D melodic minor scale on guitar

The D melodic minor scale has 7 notes: D E F G A B C♯ (D, E, F, G, A, B, and C sharp). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.

D 1
E 2
F ♭3
G 4
A 5
B 6
C♯ C sharp 7

BPM

Rhythm Metronome

D melodic minor scale on guitar: the whole fretboard with the notes D, E, F, G, A, B, C#, from fret 0 to 15

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (D) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 2 (frets 0 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: open (E), 1 (F), 3 (G)
string 5: open (A), 2 (B), 4 (C♯)
string 4: open (D), 2 (E), 3 (F)
string 3: open (G), 2 (A), 4 (B)
string 2: 2 (C♯), 3 (D), 5 (E)
string 1: 1 (F), 3 (G), 5 (A)

Position 3 (frets 1 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 1 (F), 3 (G), 5 (A)
string 5: 2 (B), 4 (C♯), 5 (D)
string 4: 2 (E), 3 (F), 5 (G)
string 3: 2 (A), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
string 2: 3 (D), 5 (E), 6 (F)
string 1: 3 (G), 5 (A), 7 (B)

Position 4 (frets 3 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 3 (G), 5 (A), 7 (B)
string 5: 4 (C♯), 5 (D), 7 (E)
string 4: 3 (F), 5 (G), 7 (A)
string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯), 7 (D)
string 2: 5 (E), 6 (F), 8 (G)
string 1: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)

Position 5 (frets 5 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
string 5: 5 (D), 7 (E), 8 (F)
string 4: 5 (G), 7 (A), 9 (B)
string 3: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
string 2: 6 (F), 8 (G), 10 (A)
string 1: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)

Position 6 (frets 7 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)
string 5: 7 (E), 8 (F), 10 (G)
string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
string 3: 7 (D), 9 (E), 10 (F)
string 2: 8 (G), 10 (A), 12 (B)
string 1: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)

Position 7 (frets 8 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
string 5: 8 (F), 10 (G), 12 (A)
string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
string 3: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)

Position 1 (frets 10 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)
string 5: 10 (G), 12 (A), 14 (B)
string 4: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 14 (E)
string 3: 10 (F), 12 (G), 14 (A)
string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯), 15 (D)
string 1: 12 (E), 13 (F), 15 (G)

Fretboard positions

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (D) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes.

Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.

Formula

D
W
E
H
F
W
G
W
A
W
B
W
C♯
H
D

Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. Steps: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).

About the melodic minor scale

Minor with major 6th and 7th (the jazz form). A minor sound, but bright.

Harmonized scale (chords in the key)

The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.

Degree	Triad	Seventh chord	Function
Im	Dm	Dm(7M)	tonic
IIm	Em	Em7	subdominant
III+	F+	F7M(#5)	tonic
IV	G	G7	subdominant
V	A	A7	dominant
VI°	B°	Bm7(b5)	subdominant
VII°	C♯°	C♯m7(b5)	dominant

Arpeggios of these chords on guitar

Scales with the same notes

G Nordestina (Brazilian baião)

More D scales

Melodic minor in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the D melodic minor scale?

The notes of the D melodic minor scale are D, E, F, G, A, B, and C sharp. The root, degree 1, is D.

What is the formula of the D melodic minor scale?

In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. In steps between the notes: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do you play the D melodic minor scale on guitar?

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (D) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes. There are 7 positions on guitar, each with the full fingering.

Which chords belong to the D melodic minor scale?

The chords of the harmonized scale are: Dm, Em, F+, G, A, B°, C♯°.

On other instruments

All scales on guitar