschi thank you! 😃

[@ceneg]

@@DavidBennettPiano Mac is bang on with what her says. Your videos are fantastic.

[@simon_patterson]

Yep this is absolutely top quality stuff in every way. Big budget productions cannot outdo this channel.

[@haidynwendlandt2479]

Dorian might be my favorite mode, it’s just so smooth and melancholy while still having an air of hope and peace

[@ferudunatakan]

Mine too, but only diatonic modes are included. If all modes (Modes of major, minor, double harmonic and pentatonic scales) are included, my favourite is major pentatonic scale; because it has no notes that clashes.

[@byronrobbins8834]

@@ferudunatakan anyway, the Dorian mode is defined by the brighter 6th note of the scale, if instead, we played the darker 6th note, then we would be using Aeolian instead.

[@vannillaAJofficial204]

​@@ferudunatakan for me, dorian is also my favorite diatonic scale mode but if were going beyond the major scale stuff then for me, its phrygian dominant overall (absolute goat)

[@bertberw8653]

melancholic*

[@haidynwendlandt2479]

@@bertberw8653 okay

[@orionlightheart640]

Dorian is also found in medieval music like gregorian chants, or sea shanties. I also love it when the dorian mode is played slow with some stringed arpeggios. It's sooo medieval sounding.

[@juliepigois3330]

It's the Celtic scale. All over Irish music. D Dorian. Play guitar with the E strings dropped down to Ds.

[@whatabouttheearth]

It's used for traditional English songs alot. Tune DADDAD and drone the low D open with your thumb and mess around with open, 2nd fret, 3 fret on the high D, and the 3rd fret on the high A. sort of like a regular tuned D chord shape but play with the notes individually, this will give you a "Celtic" sound. PS: "Celtic music" isn't really a thing per se since Celtic is a language group that spread from Anatolia, through the Swiss Alps and North Italy, to Spain and France, to the British Isles and Ireland and the majority of the celts had no writing system let alone musical notation. What is called "Celtic" in modern times are various traditional music's from Irish, Scottish, English and Brittany in France.

[@BarbaraMarieLouise]

That’s where it comes from!

[@thekingshussar1808]

​​@@juliepigois3330not strictly Celtic. Dorian was very common in the middle ages all over Europe. The Cantigas de Santa Maria and Llibre Vermell de Monserrat from Iberia, Trecento music from 14th/15th century Italy, Chansonnier du Roi from France, Walther von Der Vogelweide from Germany, and a lot of folk English tunes like Scarborough Fair.

[@montagnegign3978]

Which is why Dorian is used in Fantasy scores

[@bilingualkaraoke8665]

What are you reading? An old novel: "The Picture of i-IV- Gray"

[@applehack97]

you cheeky bastard

[@S-e-K-i-r-0]

Well done 👍

[@dawesreads1263]

This is one of the worst puns I’ve ever heard. I applaud you sir

[@olearntz]

Ouch! ;)

[@DarkSideofSynth]

I'll pretend I haven't read that and that the temperature in the room actually dropped or... I'll just have a laugh ;)

[@singularit_y]

Therapist: even more depressing Mad World isn’t real, it can’t hurt you Even more depressing Mad World:

[@donaldgiven2543]

Well, of course, living in the past by Jethro Tull

[@liladymusic]

Ikr

[@TesterAnimal1]

New Dawn Fades?

[@LaurensITrust]

Honestly

[@jaakkot5440]

2:30

[@TheRedAnvil40]

I love how David uses so many genres of music to show examples. It makes it even more interesting.

[@st1lllif331]

David truly is a God when it comes to music

[@AJPMUSIC_OFFICIAL]

I love Dorian, its always felt like a true neutral scale between major and minor happy hanging with both. It can have that sad feel while still being hopeful. Can give a lovely folky sound.

[@orionlightheart640]

You can make a minor song sound happy and a Major song sound sad. Just all depends on 1. Tempo 2. Dynamics. 3. Articulations, 4. How you play it. 5. Chord choices in the progressions. It's just to me saying "oh major happy and minor sad" is too simplistic to say. As for Dorian, look up Drunken Sailor. The song is does not sound sad at all when it's sped up like it. It sounds happy and jolly.

