Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

? asked in Entertainment & MusicMusicBlues · 8 years ago

If your playing over a G7 chord could you use D dorian?

4 Answers

Relevance
  • Left-T
    Lv 7
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    No. Avoid using a D dorian over the G7

    Source(s): Berklee Teacher / Luthier & Studio Guitarist
  • Well, D dorian has the exact same notes as G mixolydian, which is the most basic scale to play over a G7 chord. So I'd say yes, those notes will work great over a G7 chord.

    The only note to be careful with here is the C. It works perfectly fine as a passing tone or neighbor tone, but won't sound very good when held over a G7 chord, since it clashes with the B in the chord. You can play a G7(sus4) chord instead, which replaces the B in the chord with a C. In this case, it's just the opposite; C works fine, and you have to be more careful when using the B note.

  • 8 years ago

    As the previous answer says, the natural scale for G7 is G mixolydian, with the same notes as D dorian. However, anchoring your melody to an imaginary D minor chord, instead of the actual G7, will give a very different feel. whether it soars or seems subtly out of tune all depends on the exact musical ideas you have; it cna work or it can fail, it is down to you.

  • klypos
    Lv 6
    8 years ago

    You noodling?

    Follow the harp (harmonica) player's rule, play cross or bent.

    G7 indicates key of C, bent is a tone below the tonic, play in Bb dorian, Cross is a fourth above the tonic, play in F mixolydian. Pentatonic F dorian would also work (that's bent on G).

    But D dorian would work best in E, although pentatonic D dorian is an "escape route" over G7, since Em is the relative minor to G.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.