D harmonic minor scale
2 altered notes: B♭ C♯ · pattern W–H–W–W–H–W+H–H
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Name | Half steps from D |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Tonic | 0 |
| 2 | E | Supertonic | 2 |
| 3 | F | Mediant | 3 |
| 4 | G | Subdominant | 5 |
| 5 | A | Dominant | 7 |
| 6 | B♭ | Submediant | 8 |
| 7 | C♯ | Leading tone | 11 |
About this scale
Harmonic minor is natural minor with a raised 7th, C♯, a half step below the tonic. That leading tone turns the v chord into a major V, giving minor keys their strong cadence — and creates the distinctive step-and-a-half between B♭ and C♯.
Spelled so each letter appears once, which is how it appears in sheet music; this key is more often written using its enharmonic equivalent.
Seventh chords in D harmonic minor scale
i(maj7) Dm(maj7)iiø7 Em7♭5III+7 Fmaj7♯5iv7 Gm7V7 A7VImaj7 B♭maj7vii°7 C♯dim7
Other D scales
D majorD natural minorD melodic minorD major pentatonicD minor pentatonicD bluesD DorianD Mixolydian
Harmonic minor scale in other keys
Questions
What are the notes of the D harmonic minor scale?
D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C♯, and back to D.
How many sharps or flats are in D harmonic minor scale?
2: B♭, C♯.
What is the step pattern of the harmonic minor scale?
W–H–W–W–H–W+H–H, where W is a whole step (two keys) and H is a half step (the next key). Start that pattern on D to get this scale.