D minor scale on ukulele
The D minor scale has the notes D E F G A Bb C. Also called natural minor. It sounds melancholic and fits songs in a minor key; over the major V chord, raise the 7th degree (harmonic minor).
Notes and degrees
| Note | D | E | F | G | A | Bb | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 |
In the first five frets
Standard G C E A tuning (high G). The number is the fret; 0 is the open string.
| String | Frets (note) |
|---|---|
| G | 0 (G) · 2 (A) · 3 (Bb) · 5 (C) |
| C | 0 (C) · 2 (D) · 4 (E) · 5 (F) |
| E | 0 (E) · 1 (F) · 3 (G) · 5 (A) |
| A | 0 (A) · 1 (Bb) · 3 (C) · 5 (D) |
Chords that fit
Over these chords the scale sounds in key. Aim for each chord's notes on the strong beats.
- Dmi
- Edimii°
- FIII
- Gmiv
- Amv
- BbVI
- CVII
How to use it
- Start and end your phrases on D: that is where the scale rests.
- Over Dm, the safest notes are the chord tones. In the app, they show in green.
- Move by neighboring steps and leave space between phrases; rhythm matters as much as the note.
See also: chords in the key of D minor · D major · D major pentatonic · D minor pentatonic