Where to Start With Music Theory, Episode 8: The Dorian Mode

[@tonkageorge]

“This is my channel - I do what I want.” Love it.

[@TheClicheGaming]

i've seen many guitar teachers and none have kept me as interested and engaged as this, please keep these coming!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Will do! After I publish the Me and Bobby McGee vid, I'll discuss Mixolydian - the "funky" major!

[@TheClicheGaming]

@@EricHaugenGuitar Awesome! Keen to see, thanks.

[@williamedney4332]

Great teacher

[@mic19T]

I dont have any music playing friends so your tangents on music are much appreciated. ✌

[@davidgoltra9950]

These are some of the best mode lessons I’ve ever had. It’s really sticking now

[@ksiddiqui8]

Absolutely l o v e your style of teaching. It's not hard to tell that you know what you are talking about. I knew nothing at all about music until I started watching your videos and now I feel like I can finally start to understand things. Hope it's alright tho that I'm applying these lessons to a ukulele, instead of a guitar...

[@llwonder]

You are a good teacher. I enjoy when the teacher sounds like they’re know what they’re talking about. I like when you give examples. I’ve found very few videos of people actually understanding modes and explaining it well.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

I try to keep everything simple, practical, and "real-world" applicable :-)

[@honeychilerider]

Yo, ERIC! I already know this stuff. And I STILL think you have one of the best teaching channels out there even for maybe intermediate to advanced players like me. I consistently get something out of every one of your videos, and watch your videos on topics I know well. I always get a new idea, a new perspective, or, most commonly as in this video, a better, more intuitive way to approach my fundamentals and therefore integrate them better than before. In my opinion, anyone who can't see that doesn't really know what they're doing and is just posing. Please keep up this great and GENEROUS work you're doing.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks man! Yeah - I figure even advanced players would be entertained by my way of looking at things :-)

[@gordonsmith33]

Exactly!! No matter how much you know, you can always learn more!

[@krakou9]

"This is my channel, I do what I want.." What you played after that gave me goose bumps :) Great and cool way to see this instrument

[@danielbell4007]

All a mode is when you serve something with ice cream.

[@drothberg3]

I learned this without knowing what I was doing by learning how to play “Evil Ways”, “Oye Como Va” and the intro/outro to George Benson’s version of “This Masquerade”. Then, when I learned what Dorian was, it was, “Oh, that.”

[@Matthew-Lewis]

I love how you can’t help but give us musical examples of the scales because you hear the great songs that used them and NEED to get it out. It is super helpful and a delight to watch. Thanks for the great content, as always!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Honestly, these vids are kinda like a guitar solo - I have an outline at my feet, I know where I want to start, and where I want to end up. But what actually happens is usually a little different!

[@cathalwhelehan]

Hi Eric. I came into your theory lessons with what I would have called a fair to good understanding of theory, some aspects more well founded than others, but there hasn’t been a single one of your takes on the subject so far that hasn’t really opened my eyes to new ways of looking at it (to add to the ways of looking at it that I had to begin with). One of the best series of theory lessons I’ve ever seen on YT, hands down. You’ve opened all these weird doors and we have to explore where they lead. Personally I could listen to you talking all day with your quick spontaneous riffy interludes - completely infectious, captivating stuff. Thanks a million.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Cathal! Honestly, I've avoided talking about modes because there's so many questions - so many ways to look at them!

[@adamwaygood9852]

Finally someone who teaches the mechanics of music theory… I’m here for the long haul… Thank you so much Eric… Merry Christmas from Australia mate…

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Cheers Adam!

[@dthurstan]

As a self taught guitarist, I struggled to understand modes for years. This made complete sense. Cheers

[@thebatigs7087]

I’m 11th months behind, but I now realize I never understood how to use the modes until now. Excellent explanation!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Yay! That makes me so happy to hear!