[@ferudunatakan]

It literally is.

[@nobodyinteresting9967]

I love that riders of the storm intro.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Me too! Definitely in my top 25 songs ever!

[@RafaelSetiawanRS16]

nfs underground 2 vibes hahaha

[@applehack97]

that electric piano, those rain sounds, that exquisite bass line, Snoop Dogg rapping... wait what?

[@jishin75]

My top song of Door. It sounds even good in Eolian though. 👍

[@MrKittles1123]

My favorite Doors song.

[@frndlthng]

My name is Dorian and I love everything about this.

[@glottalstop2080]

lol

[@IronIce_]

Me Too!

[@xrimn9294]

Thanks for making me connect the dots why people make i-IV-Gray jokes here! I hadn't thought about the given name!

[@dorianeskales9823]

My name is Doriane (E Dorian- *rimshot*) and I'm a singer/songwriter/composer and this video describes my personality and my music style which is so freaking weird! What about you? Do we share the same personality?

[@dixcincider5135]

My name is Dorian too haha I’m so surprised didn’t know there was a scale named Dorian

[@andycopeland7051]

My favorite part was hearing a bit of what you wrote yourself. Beautiful stuff man you're very talented as a performer, instructor, as well as an entertainer. Thanks man I learned a lot and enjoyed

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you Andy!

[@Amelia-zh5vw]

I wrote a song in Dorian scale when I was 14, without realizing what I was doing. Now, I'm working on it even more and I'm SO HAPPY that I finally have the tools to analyze my own work and understand it.

[@wailer27]

I did the same but when I was 13, then I understood it by the time I was 14

[@genatzvalee]

Most of all I love how David shows how it WOULD sound if it was written in a more trivial traditional mode. So cool!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! 😃😃

[@aron-new9391]

I must agree. It keeps fascinating me to hear how changing one note can have such an effect on the melody as a whole.

[@ashuzguitar]

No mode is trivial, FFS!

[@unacuentadeyoutube13]

nothing trivial about minor!

[@genatzvalee]

@@unacuentadeyoutube13 ok, more traditional.

[@KiloGex]

Get Lucky in minor sounds like a Coldplay song.

[@maria-vz1ls]

true hahaha

[@brandbusters183]

You mean Adventure of A Lifetime?

[@muenchhausenmusic]

I'd argue that Get lucky is actually in F# minor and the chord progression just starts on the subdominant

[@Manas-co8wl]

@@muenchhausenmusic Thats' because all modes on any key are Ionian in another. It's hard to tell with Get Lucky because the whole song is more of an extended vamp. By the way the last note they sing is actually an A so... make what you will of it

[@AndreaCangeri]

The Rohan theme in "The Lord of the Rings", by Howard Shore! It's my favourite example: an overall "minor" feeling with a boost of hope whenever the fourth chord appears. It's the perfect leitmotif for Rohan, a culture in decadence, but still proud.

[@stratonarrow]

Mind blown!

[@Henry3Studios]

