D Harmonic minor Scale

Q: What is the Harmonic minor scale?

Harmonic minor is a sequence of notes built on a specific interval formula. Each scale has a characteristic sound: major sounds bright, minor sounds melancholic, exotic scales sound sharp or mysterious.

Q: How do I play the Harmonic minor scale on guitar?

Choose a root note on the fretboard and follow the position diagram above. Start slowly, practising each position ascending and descending. Use a metronome and gradually increase the BPM.

Q: What music styles use the Harmonic minor scale?

Each scale has its own character and genre associations. See the theory block on this page: it lists characteristic styles and famous song examples.

Q: How do I transpose the Harmonic minor scale to another key?

Use the root selector at the top of the page — all positions automatically adjust to the chosen root. The fingering patterns stay the same; only the starting fret changes.

Q: What is the difference between scales and modes?

A scale is a set of notes. A mode is a scale viewed from a specific degree. For example, C major and D Dorian contain the same notes but start from different degrees and sound different.

Minor with a raised seventh. Distinctive Eastern flavor and tense sound.

How to play the scale

Notes

Direction

Музыкальный контекст

АккордD MinorТрезвучие

АрпеджиоD Minor arpeggioТрезвучие

ГаммаD harmonic minor7 нот

ТональностьD MinorМинорная тональность

ПрогрессияAndalusian cadenceМинорная последовательность

Показывает, как текущий элемент связан с ладом, тональностью и используется в музыке.

Theory

General info

Name: D Harmonic minor scale
Type: Minor
Note count: 7
Description: Minor with a raised seventh. Distinctive Eastern flavor and tense sound.

Notes & degrees

Degrees, notes & intervals: 1Droot
2Emajor 2nd
3Fminor 3rd
4Gperfect 4th
5Aperfect 5th
6A#minor 6th
7C#major 7th

Interval formula: D2 stE1 stF2 stG2 stA1 stA#3 stC#
Brief explanation: D Harmonic minor scale follows the pattern W – H – W – W – H – WH – H from root D. It is a 7-note scale with a minor character.

How it sounds

Character: dark minor with an Eastern tint
raised 7th creates a tense leading tone
foundation of neoclassical metal and Middle Eastern music
Characteristic interval: Major 7thM7 · 11 st
Description: The raised 7th degree (11 semitones) creates a tense leading tone and characteristic Eastern color.
Where recognized: Classical and neo-classical music
Eastern and Middle Eastern music
Minor dominant seventh chord (V7)

🎹 D Harmonic minor scale on piano →

Chords by degreeD Harmonic minor

iDmminD F ATonic ii°EdimdimE G Bb III+FaugaugF A C# ivGmminG Bb DSubdominant VAmajA C# EDominant VIBbmajBb D F vii°C#dimdimC# E GLeading tone

Harmonic context

Raised 7th provides dominant chord (V7) in minor. Key for classical minor harmony.

Tendencies & resolutions

Pillar degrees: 1D(Ре)root
3F(Фа)minor 3rd
5A(Ля)perfect 5th
Characteristic degrees: 7C#(До-диез)raised 7th degree
Tendencies & resolutions: 7C#C#
1DD
leading tone resolves to the tonic (half step up)
4GG
3FF
4th degree resolves down to the minor 3rd
2EE
1DD
2nd degree tends down to the tonic
6A#A#
5AA
6th degree resolves down to the 5th (half step)

Connections & usage

Compatible chords

Chords whose notes all belong to this scale. Suitable for accompaniment and harmonization.

C#dimC# Diminished C#dim7C# Diminished 7th C#augC# Augmented

DmD Minor Dsus2D Sus2 Dsus4D Sus4 D5D Power chord Dmadd9D Minor Add9 DmMaj7D Minor-major 7 DmMaj9D Minor-major 9 DmMaj11D Minor-major 11

Show more (1)

Dm(add11)D Minor Add11

EdimE Diminished Edim7E Diminished 7th Em7b5E Half-dim 7

FaugF Augmented Fmaj7#5F Major 7#5

GmG Minor Gm7G Minor 7 GdimG Diminished Gdim7G Diminished 7th Gm7b5G Half-dim 7 Gsus2G Sus2 G5G Power chord Gm6G Minor 6

Show more (6)

Gm6/9G Minor 6/9 Gm9G Minor 9 Gmadd9G Minor Add9 Gm9b5G Minor 9b5 Gm13G Minor 13 G7sus2G 7sus2

AA Major A7A Dominant 7 AaugA Augmented Aaug7A Aug 7th Asus4A Sus4 A7sus4A 7sus4 A5A Power chord A7b9A 7b9

