Key guide
D minor: scale, key signature and chords
D minor has one flat (B♭). Its scale is D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- B♭ — one flat
- Scale notes
- D E F G A B♭ C
- Relative major
- F major
- Parallel major
- D major
- Dominant key
- A minor
- Subdominant key
- G minor
- On the piano
- 1 black key and 6 white in the scale
The D minor scale
The D minor scale uses the notes D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, the natural minor pattern of whole and half steps (W–H–W–W–H–W–W) starting on D. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as B♭ rather than as their enharmonic equivalents.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | tonic |
| 2 | E | supertonic |
| 3 | F | mediant |
| 4 | G | subdominant |
| 5 | A | dominant |
| 6 | B♭ | submediant |
| 7 | C | subtonic |
Harmonic and melodic minor in D minor
The natural minor scale above is the form the key signature gives you. Composers alter it to get a stronger pull to the tonic: the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree (D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C♯), and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up (D, E, F, G, A, B, C♯). A × means a double sharp.
Chords in D minor
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives seven diatonic triads and seven seventh chords. The Roman numeral gives each chord’s position; the role column says what it usually does in a phrase.
| Chord | Triad | Seventh | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | D F A | D F A C | tonic |
| ii° | E G B♭ | E G B♭ D | predominant |
| III | F A C | F A C E | tonic substitute |
| iv | G B♭ D | G B♭ D F | predominant |
| v | A C E | A C E G | dominant |
| VI | B♭ D F | B♭ D F A | tonic substitute |
| VII | C E G | C E G B♭ | dominant |
In a minor key the v chord from the natural scale is usually replaced in cadences by a major V built with the raised seventh: A C♯ E.
Chord progressions in D minor
Four progressions worked out in D minor, each one playable:
- i – VI – III – VII Dm – B♭ – F – CA rising-and-falling minor loop that stays inside the natural minor scale.
- i – iv – V – i Dm – Gm – A – DmThe minor cadence: the V is major, borrowing the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.
- ii° – V – i E° – A – DmThe minor ii–V–i: a diminished predominant resolving to the tonic.
- i – VII – VI – V Dm – C – B♭ – AThe descending “Andalusian” line, ending on the major dominant.
Keys related to D minor
- Relative major: F major — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: A minor — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in D minor modulate to.
- Subdominant: G minor — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel major: D major — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in D minor?
The D minor scale is D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C. That is the natural minor form; the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree, and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up.
How many sharps or flats are in D minor?
D minor has one flat: B♭.
What is the relative major of D minor?
The relative major of D minor is F major. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but D is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in D minor?
The seven diatonic triads in D minor are Dm, E°, F, Gm, Am, B♭, C. In practice the V chord is usually played as A, using the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.