Notes in the D Melodic Minor scale
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Tonic |
| 2 | E | Supertonic |
| ♭3 | F | Mediant |
| 4 | G | Subdominant |
| 5 | A | Dominant |
| 6 | B | Submediant |
| 7 | C♯ | Leading tone |
Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: D E F G A B C♯.
D Melodic Minor scale formula
The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7.
Chords in the D Melodic Minor scale
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:
| Degree | Triad | 7th chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Dm | Dm(maj7) |
| ii | Em | Em7 |
| III+ | F+ | F7♯5 |
| IV | G | G7 |
| V | A | A7 |
| vi° | B° | Bø7 |
| vii° | C♯° | C♯ø7 |
Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.
Related scales
- Natural minor: D Natural Minor
How to practise the D Melodic Minor scale
Learn it as natural minor with both the 6th and 7th raised. Classical convention uses this form going up and natural minor coming down; jazz players keep the raised form both ways.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in the D Melodic Minor scale?
The notes of the D Melodic Minor scale are D E F G A B C♯.
What is the formula for the D Melodic Minor scale?
The pattern of whole and half steps is W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7.
What chords are in the D Melodic Minor scale?
Built from the scale in triads: Dm, Em, F+, G, A, B°, C♯°.
More D scales
D Major, D Natural Minor, D Harmonic Minor, D Dorian, D Phrygian, D Lydian, D Mixolydian, D Locrian, D Major Pentatonic, D Minor Pentatonic, D Blues, D Lydian Dominant, D Altered, D Whole Tone, D Dorian ♭2, D Lydian Augmented, D Mixolydian ♭6, D Locrian ♯2, D Phrygian Dominant, D Hungarian Minor, D Double Harmonic, D Diminished (W–H), D Diminished (H–W), D Bebop Dominant, D Bebop Major
Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.