Harmonic Minor scale · 7 notes
D harmonic minor scale on guitar
The D harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C♯. Natural minor with a raised 7th: dramatic, neoclassical and a little exotic.
Notes
- D
- E
- F
- G
- A
- B♭
- C♯
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
Steps
W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H
Sound
Dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern
D harmonic minor on the whole fretboard
Every D harmonic minor note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, D, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
D at fret 10. 9th position: frets 9–13.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of D harmonic minor as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from D, the D harmonic minor scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 sharp (C♯) and 1 flat (B♭). Compared with D minor, it has C♯ (7) instead of C.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | root | 0 |
| 2 | E | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | F | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | G | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | A | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | B♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| 7 | C♯ | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in D harmonic minor
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to D harmonic minor: any of them will sound at home under a melody in D harmonic minor.
- iDmD · F · ADm(maj7)
- ii°E°E · G · B♭Em7♭5
- ♭III+F+F · A · C♯F+maj7
- ivGmG · B♭ · DGm7
- VAA · C♯ · EA7
- ♭VIB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- vii°C♯°C♯ · E · GC♯°7
Progressions to try
- Dm – Gm – A i–iv–V · minor with a major V
- E° – A – Dm ii°–V–i · minor jazz cadence
- Dm – B♭ – A i–♭VI–V
How to use D harmonic minor
Reach for it over minor keys where the V chord is major (or V7), neoclassical metal, flamenco-flavoured and classical-style passages. Its sound is dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern.
Tip: Use it mainly over the V7 chord of a minor key (E7 in A minor). That one move makes a minor progression sound instantly “classical”.
Where to find D on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every D between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with D |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 10 |
| B (2nd) | 3 |
| G (3rd) | 7 |
| D (4th) | 0, 12 |
| A (5th) | 5 |
| Low E (6th) | 10 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as D harmonic minor. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
D harmonic minor scale FAQ
What notes are in the D harmonic minor scale?
The D harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C♯. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. It contains 1 sharp (C♯) and 1 flat (B♭).
What chords are in D harmonic minor?
Harmonising the D harmonic minor scale in thirds gives Dm (i), E° (ii°), F+ (♭III+), Gm (iv), A (V), B♭ (♭VI) and C♯° (vii°).
Where do you play the D harmonic minor scale on guitar?
The root, D, is at fret 10 on the low E string and fret 5 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 9–13, starting from the root on the 6th string.