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247

As a beginner, I'm told that usually songs mostly use the 1, 4 and 5 chords (e.g. C major songs mostly use C, F and G), but does this apply to modes as well? Thinking about getting started with the basics, not every esoteric possibility here. For instance, if you're in Dorian in the key of C so your root note is D and the other notes are all naturals, would the "basic" chords be D, G and A as 1, 4 and 5? Enlighten me, please.

As a beginner, I'm told that usually songs mostly use the 1, 4 and 5 chords (e.g. C major songs mostly use C, F and G), but does this apply to modes as well? Thinking about getting started with the basics, not every esoteric possibility here. For instance, if you're in Dorian in the key of C so your root note is D and the other notes are all naturals, would the "basic" chords be D, G and A as 1, 4 and 5? Enlighten me, please.

(post is archived)

[–] [deleted] • 2 pts

The root note of the first chord in C Dorian is a D but the chord is d (D minor) usually indicated by a lower case note letter or lower case roman numeral. Your chord progression would be i IV v (Dminor Gmajor Aminor) The concept of modes is pretty much using a major scale but emphasizing a different chord as the tonic or root.

[–] • 0 pt

Well, yes, the notes of C Major imply that the D chord would be a minor, maybe I should have said the chords of a Dorian mode in C would be Dm, Gmaj and Am but I thought that would be obvious.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

I'm use to interperiting an upper case note letter as meaning the major triad. My comment was more about nomenclature, you have the concept correct.

[–] • 0 pt

That must be so, as I said, I'm still learning, thanks.

[–] • 1 pt

We had a fight club in music theory class

[–] • 0 pt

Members here are more familiar with their choads.

[–] • 0 pt

So you're saying I'm not welcome here until I'm fluent in music theory?

[–] • 2 pts

Not at all. Don't let that shitposter put you off. Join us in the Friday Night Guitar thread on Fridays starting at 8pm et and maybe someone there will know the answer.

[–] • 1 pt

There are plenty of other places to ask, thanks.

[–] • 0 pt

I think you should look up the term before replying.

[–] • 1 pt

Well, excuuuuuse me! I'll never darken your door again.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt (edited )

First, 1-4-5 is just a progression not a rule. If you were to be playing in d dorian, it just means that the tonal center has shifted from the 1 to the 2 in the major scale. So, the progression would be centered around the dm chord and it would sound like home. Without going into things like parallel Major/minor and stuff like that, starting from the 1 (C), your chords will be I Major, ii minor, iii minor, IV Major, V Major, vii minor, and vii diminished. You can form your progression from any of those chords, but for it to sound Dorian, the dm needs to feel like home.

Is that making sense?

[–] • 0 pt

My ear isn't good enough to know what feels like home. That's why I was asking the original question. Thanks anyway.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt (edited )

Try creating your progression from this group of chords: C, dm, em, F, G, am. Forget about bdim for now.

Start and end your progression on dm and see how it sounds to you. Using the F somewhere in the progression will help solidify you in the key of C, as G uses an f#dim instead.