D minor scale
The D minor scale is D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D. It has 1 flat (B♭), its relative major is F major, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left hand.
D minor scale notes
The D minor scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D. One of the seven is a black key on the piano (B♭); the other six are white keys.
The step pattern is W H W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between E and F and A and B♭.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | D | la | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | E | ti | White |
| 3 | Mediant | F | do | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | G | re | White |
| 5 | Dominant | A | mi | White |
| 6 | Submediant | B♭ | fa | Black |
| 7 | Subtonic | C | sol | White |
Natural, harmonic and melodic D minor
D minor has three common forms. The natural minor follows the key signature. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note to C♯, which makes the chord on the fifth degree major (A) and gives a strong pull back to D. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh notes on the way up (B and C♯) and traditionally plays the natural form on the way down.
| Form | Notes | Changed from natural |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D | Nothing: follows the key signature |
| Harmonic minor | D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C♯, D | 7th raised to C♯ |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | D, E, F, G, A, B, C♯, D | 6th and 7th raised to B and C♯ |
D minor key signature
The D minor key signature has 1 flat: B♭, written at the start of every line. Flats are always added in the order B, E, A, D, G, C, F. F major shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the flat, B♭, sits on the third line from the bottom.
D minor scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: F (finger 3) to G (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: A (finger 1) to B♭ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in D minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of D minor. The primary chords are Dm (i), Gm (iv) and A (V). The natural minor's own fifth chord is Am (v), but music in D minor usually raises the seventh and uses A (V) instead.
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Dm | D F A | Dm7 | D F A C |
| ii° | E° | E G B♭ | Em7♭5 | E G B♭ D |
| III | F | F A C | Fmaj7 | F A C E |
| iv | Gm | G B♭ D | Gm7 | G B♭ D F |
| v | Am | A C E | Am7 | A C E G |
| VI | B♭ | B♭ D F | B♭maj7 | B♭ D F A |
| VII | C | C E G | C7 | C E G B♭ |
A common minor progression, i iv V i, is Dm, Gm, A, Dm in D minor, using the major V from the harmonic form. The dominant seventh is A7 (A C♯ E G).
Reading D minor on the staff
D minor has one flat, B flat, the same as F major. Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue BWV 565 is in D minor, and its harmonic form raises C to C sharp.
On the treble staff, D4 to D5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, D3 to D4 needs 1 ledger line above the staff.
The reading trap in D minor is the key signature: the flats are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (B♭), then check every B on the page.
How to practise the D minor scale
- Say the notes before you play them: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: Dm (D F A), Gm (G B♭ D) and A (A C♯ E).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills minor scales (natural and harmonic, one octave), triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to D minor
- F major scale: relative major, same key signature
- D major scale: parallel major, same tonic
- A minor scale: a fifth above, no sharps or flats
- G minor scale: a fifth below, 2 flats
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the D minor scale?
The D minor scale is D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D, then D again an octave higher.
How many flats are in D minor?
D minor has 1 flat: B♭.
What is the relative major of D minor?
F major. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on F.
What chords are in D minor?
Dm (i), E° (ii°), F (III), Gm (iv), Am (v), B♭ (VI), C (VII). With the raised seventh of the harmonic minor, the V chord becomes A.
What is the fingering for the D minor scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from D; left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.