[@tmo7734]

Hi Eric. What I like about your playing is you have a nice soft touch when strumming the strings. I particularly like the sound of the Mustang. It sounds crisp but not brittle. A beautiful sound. Thanks for your videos.

[@BrunoKrnetic]

The best lesson on Dorian mode I've come across online. My teacher used the same approach which helped me a lot in comprehending the point of modes. Thanks for everything you do Eric, I'm a halfway through these series and I'm really enjoying it. You are made for this!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Yay! That makes me so happy to hear!

[@michaelmunday6808]

Some cool Dorian connections that I realized while practicing : “Riders on the storm” is low key “Billie Jean” is “Walking on the Sun” the first two songs are pieces of American Music history the last is just Smash Mouth. Rock on Dorian

[@brooksyoutube]

that was great man. as someone with a moderate amount of theory and a good ear trying to shore up my fundamentals on guitar this made perfect sense. thanks!

[@ijwhite]

Excellent Stuff. Fair to say I'm addicted to this series.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Yay! Music is one of the safest things to be addicted to :-)

[@JarredDonkersley]

Morrison brought shamanism, Greek myth, existentialism, and fighting the cops into rock n roll. Forever a legend.

[@anonymousforensic]

This is a quality series, Eric! I really love exploring the music theory side and, although I’ve tried 3 different local instructors, none of them were really excited about theory. They just wanted me to pick tabs to learn. I ditched the lessons and am working through “The Advancing Guitarist”. Your videos are awesome complements to that practice routine.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

That's a great book! One time I got to talk to Dave Rawlings himself and he mentioned that book so you know it's good!

[@LyndonWesleyMusic]

The Advancing Guitarist is one of my favourites. 👌🏻

[@BV_Beve]

spiced as always with that Haugen twist just brilliant my friend ... and the sunnies & helmet a masterstroke of excellence!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

hahahahah 99% of comments are so kind and funny, like goofing around with my friends. And then there's always one jerk at the party!

[@newusernamehere4772]

So far I've known most of the stuff in your videos since high school but I still keep watching so you MUST be a good teacher lol keep it up man

[@rjhoopoe587]

Excellent stuff. Finally something about modes that actually makes sense to me and doesn't leave me even more confused. I have become enlightened! Cheers

[@liampezzano]

For what it's worth, I do know a lot of this basic music theory stuff out of books I've read from the last year. Your lessons still help immensely with application. I don't think anybody that appreciates how this stuff works would ever get frustrated with a second look at the fundamentals. Part of the fun with music theory is trying to see how another guitarist would approach it, and your insight is golden. Thanks for all your work.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Liam! 99.99% of the comments are from my buddies, like yourself - but you know how it is on the internet, someone's always gotta hop in and display their "expertise"

[@liampezzano]

@@EricHaugenGuitar It's funny the way real experts never talk like that anyway. Stay golden.

[@lachlanstewart9100]

Hahahaha oh wow, that helmet! Just perfect. Awesome lesson, perfectly explained the modes, there are a few thousandvideos explaining modes, but you gotta play the groove man!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

YES! The CONTEXT!

[@fer_fdi]

love how natural this guitar sounds on the Champ + M160

[@417altavista]

Such good stuff. Gaps are being filled every episode! Thanks for being excellent (and without ego)!

[@oliyoung5792]

Eric. Thanks so much! I have been reading about modes for months and finally I can play Dorian! Nothing would stick until I watched this video. Now it makes sense. Haugenomics! Great teaching dude.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

YAY! That makes me so happy to hear!

[@LyndonWesleyMusic]

Great video man. You’re right. Context is so important as is Tonal Centre. When I was a teenager, and modes were explained to me, both those critical elements of context and tonal centre were not mentioned. So for years modes remained a mystery.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Right?? It's like Jeff Goldblum says in Jurassic Park: “...Your Scientists Were So Preoccupied With Whether Or Not They Could, They Didn’t Stop To Think If They Should.”

[@GloriaGarrard-b4f]

Eric you really are a fantastic communicator of music theory, thank you for your time and effort !

