{"id":11279,"date":"2023-02-06T08:04:24","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T16:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=11279"},"modified":"2023-03-09T16:37:31","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T00:37:31","slug":"d-scales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/d-scales\/","title":{"rendered":"Scales in the Key of D"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Click on the scale name link for a diagram and explanation of each scale type:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D Major Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Natural Minor Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Harmonic Minor Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Melodic Minor Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Major Pentatonic Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Minor Pentatonic Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Major Blues Scale<\/a><\/strong> | D Minor Blues Scale<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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D MAJOR SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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D NATURAL MINOR SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The D natural minor scale follows the key signature of its relative major: F major. In natural minor scales, there are no additional accidentals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relative major key of D minor is F major. Therefore, D minor has one flat (B\u266d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Keyboard<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

TIP:<\/strong> To find the relative major key, count up three half-steps from the minor key\u2019s root note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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D HARMONIC MINOR SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Harmonic minor scales follow the key signature of the relative major key and raise the seventh note of the scale by one half-step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u266d) and C is raised to C\u266f.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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D MELODIC MINOR SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relative major key of D minor is F major. Therefore, D minor has one flat (B\u266d) and B\u266d and C are the sixth and seventh notes. We raise B\u266d and C to B and C\u266f when ascending the melodic minor scale, and we lower them back to B\u266d and C when descending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ascending<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Descending<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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D MAJOR PENTATONIC SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The major pentatonic is a five-note scale built on the following major scale degrees: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Keyboard<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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D MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The minor pentatonic scale is a five-note scale built on the following minor scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also think of the minor pentatonic as being built on the following major<\/em> scale degrees: 1, \u266d3, 4, 5, \u266d7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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D MAJOR BLUES SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The major blues scale is built on the following major scale degrees: 1, 2, \u266d3, 3, 5, 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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D MINOR BLUES SCALE<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The D minor blues scale is built on the following minor scale degrees: 1, 3, 4, \u266d5, 5, 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also think of the D minor blues scale as being built on the following major<\/em> scale degrees: 1, \u266d3, 4, \u266d5, 5, \u266d7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Keyboard<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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