Show more (4)

A7b9#5A 7b9#5 Ab13b9A b13b9 A7b13A 7b13 Aadd11A Add11

BbBb Major BbmBb Minor Bbmaj7Bb Major 7 BbdimBb Diminished Bbdim7Bb Diminished 7th Bb5Bb Power chord Bb6Bb 6th Bbm6Bb Minor 6

Show more (5)

BbmMaj7Bb Minor-major 7 Bbmaj7b5Bb Major 7b5 BbmMaj7b5Bb Minor-maj 7b5 Bbmaj7#11Bb Major 7#11 Bbdim(maj7)Bb Diminished major 7

Circle of Fifths

Position of the key on the Circle of Fifths. Click a neighboring key to open the same scale in that key.

D major

Relative key: Bm
Dominant: A
Subdominant: G
Key signature: 2#

Diatonic chords

IDmajorD F# ATonic iiEmminorE G B iiiF#mminorF# A C# IVGmajorG B DSubdominant VAmajorA C# EDominant viBmminorB D F# vii°C#dimdimC# E GLeading tone

Musical application

Genres

Neoclassical metal, Eastern music, jazz

In melody

Eastern flavor, neoclassical passages. Augmented second between 6th and 7th degrees.

In improvisation

Works on minor dominant chords (V7 in minor). Neoclassical shredding.

In harmonic thinking

Minor dominant V7→i. Diminished vii° for tension.

Musical context

Neoclassical metal, Eastern music, jazz. Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore.

Play this scale

Practice positions and patterns on the interactive fretboard.

Open fretboard trainer

What to learn next

ScaleMelodic minorParallel mode — same notes, different character ScaleMajor pentatonicPentatonic — simplified version to start with ProgressionFlamenco Phrygian cadenceProgression that works well with this mode

Compare all

Diatonic chords (C)

C (I)Dm (ii)Em (iii)F (IV)G (V)Am (vi)B° (vii°)

Fitting progressions

Flamenco Phrygian cadence (i-bVII-bVI-V)Dorian vamp (i-IV)

Other modes

Ionian (major)Dorian Phrygian Lydian

Recommended for you

What is the Harmonic minor scale?

How do I play the Harmonic minor scale on guitar?

What music styles use the Harmonic minor scale?

How do I transpose the Harmonic minor scale to another key?

What is the difference between scales and modes?

D Harmonic minor Scale

Minor with a raised seventh. Distinctive Eastern flavor and tense sound.

How to play the scale

Notes

Direction

Музыкальный контекст

АккордD MinorТрезвучие

АрпеджиоD Minor arpeggioТрезвучие

ГаммаD harmonic minor7 нот

ТональностьD MinorМинорная тональность

ПрогрессияAndalusian cadenceМинорная последовательность

Показывает, как текущий элемент связан с ладом, тональностью и используется в музыке.

Theory

General info

Name: D Harmonic minor scale
Type: Minor
Note count: 7
Description: Minor with a raised seventh. Distinctive Eastern flavor and tense sound.

Notes & degrees

Degrees, notes & intervals: 1Droot
2Emajor 2nd
3Fminor 3rd
4Gperfect 4th
5Aperfect 5th
6A#minor 6th
7C#major 7th

Interval formula: D2 stE1 stF2 stG2 stA1 stA#3 stC#
Brief explanation: D Harmonic minor scale follows the pattern W – H – W – W – H – WH – H from root D. It is a 7-note scale with a minor character.

How it sounds

Character: dark minor with an Eastern tint
raised 7th creates a tense leading tone
foundation of neoclassical metal and Middle Eastern music
Characteristic interval: Major 7thM7 · 11 st
Description: The raised 7th degree (11 semitones) creates a tense leading tone and characteristic Eastern color.
Where recognized: Classical and neo-classical music
Eastern and Middle Eastern music
Minor dominant seventh chord (V7)

🎹 D Harmonic minor scale on piano →

Chords by degreeD Harmonic minor

iDmminD F ATonic ii°EdimdimE G Bb III+FaugaugF A C# ivGmminG Bb DSubdominant VAmajA C# EDominant VIBbmajBb D F vii°C#dimdimC# E GLeading tone

Harmonic context

Raised 7th provides dominant chord (V7) in minor. Key for classical minor harmony.

Tendencies & resolutions

Pillar degrees: 1D(Ре)root
3F(Фа)minor 3rd
5A(Ля)perfect 5th
Characteristic degrees: 7C#(До-диез)raised 7th degree
Tendencies & resolutions: 7C#C#
1DD
leading tone resolves to the tonic (half step up)
4GG
3FF
4th degree resolves down to the minor 3rd
2EE
1DD
2nd degree tends down to the tonic
6A#A#
5AA
6th degree resolves down to the 5th (half step)

Connections & usage

Compatible chords

Chords whose notes all belong to this scale. Suitable for accompaniment and harmonization.