[@Bad.At.Guitar]

Dorian is the mode that lives in a van down by the river. Ez pz. Also I love that thing where a guitar teacher plays a beautiful lick and they go "See how that lick didn't work?" Onto the next!

[@thegolfnut812]

LOL for "comments that I don't think are helpful" a helmut won't protect you but a flack jacket would. For the first one, you are helping a lot of people, going back and reviewing the basics are always helpful, so don't apologize. Those that think it's boring are probably bored with themselves. Keep up the good work, I've been playing for years and I find I learn something when reviewing the basics.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Honestly it's such a perfect example of my own negativity bias. 99% of comments are so kind, supportive, and friendly. It's my own poor coping skills that makes me focus on the jerks!

[@anonymousforensic]

Oh geez. 😂 I just got to the army helmet Q&A response. 10/10. Preach!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

People have no idea what it's like to be a medium famous youtube presenter - I see ALL the comments! 99% are really nice folks that I'm happy to help, but there's always gonna be the one jerk at the party

[@tres913]

Brilliant Eric. Another quality lesson. Using songs like you do for examples really makes things more clear to me, very helpful.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Yay!

[@blues61]

Lovin' this series, man. I've got several episodes semi-permanently open in my browser so that I work the information into my skillset. As you know, I know/understand a lot of music theory but I don't know everything. :-) And yes, context is EVERYTHING in music.

[@jdubya2006]

just found your channel! Love the channel. Looking forward to delving in and learning more. Love the sense of humor! You went from nerdy Ray Manzareck to Apocalypse Now in one helmet application....lol

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Welcome to my brain! :-)

[@markmiles3447]

Excellent stuff - you keep me watching all the way to the end (me and Booby McGee). I’ve studied a bit of music theory from other KZbinrs etc but what I find useful and unique from your lessons is that it quickly becomes useable music theory that I can incorporate into my playing. A quick example is I “knew” about harmonic minor (another video of yours) but I couldn’t solo over the chords and select the right notes. Now I can. Thanks!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Mark! I really try to keep things as practical/real-world as possible!

[@lesgibbs326]

Thanks Eric I really enjoy your lessons and your content is always great what a different it makes to actually find a lesson that shows you the chord structure and the reason that note relates to the chord in the progression. Instead of being told yeah this is Dorian mode now just shread over the minor progression. Even showing the context in songs helps my ear training thank you so much 🙏

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks! Context is EVERYTHING when it comes to modes!

[@mickdaley4444]

Greetings from Australia Eric. As a long term gigging rhythm player/frontman looking to improve my guitar skills I'm finding your stuff very incisive, patient and practical. Will be doing some of your patreon stuff. Meanwhile thanks for mildly amusing and quite detailed insights.

[@chitlun]

Man, your videos are just great! You’ve unlocked a ton of knowledge for me over the few years I’ve been watching and they’re always hugely entertaining… Thanks man! I listened to your Runes EP on Spotify earlier and it’s a corker so I’ve just been over to Bandcamp and purchased a copy… Some great playing on there man. Cheers again for everything man, peace ✌️

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks so much man! I'm finishing up the the follow LP as we speak and am really excited to share that with everyone :-)

[@김준형-c9n7b]

I love all your example songs. It really helped me. Thanks a lot!

[@michaelmunday6808]

It’s that simple…if you know the minor scale raise the b6th boom Dorian. I love that technique of quarter note soloing between chords that you spoke about! Already incorporating that into my practice sessions

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

The quarter note + groove thing is one of the most sneakily useful things to practice! It seems simple and boring, but it actually loosens us up and prepares to play efficiently in real life situations!

[@Dr9000]

This lesson is great although I already know it ... but great to hear this again and to hear your thoughts and breakdowns. Great video!

