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- D natural minor scale
D natural minor scale
D E F G A B♭ C: the D natural minor scale has 1 flat (B♭). Change the root or the scale type below to see any other scale.
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Notes of the D natural minor scale
The D natural minor scale has 7 notes: D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C. Like every natural minor scale, it follows the pattern W–H–W–W–H–W–W (W = whole step, H = half step) from D up to the next D.
It has 1 flat: B♭.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Tonic |
| 2 | E | Supertonic |
| ♭3 | F | Mediant |
| 4 | G | Subdominant |
| 5 | A | Dominant |
| ♭6 | B♭ | Submediant |
| ♭7 | C | Subtonic |
Chords in D minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the chords of D minor: Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, B♭ and C.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Dm (D F A) | Dm7 (D F A C) |
| ii° | Edim (E G B♭) | Em7♭5 (E G B♭ D) |
| III | F (F A C) | Fmaj7 (F A C E) |
| iv | Gm (G B♭ D) | Gm7 (G B♭ D F) |
| v | Am (A C E) | Am7 (A C E G) |
| VI | B♭ (B♭ D F) | B♭maj7 (B♭ D F A) |
| VII | C (C E G) | C7 (C E G B♭) |
Key signature and related keys
D minor uses the key signature with 1 flat (B♭). Its relative major is F major: the same notes and key signature, starting on F. Its parallel major is D major, which starts on the same note, D.
Harmonic and melodic minor
The D harmonic minor scale raises the seventh note by a half step: D E F G A B♭ C♯. The raised seventh, C♯, is the one that makes the dominant chord major.
The D melodic minor scale raises both the sixth and the seventh on the way up: D E F G A B C♯ (B and C♯). In classical music it usually comes back down as the natural minor.
All major and minor scales
Major scales
- C major scale
- G major scale
- D major scale
- A major scale
- E major scale
- B major scale
- F♯ major scale
- D♭ major scale
- A♭ major scale
- E♭ major scale
- B♭ major scale
- F major scale