Learn the D natural minor scale — notes, intervals, chords, modes, and more.
The D natural minor scale contains the following notes:
D – E – F – G – A – B♭ – CThe scale degrees of the D natural minor scale are:
1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7| Scale Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | D |
| 2 | E |
| ♭3 | F |
| 4 | G |
| 5 | A |
| ♭6 | B♭ |
| ♭7 | C |
The D natural minor scale uses the interval pattern W, H, W, W, H, W, W
| From | To | Step |
|---|---|---|
| D | E | W |
| E | F | H |
| F | G | W |
| G | A | W |
| A | B♭ | H |
| B♭ | C | W |
| C | D | W |
| Scale Degree | Note | Interval from D |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Perfect Unison |
| 2 | E | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | F | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | G | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | A | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | B♭ | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | C | Minor 7th |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Dm | D, F, A |
| ii° | Edim | E, G, B♭ |
| III | F | F, A, C |
| iv | Gm | G, B♭, D |
| v | Am | A, C, E |
| VI | B♭ | B♭, D, F |
| VII | C | C, E, G |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i7 | Dm7 | D, F, A, C |
| iiø7 | Em7♭5 | E, G, B♭, D |
| IIImaj7 | Fmaj7 | F, A, C, E |
| iv7 | Gm7 | G, B♭, D, F |
| v7 | Am7 | A, C, E, G |
| VImaj7 | B♭maj7 | B♭, D, F, A |
| VII7 | C7 | C, E, G, B♭ |
The modes of D natural minor use the same notes but start on different scale degrees.
| Mode | Starting note | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F Ionian | F | F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E |
| G Dorian | G | G, A, B♭, C, D, E, F |
| A Phrygian | A | A, B♭, C, D, E, F, G |
| B♭ Lydian | B♭ | B♭, C, D, E, F, G, A |
| C Mixolydian | C | C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭ |
| D Aeolian | D | D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C |
| E Locrian | E | E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D |
The relative major is F major. F major uses the exact same 7 notes as D natural minor — natural minor is simply the 6th mode (Aeolian) of the major scale.
D natural minor has a minor 3rd (F), minor 6th (B♭), and minor 7th (C), while D major has a major 3rd (F♯), major 6th (B), and major 7th (C♯). These three flattened degrees give natural minor its darker, more melancholic character.
The only difference is the 6th degree. D natural minor has a minor 6th (B♭), while D Dorian has a major 6th. That raised 6th makes Dorian sound slightly brighter and more versatile, while natural minor has a deeper, more traditional minor quality.