[@gordonsmith33]

As soon as the combat helmet came out I subscribed!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

hahahaha Welcome to Uncle Eric's Rant Shack :-)

[@samirwknox]

Eric, this is an awesome video, and your lessons have helped me immensely with progressing as an arranger and songwriter. I've been working on Travis picking and my right hand in the style of Townes Van Zandt or Justin Townes Earle and I've been struggling to learn how to automate my thumb and get my other fingers to start moving independently and melodically. A Eric Haugen explainer video on this would be awesome! Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Ah yes thumb/finger independence! There's some good songs to work on to get better at that: Fleetwood Mac "Rhiannon" Elvis Presley "Mystery Train" I think my buddy Adrian @anyonecanplayguitar has some good vids on those!

[@samirwknox]

@@EricHaugenGuitar thank you!!

[@f81456]

Love this series, I'm a new Patreon, looking forward to the rest of this series. I will need to watch over a few times.

[@laurielyon7740]

Delighted to see you don the helmet and address an idiotic comment from a Cementhead. No shortage of them, it seems. The smart guy (Cementhead) who ‘already knew’ and was bored wasn’t smart enough to realize, as you patiently explained, that he’s not the only person watching. I’ve learned that the jerk who thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, eventually ends up being the only jerk in the room. Justifiably for him. Mercifully for others. Great content Eric!

[@philipbrister]

Love this series man. Keep it up!!!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Phillip! Next up: Mixolydian - the "funky" major :-)

[@philipbrister]

@@EricHaugenGuitar Love it!

[@mattgilbert7347]

I learned Dorian by jamming along to Pink Floyd. They sure loved that mode. Cheers, Eric. "You simply adapt" - a pinky raised in salute to that one! "I got a phaser right here, bro." Quotable. And that helmet! Full Metal Eric. Great episode.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Obi-Wan Kenobi could be giving free lightsaber lessons on KZbin and folks would likely comment "...why is your saber BLUE?? ...I have a RED one and it is better...." I've had it.

[@mattgilbert7347]

@@EricHaugenGuitar Believe you, I do.

[@adamreidwilsonco]

Best guitar tutorial I’ve seen in a long time. You’re really good at what you do!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks so much Adam!

[@jotruck8581]

Thank you Eric. This helps me. Could never wrap my head around "modes"

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

That makes me happy to hear! I love knowing that I explained this stuff in a way that's actually useful :-)

[@davewojcik1854]

thank you the excellent explanation and demo

[@DeGroove]

Wow Eric, this was such a great missing link for me in being able to use modes! I’ve always compared the mode to the parent major scale but it makes so much more sense putting the minor modes against the natural minor. Absolutely logical, I just always looked at it from the wrong angle! You really are becoming the teacher I wished I had sooner! Love your style and approach! Thank you so much!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

YES! That makes me so happy to hear! When we see how they're related to a scale we already know, it makes them so much easier to use!

[@croizardc]

Hello! From France Brittany calling....!( it's not my name) Always waiting end of the week for you 'nd your UK brother Adrian Bravo ! Best regards

[@ThibaultKV]

Oh, another western frenchie, i'm not alone!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Me and Adrian really are brothers! It's kind of funny - you can see the British/Yank differences in personality/presentation of two guys who musically are very similar!

[@mjjames2442]

Eric, love your channel! A lesson on modern man by arcade fire would be a big hit. No one has figured it out and broken it down. Just a suggestion. Thanks for all the great videos!

[@michaelmerrullo2043]

Great lesson Eric! I absolutely loved following your stream of consciousness through the teaching of the Dorian and your playing using song examples was very enjoyable. I’m a guitar lesson geek and you are wonderfully unique 👏. And wow! Lessons at 15 with Bumblefoot!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

I'm glad it makes sense to you! Honestly, I've avoided talking about modes because there's so many questions!

[@barnBR5-49]

Great job. I really enjoy your videos man.

[@EDITSbyVELOCITY]

Thank you Eric, fantastic

[@gimmenames9039]

Dude your lessons are awesome!! Learning so much here and love the delivery: fun, honest and playful!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks man!

