Dorian mode chord chart

Dorian mode is one of the most common modes and common in jazz and rock with plenty of other styles. It is mostly used in minor key arrangements.

The chart with chords in Dorian mode shows the relationship of all triads in this mode. In the first column you can see the key note of the mode and on the same row the other chords that fit together with it.

Chords in Dorian modes

i	ii	III	IV	v	vi°	VII
D#m	E#m	F#	G#	A#m	B#dim	C#
G#m	A#m	B	C#	D#m	Fdim	F#
C#m	D#m	E	F#	G#m	A#dim	B
F#m	G#m	A	B	C#m	D#dim	E
Bm	C#m	D	E	F#m	G#dim	A
Em	F#m	G	A	Bm	C#dim	D
Am	Bm	C	D	Em	F#dim	G
Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bdim	C
Gm	Am	Bb	C	Dm	Edim	F
Cm	Dm	Eb	F	Gm	Adim	Bb
Fm	Gm	Ab	Bb	Cm	Ddim	Eb
Bbm	Cm	Db	Eb	Fm	Gdim	Ab
Ebm	Fm	Gb	Ab	Bbm	Cdim	Db
Abm	Bbm	Cb	Db	Ebm	Fdim	Gb
Dbm	Ebm	Fb	Gb	Abm	Bbdim	Cb

So, for example, in D Dorian, the chords Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim and C will work well together.

Dorian chord progressions

Here are some examples with progressions based on the Dorian mode:

Am - G - Bm (A Dorian)

Am - D/A (A Dorian)

Bm - Dsus2 - Esus4 - Bm - A - Dsus - Bm (B Dorian)

Cm - F - Bb (C Dorian)

C#m - G#m - B - C#m (C# Dorian)

Cadd9 - G - Dm (D Dorian)

D - A - Em (E Dorian)

F#m - A - E (F# Dorian)

Four-note chords in Dorian modes

i	ii	III	IV	v	vi	VII
D#m7	E#m7	F#maj7	G#7	A#m7	B#m7b5	C#maj7
G#m7	A#m7	Bmaj7	C#7	D#m7	Fm7b5	F#maj7
C#m7	D#m7	Emaj7	F#7	G#m7	A#m7b5	Bmaj7
F#m7	G#m7	Amaj7	B7	C#m7	D#m7b5	Emaj7
Bm7	C#m7	Dmaj7	E7	F#m7	G#m7b5	Amaj7
Em7	F#m7	Gmaj7	A7	Bm7	C#m7b5	Dmaj7
Am7	Bm7	Cmaj7	D7	Em7	F#m7b5	Gmaj7
Dm7	Em7	Fmaj7	G7	Am7	Bm7b5	Cmaj7
Gm7	Am7	Bbmaj7	C7	Dm7	Em7b5	Fmaj7
Cm7	Dm7	Ebmaj7	F7	Gm7	Am7b5	Bbmaj7
Fm7	Gm7	Abmaj7	Bb7	Cm7	Dm7b5	Ebmaj7
Bbm7	Cm7	Dbmaj7	Eb7	Fm7	Gm7b5	Abmaj7
Ebm7	Fm7	Gbmaj7	Ab7	Bbm7	Cm7b5	Dbmaj7
Abm7	Bbm7	Cbmaj7	Db7	Ebm7	Fm7b5	Gbmaj7
Dbm7	Ebm7	Fbmaj7	Gb7	Abm7	Bbm7b5	Cbmaj7

Comments

The second table shows four-note chords, but it can of course be extended to five-note chords as well. A notable change compared to the first table is the vi chord that converts from a diminished triad to half-diminished.

For example, the very common jazz progression iim7 - IV7 - VIImaj7 (same as iim7 - V7 - Imaj7 in a non-Dorian context) can be demonstrated in several variations:

Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 (D Dorian)

Cm7 - F7 - Bbmaj11 (C Dorian)

Some other examples including four-note chords:

Am - Am7 - Am6 (A Dorian)

Gm7 - Am7 - C6 - Fmaj7 (G Dorian)

Dm7 - Eb9 - Cm7 (C Dorian)

Em7 - Dsus2 - A7sus4 - Em7 (E Dorian)