Timestamps: <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="46">0:46</a> Riders on the Storm - The Doors <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="92">1:32</a> Mad World - Tears for Fears <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="265">4:25</a> Scarborough Fair - Trad. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="300">5:00</a> Woodstock - Joni Mitchell <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="341">5:41</a> Blue Jeans - Lana Del Ray <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="384">6:24</a> Drive - R.E.M. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="467">7:47</a> Give It To Me Baby - Rick James <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="473">7:53</a> Stevie Wonder - I Wish <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="479">7:59</a> Flashlight- Parliament <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="484">8:04</a> Good Times - Chic <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="490">8:10</a> Pick Up The Pieces - Average White Band <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="498">8:18</a> Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="505">8:25</a> Use Me - Bill Withers <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="514">8:34</a> Chameleon - Herbie Hancock <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="527">8:47</a> Lucky - Radiohead <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="534">8:54</a> Apache - The Shadows <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="541">9:01</a> No Quarter - Led Zeppelin <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="547">9:07</a> Reptilia - The Strokes <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="555">9:15</a> Evil Ways - Santana <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="561">9:21</a> Oye Como Va - Santana <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="567">9:27</a> Laser Gun - M83 ft. Mai Lan <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="600">10:00</a> 500 - Arctic Monkeys <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="608">10:08</a> Moondance - Van Morrison <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="615">10:15</a> Light My Fire - The Doors <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="620">10:20</a> God’s Plan - Drake <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="636">10:36</a> Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="668">11:08</a> Thriller - Michael Jackson <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="715">11:55</a> Breathe - Pink Floyd <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="721">12:01</a> The Great Gig In The Sky - Pink Floyd <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="728">12:08</a> Any Colour You Like - Pink Floyd <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="735">12:15</a> Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2 - Pink Floyd <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="742">12:22</a> Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="753">12:33</a> So What - Miles Davis Examples that weren’t in the video: Karma Police - Radiohead 15 Step - Radiohead Billie Jean - Michael Jackson I Me Mine - The Beatles Money - Pink Floyd Don’t Bother Me - The Beatles

[@thelastofellie3881]

Lana Del Rey*

[@marcorazo3253]

Venus - Shocking Blue

[@johnroemer4450]

Breathe in the air- pink floyd. Time- pink floyd. Down by the river- neil young. Always that Em to A maj sound is the tell.

[@lapiscarrot3557]

@@johnroemer4450 so Dorian is just a 2-5-1 that never truly resolves (where 2 becomes the root)

[@Lierofox]

The Halo theme.

[@brandbird]

Long before I knew what dorian, modes or even scales were, most of the songs I loved were, I later found out, in dorian.

[@meinname4997]

yep same

[@xrimn9294]

Haha, I thought the same! The brightness in sadness is kind of touching!

[@kolibambangg]

same!

[@nobodyinteresting9967]

Oh thats what they did with eleanor rigby. Always woundert what made that song sound so special.

[@Mark95876]

Eleanor Rigby was the first Beatles song that gained musical genius status.

[@jacobmillen751]

Beatles used dorian mode in quite a lot of songs

[@chrismartin3197]

@@Mark95876 norwegian wood?

[@shuvanjanpaulchoudhury9974]

@@chrismartin3197 that would be Mixolydiam

[@Mark95876]

@@chrismartin3197 Almost. Getting close. There were snippets of musical brilliance even on much earlier songs but they tended to get lost among the 3 and 4 chords tricks that they and just about everyone else was using at the time.

[@josephriddlestone4684]

This is the most easily understood explanation of the modes I've ever heard. It's tied all of the loose ends I had. Thanks. 🙏

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! 😃

[@BlueMiaou]

I'm really happy you include examples of how things sound different in your videos, it really gets the point across easily! I'm learning so much from your videos and get inspiration to write more different stuff

[@PlanetoftheDeaf]

Wow, that aeolian version of Mad World sounds so different! And actually a lot less interesting, it's amazing how one note can make such difference

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Agreed! 😃😃

[@patrickhall7884]

Actually I quite like the Aeolian version too. Even tho I love the original too

[@ultramutt8278]

There is no arrangement of any of the notes within the human audible spectrum that would've saved this song from being a dirge.

[@unlimitedfunlol]

Agreed. When he played the variant, I literally thought “yeah, but that’s boring”

[@peterroberts4415]

Oddly enough, Mad World the major key sounds the most depressing, even more than Dorian or the Minor key

[@browk2512]

rip daft punk

[@theknightsofawesomeness2701]

May their legacy live on

[@masicbemester]

F in the chat

[@composer7325]

Thank you, David. I really enjoyed your latest video on the Dorian mode. It's great to see the four inventive key changes still growing. Like millions of viewers, I l00k forward, so much, to your videos. Please keep them coming. Regards, Peter.

[@browk2512]

Hey, Peter. I think you commented in the wrong spot.

[@jamespetercharles7532]

@@composer7325 I don't think you're in the right spot pal. Try again!

[@a2a373]

My favourite modulation. And one of the factor why Dark Side of The Moon is one of my fav album of all the time. They used the Dorian Vamp in most of the song.