[@bearbrotha]

I owe you my life

[@icecubatron]

best guitar channel on youtube. also best tone

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks so much!

[@iammark7267]

Awesome lesson as always Eric. Thank you so much - could watch your content for ever. Keep em coming :) Sunny regards from Berlin

[@FirstLast-nn2bj]

Good job Eric! You are appreciated! Great stuff!

[@ericwalter4771]

Yea man, I was about to give up guitar as of recently. However, you may have changed my mind!!!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Guitar is a friend! The MIND is the enemy :-)

[@fredhystair5789]

Excellent as always. Keep it up man, i love your style.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Fred! Don't worry - I won't stop posting these. I'm a tenacious little devil

[@torontolarrivee7965]

Excellent lesson

[@ClarenceM.-mg8rt]

Thank you so much for such a great channel and information!!!

[@gaulpict]

Lovely stuff dude, thanks again

[@WhiteDove73-888]

Absolute gold

[@kevininman2013]

Dude you are hilarious funny! I love your teaching style!! The helmet and glasses is awesome!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Kevin! Sometimes I get a little sassy :-)

[@simondevine1657]

Love your stuff and your Jedi guitar powers 👍

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Simon! I totally aspire to be Haugi-Wan Kenobi

[@simondevine1657]

@@EricHaugenGuitar 🤣🤣

[@gerovonrandow3897]

THANK YOU

[@donyoung7874]

Great stuff, Eric! I like the way you tie your lessons into song examples! I like that guitar too!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Then neck pickup is MAGIC! So woody and yet still clear!

[@briandoherty3364]

This is brilliant again. Please keep going with modes. Modal theory is the single most tantalising aspect of guitar playing for me: it's the way of breaking out of that boxed-in feeling of seven (or five) notes. A whole new continent sitting there! One question, though: chords and modes- I find this difficult. Does the chord need to have (well, I know nothing NEEDS to happen) the notes of the mode? I'm thinking of the jazz guys like Coltrane or McCoy Tyner- what chords are going on in the background? 5ths mostly to avoid even more confusion?

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Good question! I find that modal progressions tend to start on whatever tonal center the mode is, and then move to a chord that contains that note that makes the mode interesting. So yeah - in A dorian, you'd move from Am to either D (has the D F# A), or Bm (has B D F#) Notice both contain the F# - the raised 6th!

[@tonywhetham8165]

Awesome as always

[@coastercook]

Thanks, Eric. You know shits about to get real when you put on your battle helmet and shades.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

hehehehe I'm such tired of rude/arrogant people on the internet

[@nickfehrenbach382]

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge in a way that gets a newbie like me to understand it. Im def gon be donating to your patreon soon as I bounce back wirh some $ in my pockets. Bills wiped me out this wk. And thanks foe keeping ads off your videos. That in itself deserves gratuity

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Nick! I'm happy to be here keepin it real :-)

[@gr637]

This is my channel, I do what I want 😂

[@michaelseandemalignonii]

This is a great lesson. Thanks.

[@jukejointjack]

Okay the Skateboard amp stand is awesome

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

I got the idea from neil young! Google "Neil Young Amps" and you'll see some amazing gear porn - he keeps one of his tweeds on a skateboard!

[@atelierrabel577]

You are amazing Eric!! Thanks!!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks so much!

[@matthewchunk3689]

where does one start with music theory? looks like i found it. awesome!

[@erikljonsson]

Your videos are great!

[@JonNewquist]

Eric, speaking as a songwriter, I gotta say, your metaphors are really good. "Mama's spaghetti" Thanks for another great lesson.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks Jon! I'm the world's most non-prolific lyricist, but every so often I come up with something good :-)

[@richardlynch5632]

Just diggin' that Bobcat😎👍 Yer doin' it justice man😎👍 😎👍❤🖖 Love brother

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

That neck pickup is PERFECTION! So woody, without being wooly!

