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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.

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[–] [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.