[@TomMoonMusic]

David, thank you so much for these videos! I've been a singer-songwriter and guitarist for many years now, and as I'm self-taught for the most part have never known that much about music theory. I have learnt so much from your channel! Your videos are so informative and easy to watch. I love how you link actual song examples to bring the theory to life. Thank you again and keep up the fantastic work!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks Tom!

[@sparkyshore3543]

Ethereal and whimsical, maybe, but “Drunken Sailor” is always my go-to example for a song in Dorian.

[@worldsheaviestjamband93]

I think having it in Dorian makes it more fun drunk…instead of Aeolian sad drunk.

[@byronrobbins8834]

@@worldsheaviestjamband93 the Dorian key sounds better than the Natural minor key with the minor 6th, in the Dorian key, the Major 6th is played, and so the Dorian key is winsical.

[@rokozaki]

Damn I'm such a sucker for the Dorian scale. So beautiful, intriguing, and mystical. Cannot believe it isn't used more often.

[@iximusic]

Me too. I feel like it was used a lot in 60s psychedelic rock. I'm thinking Cream.

[@GiaTheSweetPotato]

It's really common in funk music

[@Frei_Raum]

I really love it, too. Can't get enough of it. Maybe in the depths of KZbin there is a playlist with songs in the dorian scale.

[@S-Dual]

Bwv 538

[@Frei_Raum]

@@S-Dual Thanks a lot. What a wonderful piece of music. I didn't know it although I love Bach. Just listened to the interpretation of Karl Richter. Wonderful.

[@ashwin_ramakrishnan]

The effort and clarity in these videos is unbelievable. Thank you so much for sharing these!

[@plumemusik1659]

I just love this Dorian mode and having examples of songs that use that mode is very informative! 👍 Putting words and theory to songs we already know helps for understanding and creating music as well. Thank you so much for the video! 😊

[@do.o2488]

The Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression

[@faboolean7039]

Arf!!!

[@Stemma3]

Moo-ah!

[@alangcarte]

Zappazone

[@N0rmad]

I've been trying for decades to crack the code behind that chord progresion.

[@kodowdus]

You do realize "this can't go on", don't you?

[@smoothbeak]

As a big Doors fan, holy shit, that contrasting of Rider's of the Storm with the two natural and minor and dorian really made it clear!

[@zag5434]

It’s so crazy to me how everyone has an innate sense of music understanding, but most have no idea what makes them feel the music or how to make it themselves.

[@Seanbo88]

When I started learning about modes in piano class it honestly blew my mind because you start to realize how everything is connected. Gives a whole new perspective on music theory. Excellent videos, keep it up!

[@spongebabe27]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="173">2:53</a> I also like that it uses the almost whimsical raised 6th on the word "funny", which if I'm not mistaken is sort of an example of word painting.

[@reillywalker195]

That's indeed word painting. Both the melody and the lyrics at that point indicate levity and hope.

[@paweida1]

"He's So Lord" / "My Sweet Fine"

[@fasuto8656]

My sweet fine, oh my fine

[@johnnyd63]

"Wish I was George...The one with stolen chords"

[@Bartonovich52]

Hallelujah... he’s so fine... hari Krishna... he’s so fine.

[@Yupppi]

That Riders on the Storm piano run is a fantastic one, gotta remember that one. It sounds so exciting, so dreamy. Like looking at the cloudy night sky with some stars and bright full moon, thinking about a fantasy story. Perhaps travelling and feeling like something not normal is in play. The best I can describe the feel of that dorian mode key note is that it sounds hopeful. Funnily enough they used the note exactly on the word "funny". Great and thoughtful composing and arrangement. Hearing the Scarborough Fair made me think that Dorian sounds a lot like what we would use for medieval themes. What a lovely mode for magical sadness.

[@gustavoinciarte6367]

'Man in the Box' by Alice in Chains is in Eb minor, but uses the raised sixth note (C) in the verse melody. Also, 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons is in B dorian and uses both the major IV chord (E major) and the raised sixth note (G#) throughout; the moment I find it the most noticable is during the chorus.

