Rock in D minor — chord change
This D minor grid uses a G major chord (not G minor) as its fourth degree: strict natural minor would give a minor iv, but this progression borrows from the Dorian mode (raised 6th) instead, replacing that iv with a major chord. It's a colour widely used in rock (Dorian sounds less dark than strict natural minor), the opposite of the catalogue's A minor grid, which stays in natural minor from start to finish.
Tips
Listen for the colour difference between this Dorian grid and a strictly natural-minor one: the major chord in the middle noticeably softens the mood.
Play each chord for several beats before moving to the next, and only speed up once the sequence is clean.
If you already know the catalogue's A minor grid, compare the two by ear to really hear what the Dorian mode changes.
Chord progression — Dm
Chords
Related sheets
- Rock in D (Drop D II) — muted strums (Level 3)
- Rock in D minor — arpeggios (Level 3)
- syncopation power riff — D (Level 3)