D harmonic minor scale on piano
D harmonic minor: natural minor with a raised seventh, which gives the minor key its leading note and an exotic step and a half.
| Notes | D – E – F – G – A – B♭ – C♯ – D |
|---|---|
| Steps | W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step) |
How to play the D harmonic minor scale
Keep the thumb on white keys and pass it under after the longest group of fingers you can use; never put the thumb on a black key. Practise slowly, hands separately first. Start slowly with the metronome and keep every note even.
Chords in D harmonic minor
Build a chord on every note of the scale using only notes from the scale:
| Step | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | D minor | – |
| ii° | E diminished | Em7♭5 |
| III+ | F augmented | – |
| iv | G minor | Gm7 |
| V | A major | A7 |
| VI | B♭ major | B♭maj7 |
| vii° | C♯ diminished | C♯dim7 |
Other D scales
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