[@sapinmusic7004]

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. Awesome example of dorian in B minor. There are only three chords in this song: Bm, A, E. E is dorian subdominant cause it has G sharp in it. Love this song and love dorian mode❤

[@jaramillolugo5921]

Classic Isaak! Been a fan since 1986!

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

There's a Dire Straits song with a guitar solo that switches from Am Dorian to Am Aeolian scale. It changes the guitar solo from swagger to bitter.

[@alex.ann_der]

It uses the raised sixth so clever, in the part that says "I've never dream that I meet somebody LIKE you". In that like, is the dorian Sixth

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

@@alex.ann_der That's a C#, part of the VII chord. The progression is Bm-A-E

[@dalluc]

I always thought this song and Mad World sounded similar. Now I know why

[@YourBroL]

Gotta say that I really appreciate your work. These video's are incredibly well put together, include very apt and succinct examples that explain your point perfectly. Not to mention the sound quality, scale portrayal and comparison. All in all, great job on this and other videos and thank you for teaching! Lots of love from a happy subscriber from the Netherlands!

[@craigbaker6382]

Super happy I discovered you. I have learned a great bunch of new things that put seemingly obscure music theory into concrete examples . Most of your examples are not just songs I know but songs I actually love and your analysis helps me to see why.

[@Luanne_Ashe]

Dorian Mode is one of my favourites - and Mixolydian also in the same fashion because of the chord progressions and distinctive cadences. Drunken Sailor! Celtic Music! LOVE your explanations and totally wish you were teaching harmony when I was at music school in the 70's and 80's!

[@luckyjinxer]

Same! Mixolydian and Dorian feel like cousins. They're both laid back versions of Ionian and Aeolian, respectively. Mixolydian just feels like the embodiment of the word halcyon.

[@singsongdan249]

Yeah actually including the Sea Shanties in this vid would've made it extra on trend!!

[@GaryBook]

Dorian is b3 and b7 and is minor; Mixolydian is just b7 and is major.

[@napalm_lipbalm86]

Dropkick Murphys!!

[@rjmarlow8229]

Dorian is the jam mode. Hands down my favorite mode, so moody and always sounds good

[@msanzguitar]

Love your explanations David. They are the most enlightening on the entire internet!

[@TheListeningParty_TLP]

Brother your videos are spot-on on every level. Everything is presented with absolute clarity, from your commentary to the beautiful graphics and videos. It’s a pleasure to follow along. You’re a born teacher.

[@DanielGonzalezC]

One brilliant example I've always loved is Skyfall by Adele. Because it's a spy song, it naturally features the very iconic Bond voicing of i - i aug - i 6 - i aug, but with a twist. The song, being in Cm, goes: Cm (i) - Ab (VI) - F (IV) - Fm/Eb (iv), effectively emphasizing both 6ths, and moving us briefly to a C dorian, that gives it a very mysterious touch every time. Not only that but, at the end of every repetition, it graces us with a very fun 2-5-1 variaton, with a Csus2/Eb funcitoning as our 2, into a G major that sends us into incredible tension with its B natural, so we briefly stand on that harmonic minor before finally resolving back to our C natural minor. It's a fantastic use of modes for narrative purposes.

[@tsunderecat413]

"song of storms" from ocarina of time is a big one that comes to mind for me

[@tsunderecat413]

another example from a video game: the character select screen music from the original super smash bros

[@tsunderecat413]

and, of course, for an example of switching between dorian and aeolian, who could forget megalovania?

[@jimmyhirr5773]

"Song of storms" is also an example of a minor melody without a sixth. Some more examples you might like: The Shovel Knight theme mixes Dorian, Aeolian, and Phrygian. "Beware the Forest's Mushrooms" from Super Mario RPG. A lot of songs from the Mega Man series. Like Snake Man from Mega Man 3, and Napalm Man, Stone Man, and Wood Man from Mega Man 5.

