D minor scale

The D minor scale is D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C, with one flat. From D, the steps go whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole.

  1. D1
  2. whole
  3. E2
  4. half
  5. F3
  6. whole
  7. G4
  8. whole
  9. A5
  10. half
  11. B♭6
  12. whole
  13. C7
  14. whole
  15. D8
D1E2F3G1A2C4D5B♭3

D minor on the staff, piano and guitar

On the staff

♭DEFGAB♭CD♭DEFGAB♭CD

On piano

Right hand 1 2 3, then the thumb passes under to G: 1 2 3 4 5.

D5E4F3G2A1C2D1B♭3

Left hand 5 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to B♭: 3 2 1.

Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

On guitar

45678EBGDAEAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭C

Every note of D minor between the 4th and 8th fret. The root, D, has a heavy ring.

How to play the D minor scale on piano

  1. Find D, the white key between the two black keys of a group of two.
  2. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to E.
  3. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to F.
  4. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to G.
  5. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to A.
  6. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to B♭, a black key.
  7. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to C.
  8. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to D, an octave above where you started.

Practice the D minor scale

Play the D minor scale one note a beat, up and back down: D E F G A B♭ C D C B♭ A G F E D. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.

D
  1. D
  2. E
  3. F
  4. G
  5. A
  6. B♭
  7. C
  8. D
  9. C
  10. B♭
  11. A
  12. G
  13. F
  14. E
  15. D

The key of D minor

Follow the minor pattern from D and one note needs a flat: B♭. That flat is the key signature, the same as F major, its relative major.

Relative major
F major
Parallel major
D major
Neighbors on the circle of fifths
G minor and A minor
♭CVIIAmvGEmDBmAF♯mEC♯mBC♭G♯mA♭mF♯G♭D♯mE♭mD♭C♯B♭mA♯mA♭FmE♭CmB♭VIGmivFIIIDmiD minor
D minor on the circle of fifths, with the chords of its key marked.

The name of each note in the key

  1. 1Dtonic
  2. 2Esupertonic
  3. 3Fmediant
  4. 4Gsubdominant
  5. 5Adominant
  6. 6B♭submediant
  7. 7Csubtonic

Chords in D minor

Build a chord on each note of the scale, using only the scale's notes, and you get the seven chords of the key. The numeral is the chord's place in the key: capitals for major, small letters for minor.

  1. iDm
  2. ii°Edim
  3. IIIF
  4. ivGm
  5. vAm
  6. VIB♭
  7. VIIC

D harmonic and melodic minor

Harmonic minor

D harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, C to C♯, so the scale leads back to D.

♭DEFGAB♭♯C♯D

Melodic minor

D melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th notes going up, B♭ to B♮ and C to C♯, and comes back down as the natural minor.

♭DEFGA♮B♯C♯D♮C♭B♭AGFED

Modes on the same notes

Start the F major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: F ionian, G dorian, A phrygian, B♭ lydian, C mixolydian, D aeolian, E locrian.

Practice notes for the D minor scale

D minor has one flat, B♭: D E F G A B♭ C D. It is the relative minor of F major. The right-hand fingering is the standard one, 1 2 3, thumb under to G, then 1 2 3 4 5, with B♭ under finger 3.

Where it goes wrong. The melodic form. Going up, D melodic minor raises B♭ to B natural and C to C♯; coming down, it goes back to C and B♭. So the same finger plays B going up and B♭ coming down. Players who practice only up often get it right one way and wrong the other.

How to practice it. Play the top half up and back on a loop: A B C♯ D, then D C B♭ A. Go slowly enough to think about each change before you make it. Then the harmonic form, which keeps B♭ and raises only C to C♯, in both directions. The left hand crosses finger 3 over to B♭ after the thumb on A.

What to listen for. The B♭ coming down in melodic minor. If B natural slips into the way down, you have played the rising form twice. Listen for C♯ to D as well, the half step at the top of both the harmonic and melodic forms.

What to learn next. F major, with the same one flat, and G minor, which adds E♭.

Questions

What are the notes of the D minor scale?

D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C, then D again an octave up.

What chords are in the key of D minor?

Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, B♭ and C: i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI and VII.

Why does D minor have one flat?

Follow the minor pattern from D and one note needs a flat: B♭. That flat is the key signature, the same as F major, its relative major.

What is the relative major of D minor?

F major. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on F.

What is the D harmonic minor scale?

D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C♯. D harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, C to C♯, so the scale leads back to D.