[@deanmccaskill5495]

Hey man great video! (As if you’d make any other kind..) So the Tonemaster showed up Thursday and for fun a Custom 24 and a Jazzmaster Classic Vibe both came on Friday! BTW I went for the Deluxe instead of the Twin. Only I think because it’s a great bridge between the Blues Jr and the 4 x 10 and the 40 w Marshall. It’s fantastic just like you said it would be!! You sold me on it man.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Cool cool cool! Your Soundgarden is in bloom! I've got a Supro '64 on order - I've been curious about that company for a while now and finally pulled the trigger :-)

[@geoffb9999]

Thanks again Eric, for educating a 67 year old man who doesn't know this stuff. Every day's a schoolday

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

That makes me happy to hear! I love knowing that I explained this stuff in a way that's actually useful :-)

[@keithbriscoe99]

"Groove context" - this is what we're not getting other places. In this case i (minor) to IV (MAJOR) OR i to a ii = Dorian. This plus the 2 chord progression with quarter note fills... wow, ok - leave me alone for a few months because I can really enjoy this.

[@justinbouchard]

0:59 my favourite desert is always this

[@stevest.germain4780]

Hello Eric really enjoy your Channel all aspects

[@v2807]

Great stuff! Liked and subscribed.

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Yay! Welcome!

[@v2807]

Well...uh....you also owe me some money. I just bought that guitar because of you.

[@GreenGenesMr]

@eric Haugen Thanks for sharing the "Seymour An Introduction" documentary. Very nice one. If you have other music documentaries that had an impact on you, it would be awesome to hear. I would share (amongst the zillions music docs out there): Charles Lloyd: Arrows Into Infinity, and the Derek Bailey improvisation series on youtube. Merci ~

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Cool - I'll add those to my list! I watch so many music docs I can't remember them all!

[@LSDis4me]

Your love of music and love of teaching shines through again. Patreon'd. Will there be a lesson in this series tying together all the Grove Contexts for Modes?

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Really it's gotta be a mode to mode scenario - in the case of Dorian, the 2 giveaways are i to IV, and i to ii. The thing is, in pop/rock songs the song never STAYS modal. So in Moondance, Breathe, and Light My Fire it's only grooving Dorian in sections

[@markowalski1]

Man that amp has a huge sound

[@Hubblethedog2]

Eric, your tossed off lines are the best - such as “Mom’s spaghetti” at 6:50

[@JohnCarter20]

Eric, thanks so much for these theory videos - they are gold. I've been so confused about "modes" - what they were and how they're used - 'had no idea really. However, your style of lessons - very practical and thoughtful - have made a huge difference for me. I think I actually understand what's going on now. Who would have thought :-) Now, a request: If you haven't already covered this in another video, may I ask you to discuss and demo string muting techniques to control unwanted noise on both acoustic and electric instruments? I'm not sure I'm using the correct techniques for this. Thanks again!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Thanks John! Could you be more specific about exactly the noises you're hearing that you don't like? Every problem has a solution!

[@JohnCarter20]

@@EricHaugenGuitar Hi Eric, Yes- on both acoustic and electric it's just a problem for me with other strings ringing out when picking out single notes. I know I can use areas of my strumming hand to mute strings but I'm unsure of the exact techniques. Could really use some advise and demonstrations. Thanks again :-)

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

Aha - typically, excess strings ringing out is due to too much motion in the picking hand. Swinging a little bit wild, perhaps :-) My main advice - you guessed it - breathe, slow down, use the wrist, and be patient with the fine motor controls.

[@JohnCarter20]

@@EricHaugenGuitar Gotcha! Thanks Eric :-)

[@meprobinson]

Great!

[@renokid64]

Ooh, ooh...Donald Sutherland in "Kelly's Heroes"- why don't you knock it off with them negative waves ? love it!

[@EricHaugenGuitar]

hahaha omg the we do look related