Key
Chords in D Dorian
D Dorian is built from the notes D, E, F, G, A, B and C. It uses no sharps or flats at all. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on Dm as the i. The chord on the fifth degree is Am rather than a major V, so D Dorian has no leading tone and resolves by step and colour instead of by dominant pull — the sound that separates it from a plain D major.
Beyond those seven, D Dorian commonly borrows D (I), F#m (iii), G (IV), A (V) and Bm (vi) from the parallel major — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.
The seven chords
Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7, Bm7b5, Cmaj7.
Borrowed chords
Capo 5 and play A Dorian shapes to sound D Dorian.
All eight capo positions for D Dorian →