[@spacedoughnuttt]

god damnit its a homestuck

[@catalina5711]

Mann i really appreciate the amount of work you put in analyzing every song you put and even polishing it down for the notes to be clear. I cant imagine how many funky songs you had to listen to to create that stream of examples. Also i love how you always sneak a lil radiohead i there it always makes me smile :)

[@wpc456cpw]

Owl City (as well as his other musical projects) uses a lot of the Dorian and Mixolydian(??) modes. That’s part of how his music sounds so whimsical/uplifting/nostalgic/dreamy!

[@wyattstevens8574]

Is Fireflies in mixolydian?

[@byronrobbins8834]

@@wyattstevens8574 Dorian and Mixolydian are basically defined by the 3rd note, as Dorian uses the darker 3rd note, whereas Mixolydian uses the brighter 3rd note.

[@rebeccathornemusic]

You’re always giving me great song writing inspiration!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Great!! 😁😁

[@snookerwither9955]

Me too! I love using new things I learn from these videos in my songs!

[@Pandamasque]

Same here.

[@ethelwulfmountbattenderoth2286]

I watch these at work and write down progressions and stuff and go home and mess with them.

[@ShredmasterScott]

This is so fire....I love how you explain the mode with chords. Few people teach modes like that

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you 😃😃

[@ZTRCTGuy]

I'm so baffled of the dorian effect in Mad World, it almost sounds like it's ionian for a moment. It's so powerful.

[@jameskrakenguitars2351]

It’s lydian actually

[@simonharwood8488]

What is? ​@@jameskrakenguitars2351

[@samuelmorris1294]

This entire series is so helpful to fully understanding and using these modes. Thanks David. Keep it up!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks Sam! 😃

[@josejones5632]

I really appreciate how you put the effort into showing how a song would sound in a different mode instead of just explaining it.

[@leftyguitarist8989]

Queen's Tie Your Mother Down is a great example of a song that switches between Dorian and Mixolydian, with the riff and verses being in Dorian, the pre-chorus and chorus being in Mixolydian, and the solo being in both simultaneously.

[@alextheguitarist7282]

Yes indeed.

[@dannysmith9250]

I do love that song

[@MaggaraMarine]

I would say it's simply in the "blues tonality" which has a variable 3rd. Wouldn't describe it exactly as Dorian or Mixolydian. It's kind of a mixture of both, but also kind of not. It's a separate thing with its own musical vocabulary. The song also uses the major V chord. It actually uses all of the chords with their roots on the notes of A minor pentatonic. A, C, D, E and G chords. And I would say all of those chords are major.

[@leftyguitarist8989]

@@MaggaraMarine Good point. However, with the exception of that section during the solo where Brian uses the E major pentatonic scale, the E comes off more as an E5 than an E major chord since the guitar's not playing the G# whatsoever and the vocals treat it like a bent G so it's really only John Deacon's bass that's playing it and even then, it's only during the 2nd pre-chorus and the aforementioned part of the solo.

[@MaggaraMarine]

@@leftyguitarist8989 Well, the fact that G# is not necessarily included in that chord all the time doesn't really matter - it's still functioning as an E major chord. This is implied by the E5 E6 E5 E6 rock and roll cliche riff. It is true that it's the bassline in the 2nd verse that uses G#, but even if no one ever used that note, functionally it would still be E major. Power chords (when used "as chords" rather than "melodically", as in some rock/metal riffs) do have a quality in context. The third is simply omitted, but the context will determine whether the chord is actually functioning as a major or a minor chord. And in this case, I would say it's quite clearly a major chord, even if there is no third.

[@donniehba795]

Fascinating. The subject matter is intriguing while the presentation is compelling. Well done!

[@PatrickQT]

Great video. It's so rare to find info on theory in combination with real world examples and how to use it, how it feels etc... Very well done.

[@fmontpetit]

I love this series, David. Thank you!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you!

[@lawgirl054]

I was wondering why Scarborough Fair has been stuck in my head since I was like eight It's because it sounds fkn cool

[@grandpatzer]

I love the sound of Dorian scale and I haven’t been aware of it till this video. Thanks!

[@wittsend86]

Wow, I've learnt that a huge chunk of the music I love is in the Dorian scale. Great video once again, thank you!

