Click on the scale name link for a diagram and explanation of each scale type:
D Major Scale | D Natural Minor Scale | D Harmonic Minor Scale | D Melodic Minor Scale | D Major Pentatonic Scale | D Minor Pentatonic Scale | D Major Blues Scale | D Minor Blues Scale
The D major scale contains seven notes and starts and ends on D. Major scales are arranged in a specific pattern of whole and half steps: W-W-H-W-W-W-H.
The D natural minor scale follows the key signature of its relative major: F major. In natural minor scales, there are no additional accidentals.
The relative major key of D minor is F major. Therefore, D minor has one flat (B♭).
TIP: To find the relative major key, count up three half-steps from the minor key’s root note.
Harmonic minor scales follow the key signature of the relative major key and raise the seventh note of the scale by one half-step.
The relative major key of D minor is F major and the seventh note of D minor is C. Therefore, D harmonic minor has one flat (B♭) and C is raised to C♯.
In melodic minor scales, we raise the sixth and seventh notes up one half-step when ascending and lower them back down when descending. Melodic minor scales follow the key signature of the scale’s relative major.
The relative major key of D minor is F major. Therefore, D minor has one flat (B♭) and B♭ and C are the sixth and seventh notes. We raise B♭ and C to B and C♯ when ascending the melodic minor scale, and we lower them back to B♭ and C when descending.
The major pentatonic is a five-note scale built on the following major scale degrees: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.
The minor pentatonic scale is a five-note scale built on the following minor scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7.
You can also think of the minor pentatonic as being built on the following major scale degrees: 1, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭7.
The major blues scale is built on the following major scale degrees: 1, 2, ♭3, 3, 5, 6.
The D minor blues scale is built on the following minor scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, ♭5, 5, 7.
You can also think of the D minor blues scale as being built on the following major scale degrees: 1, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, ♭7.
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