D double harmonic major scale
D double harmonic major is D E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C♯. Double harmonic major: seven notes with a flat second and flat sixth, built from two identical tetrachords, with a strongly exotic sound.
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7
- Steps
- H W+H H W H W+H H
- Notes
- 7
Notes and degrees
The D double harmonic major scale has seven notes: D E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C♯. Each degree is named by its distance from the tonic, D.
| Degree | Note | Interval above D | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P1 | tonic | |
| 2 | m2 | supertonic | |
| 3 | M3 | mediant | |
| 4 | P4 | subdominant | |
| 5 | P5 | dominant | |
| 6 | m6 | submediant | |
| 7 | M7 | leading tone |
On the piano
Every key of the scale is lit in its own colour. Click one to hear it.
On the guitar
Every D scale tone on the first twelve frets in standard tuning. The tonic is ringed. Click a dot to hear the note.
Chords in D double harmonic major
Stacking thirds on each degree gives a triad and a seventh chord. The numerals are measured from the tonic against the major scale, so a ♭ means that chord root is lower than in major.
| Numeral | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| I | D | Dmaj7 |
| ♭II | E♭ | E♭maj7 |
| iii | F♯m | F♯ A C♯ E♭ |
| iv | Gm | Gm(maj7) |
| A C♯ E♭ | A C♯ E♭ G | |
| ♭VI+ | B♭aug | B♭ D F♯ A |
| C♯ E♭ G | C♯ E♭ G B♭ |
What it sounds like
The double harmonic major follows the pattern half, augmented second, half, whole, half, augmented second, half. Its two augmented seconds, between the flat second and the major third and between the flat sixth and the major seventh, give the scale a strongly exotic sound. Both ends of the scale sit a half step from the tonic, so the root is surrounded by tight, pulling intervals. Because each augmented second is a leap, melodies in this scale tend to be built from short cells.
Where you hear it
Western composers and film scorers use this scale to suggest Middle Eastern, Eastern European, and Jewish music, though one scale never captures a whole tradition. Jazz players use it over major and minor chords with a flat second, and some rock and metal guitarists use it for riffs. Its sound is familiar from film and game cues that aim for an exotic setting. Theory texts often present it as a single exotic collection rather than a rule for any specific repertoire.
How it is built
The double harmonic major has no parent in the major or minor families. Its structure is two identical tetrachords, each with a half step, an augmented second, and a half step, joined by a whole step. Compared with harmonic minor, it lowers the second and raises the third. On C it is C D♭ E F G A♭ B, and its tonic chord is major with a major seventh. The fifth degree forms a dominant seventh chord with a flat fifth, G7♭5.
Scales with the same notes
These scales use the same seven pitches as D double harmonic major, starting from a different note.
Other D scales
- D major
- D natural minor
- D harmonic minor
- D melodic minor
- D Dorian
- D Phrygian
- D Lydian
- D Mixolydian
- D Locrian
- D major pentatonic
- D minor pentatonic
- D blues
- D whole-tone
- D diminished (whole–half)
- D diminished (half–whole)
- D Phrygian dominant
- D Lydian dominant
- D altered
- D Hungarian minor
- D bebop dominant
How to practise it
Play C double harmonic major, C D♭ E F G A♭ B, against a drone on C. Play its two tetrachords separately, C D♭ E F and G A♭ B C, and hear that they are the same shape. Improvise over Cmaj7 with the scale, aiming at the flat second as a pull to the tonic. Then play the same shape from G, and notice how the second tetrachord becomes the first.
Further reading
- Natural, Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales ComparedFundamentals · 6 min
- Chord-Scale Theory Explained: Which Scale Fits Which ChordJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Romantic Chromaticism and the Expanding TonicMusic History · 8 min
Questions
What are the notes of the D double harmonic major scale?
The D double harmonic major scale is D, E♭, F♯, G, A, B♭, C♯. Written ascending it returns to D an octave higher.
What is the formula for the D double harmonic major scale?
The formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 measured from the major scale. As steps that is H, W+H, H, W, H, W+H, H (W is a whole step, H a half step).
Which chords belong to D double harmonic major?
Stacking thirds on each degree gives the triads D, E♭, F♯m, Gm, AC♯E♭, B♭aug, C♯E♭G.
What is the double harmonic major scale?
It is a seven-note scale with a flat second, major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, flat sixth, and major seventh. On C it is C D♭ E F G A♭ B. It contains two augmented seconds, between D♭ and E and between A♭ and B. Its two halves are identical tetrachords, which gives the scale its name.
How is double harmonic major different from harmonic minor?
Harmonic minor has one augmented second, between the sixth and seventh degrees. Double harmonic major has two, and it differs from harmonic minor in two places. On C, harmonic minor is C D E♭ F G A♭ B and double harmonic major is C D♭ E F G A♭ B, so the second and third both change.
Where is double harmonic major used?
It is used in Western film, game, and rock music to suggest Middle Eastern, Eastern European, or Jewish sounds, and in jazz over major and minor chords. It is not the scale of one regional tradition, so its exotic character is best treated as a convention rather than a description of a specific repertoire.