[@betfis2987]

friends theme song is partially in a mixolydian

[@EarlOfMaladyCrescent]

Yeah, you're right. That's "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts.

[@MrFfuckUp]

Thank you, David, for making your videos analyzing aspects of music theory. They've helped me quite a lot, and how you present the information in the videos is much less confusing for me than how others discuss music theory.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! 😁

[@stevea.b.9282]

Wow.. the part with 2 versions of Mad World made the difference incredible clear. Amazing work! subscribed

[@JacobH93]

In terms of my understanding of modes and especially how to apply them, I think are the most helpful videos I’ve watched! Thank you!

[@RonJhadm]

love that you covered the hit song by Tears for Fears called “med weld”

[@applehack97]

Teas for Fees*

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

That Miles Davis bit did turn up surely in "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

[@ToolParabola]

"Parabol / Parabola" by Tool is another example of contrasting Aeolian vs Dorian, but here it's mostly alternating between the vocal melody and the guitars: The flat 6th scale degree first appears in the melody towards the end of "Parabol" ("We barely remember"), but the bass line already plays the Dorian raised 6th a few seconds later. Then the verses of "Parabola" continue with the Aeolian b6 in the melody ("Who or what came before..."), whereas the raised 6th appears in the chorus ("...this holy reality...") in the guitar and bass part, giving the chorus a Dorian feel. Only in the middle bridge of "Parabola" does the vocal line reach the raised 6th on "Alive and breathing", creating a satisfying moment of catharsis, but again using the b6 for the final flourish.

[@Th3Mus1cM4n]

thanks for this contribuition regarding one of my favourite songs!

[@andrewkoumis4070]

Yes, definitely appreciate any insight into Tool or APC songs!

[@trumpetdudeman07]

You earned yourself another subscriber with this gem. Thank you for all the work. By far the best explanation of modes I’ve seen to date.

[@msafran]

you are very erudite, hip and thoughtful. I love everything you post and find that I come away with a new sense of sound, music and theory that I never would have appreciated otherwise.

[@jackrussellbruce7565]

Modes have never made much sense to me, but you my friend have finally helped me learn. Keep these videos coming! It really helps to see the use of the modes in popular music

[@bareakon]

Dorian has been my go-to for improvising guitar solos for many years. The extra stability makes it nice and versatile

[@jacobmillen751]

Plus, if you stay on the "i" chord, you can pretty much play any note of the scale and it sounds nice, so it feels a lot freer to play

[@gizzhead7941]

@@jacobmillen751 or the 4 chord, or the 2 chord, or the 5 chord... so long as you come back to 1... or you have a drone

[@honderib]

Without a doubt the best video on a modal scale. One of the very few videos that give you actually a feel for how such a mode sounds. Contrasting melodies in aeolian vs dorian mode is incredibly instructive. All really well produces, great!!

[@FlowtnWitWalden]

The illustrations are insanely helpful ! Thanks mate !

[@pinksparkles77]

So crazy - I was watching your videos this morning and was also trying to research Dorian mode for a composition piece and now you’ve a video on Dorian just a few hours later 🤯

[@akbar41]

Man, you have such a broad knowledge of popular music. Hat's off to you for that. And I love when you demonstrate what a song would sound like if there was just one thing (say, a note) changed. It really gets the point across.

[@zechster1]

Your videos are so easy to digest. Thank you !

[@diegomadrigal5968]

I gotta say this video rocks, the different examples for showing the differences between scales are insanely good, subscribing right now for more videos like this one. Thanks!

[@slowmikespace]

The Dark Side of the Moon, being basically a concept album, uses in most of the songs (I suppose intentionally) the same chord progression but transposed in different keys

[@richardrichard5409]

Wow, I hadn't noticed that😎

[@arturomontilla5073]

Pytagoras was asked to help calm youngters at a party. He danced, told jokes, spoke witty words (young in spirit) and then, asked them to tune their instruments into a certain scale. From the first notes all calmed down and one by one went to sleep. No need for a raid.

[@smartphoneguitar6780]

You're the best, David. This KZbin channel is an absolute gem. Eternally grateful.

[@inkimusic]

Love your videos, thanks for putting the time in to make these!