C#dimC# Diminished C#dim7C# Diminished 7th C#augC# Augmented

DmD Minor Dsus2D Sus2 Dsus4D Sus4 D5D Power chord Dmadd9D Minor Add9 DmMaj7D Minor-major 7 DmMaj9D Minor-major 9 DmMaj11D Minor-major 11

Show more (1)

Dm(add11)D Minor Add11

EdimE Diminished Edim7E Diminished 7th Em7b5E Half-dim 7

FaugF Augmented Fmaj7#5F Major 7#5

GmG Minor Gm7G Minor 7 GdimG Diminished Gdim7G Diminished 7th Gm7b5G Half-dim 7 Gsus2G Sus2 G5G Power chord Gm6G Minor 6

Show more (6)

Gm6/9G Minor 6/9 Gm9G Minor 9 Gmadd9G Minor Add9 Gm9b5G Minor 9b5 Gm13G Minor 13 G7sus2G 7sus2

AA Major A7A Dominant 7 AaugA Augmented Aaug7A Aug 7th Asus4A Sus4 A7sus4A 7sus4 A5A Power chord A7b9A 7b9

Show more (4)

A7b9#5A 7b9#5 Ab13b9A b13b9 A7b13A 7b13 Aadd11A Add11

BbBb Major BbmBb Minor Bbmaj7Bb Major 7 BbdimBb Diminished Bbdim7Bb Diminished 7th Bb5Bb Power chord Bb6Bb 6th Bbm6Bb Minor 6

Show more (5)

BbmMaj7Bb Minor-major 7 Bbmaj7b5Bb Major 7b5 BbmMaj7b5Bb Minor-maj 7b5 Bbmaj7#11Bb Major 7#11 Bbdim(maj7)Bb Diminished major 7

Circle of Fifths

Position of the key on the Circle of Fifths. Click a neighboring key to open the same scale in that key.

D major

Relative key: Bm
Dominant: A
Subdominant: G
Key signature: 2#

Diatonic chords

IDmajorD F# ATonic iiEmminorE G B iiiF#mminorF# A C# IVGmajorG B DSubdominant VAmajorA C# EDominant viBmminorB D F# vii°C#dimdimC# E GLeading tone

Musical application

Genres

Neoclassical metal, Eastern music, jazz

In melody

Eastern flavor, neoclassical passages. Augmented second between 6th and 7th degrees.

In improvisation

Works on minor dominant chords (V7 in minor). Neoclassical shredding.

In harmonic thinking

Minor dominant V7→i. Diminished vii° for tension.

Musical context

Neoclassical metal, Eastern music, jazz. Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore.

Play this scale

Practice positions and patterns on the interactive fretboard.

Open fretboard trainer

What to learn next

Compare all

Diatonic chords (C)

C (I)Dm (ii)Em (iii)F (IV)G (V)Am (vi)B° (vii°)

Fitting progressions

Flamenco Phrygian cadence (i-bVII-bVI-V)Dorian vamp (i-IV)

Other modes

Ionian (major)Dorian Phrygian Lydian

Recommended for you

What is the Harmonic minor scale?

How do I play the Harmonic minor scale on guitar?

What music styles use the Harmonic minor scale?

How do I transpose the Harmonic minor scale to another key?

What is the difference between scales and modes?

Chords & Arpeggios

Scales & Modes

Harmony & Theory

Tools & Practice

D Harmonic minor Scale

How to play the scale

Музыкальный контекст

Theory

General info

Notes & degrees

How it sounds

Chords by degreeD Harmonic minor

Harmonic context

Tendencies & resolutions

Connections & usage

Compatible chords

Related scales

Circle of Fifths

D major

Diatonic chords

Musical application

Genres

In melody

In improvisation

In harmonic thinking

Musical context

Play this scale

What to learn next

Related

Recommended for you

Frequently Asked Questions

D Harmonic minor Scale

How to play the scale

Музыкальный контекст

Theory

General info

Notes & degrees

How it sounds

Chords by degreeD Harmonic minor

Harmonic context

Tendencies & resolutions

Connections & usage

Compatible chords

Related scales

Circle of Fifths

D major

Diatonic chords

Musical application

Genres

In melody

In improvisation

In harmonic thinking

Musical context

Play this scale

What to learn next

Related

Recommended for you

Frequently Asked Questions