[@cosmojonesmusic]

It wouldn't be a David Bennett video without a mention of The Beatles & Radiohead. 🤠 I love your channel, sir.

[@flip148]

love your composition at the end!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks! 😃

[@valentinch0]

Very bouncy

[@mihirlovekar6896]

@@DavidBennettPiano Any streaming platform where i can listen to it?

[@Docnroll]

Wow! This is crystal clear, great work!

[@jossheaton6148]

Amazing video David! Clear and concise in delivery.

[@littlefuckingPanda]

So... You're saying that seemingly my whole music taste is based on dorian? understandable, have a nice day

[@SoleaGalilei]

All right, I'm stoked that you're going to do videos on all the modes! I really enjoy how you compare songs in different genres and show what they have in common, as well as how the composers could have written them differently. I know it's a pain to include so many songs that are under copyright, but it makes it so much easier for me to understand than videos where they just demonstrate the scales/chords without playing actual songs I'm familiar with.

[@eahannan]

Brilliant video. You connect so many songs and styles, even when the mode appears or disappears momentarily. Riveting and much desired education, thank you.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you! 😃😃😃

[@Citizen-Shayn]

I greatly apprciate the time and effort you put into making these very useful and educational videos. I learn a lot from them. Thank you David

[@pechondelgado]

Dorian is awesome to solo to. Lots of Zappa songs/improv in that mode.

[@gizzhead7941]

Dorian, Aeolian, Phyrgian all have a minor pentatonic. Black napkins is phrygian.

[@gabelluc9573]

Let's not forget 'have you seen my laptop' by Brian David Gilbert

[@HimanXK]

A cultural touchstone

[@Humblemumble7]

No, let's.

[@singerofsongs468]

An excellent observation.

[@previllion5355]

You’re gonna have to remind me what a laptop is

[@antonionavarrojr2848]

I'm a guitarist / singer, and am loving this insightful video. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us.

[@stevenkaiser3837]

Yours is the best explanation of modes that I have ever heard. Thank you. I'm going to dive deeper based on your teaching!! Great stuff!!

[@kdids]

this bloke might as well be speaking german to me yet i cant stop watching these videos

[@timswabb]

It’s actually Greek! “Dorian” and “Aeolian” are both Greek terms. The Ancient Greeks named several modes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_(music) That said, as a non-musician I still don’t understand much of the video, although, like you, I find it fascinating.

[@plica06]

Once again... I really like this new thing where you play a composition of your own at the end !

[@stuartsimpson3149]

I’m enjoying your clear breakdowns of how this all pans out👌🎵

[@panicholson]

Thank you so much for all your videos! You help me immensely.

[@rome8180]

What about the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"? The chords in the verses are in Dorian before the chorus brings in the natural minor. That progression has become really common in recent years, actually.

[@bynosaurus4024]

@Anne Day probably just adding an example

[@rome8180]

@@bynosaurus4024 thank you. I thought that was obvious. He asked for examples.

[@Sijilos]

But what makes that chord progression Dorian and not just Aeolian?

[@markjreed]

The verse goes Em / G / D / A... I guess the C# in the A chord is what makes it E Dorian. Is it normal to see Dorian tunes written in the key of the Aeolian with the same root (here Em = G), just with an accidental on the sixth, instead of actually using the key signature for the Dorian itself (E Dorian = Bm = D)?

[@itsmexoxurmom]

@@markjreed tmk like he said in the video, a dorian scale (i’ll use d dorian for example since it’s simple) isn’t a version of its major counterpart since that major scale has a different root note. for this example, while c major has the same notes as d dorian, its a fully different scale because it revolves around c while d dorian is about d. writing a d dorian scale as d minor with an accidental makes it easier to get a feel for the scale :)

[@benclarke2ky]

This was really useful and I love that you always show examples which really helps to understand the context. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you 😃😃😃

[@DJAYPAZ]

Excellent video. Your explanations are wonderfully clear.

[@hannahmichaels9992]

I like how you not only showed what Dorian is, but how it functions in chord progressions. It’s helpful to know what it can sound like in context