Map it slowly
Find D on string 5 at fret 5. Play string 5, fret 5; string 5, fret 7; string 5, fret 8; string 4, fret 5; string 4, fret 7. Use a relaxed position and release pressure between repetitions. String 1 is high E.
Melodic minor · D · Guitar
D Melodic minor scale on guitar
The D Melodic minor scale is D E F G A B C♯ — formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7, step pattern W–H–W–W–W–W–H. Use it over Dm(maj7): it is the scale for minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered. Below, every note is marked on the fretboard in standard tuning; press play to hear it on a synthesized guitar while each note lights up, or tap any fret to sound that note.
Visualizer
D Melodic minor on the fretboard.
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano
RootChord tone (1 3 5 7)Scale toneBeing played
Tempo100 bpm
Show
Sound
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass) in the position starting at fret 5. “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Your next 10 minutes
Make D Melodic minor part of your playing
Make a short phrase
Play D – E – F as two eighth notes and a quarter note, then rest for two beats. Answer with C♯ – B – A. Use the space to hear the phrase before repeating it.
Hear it in context
Hold or repeat D as a drone. Play each note of D Melodic minor above it, pausing on E and C♯. Compare their tension with the root. Then improvise using only three notes and two rhythms.
Listen for this: minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered. Treat the scale as a palette, not a requirement to play every note. If a note clashes with a chord or melody, resolve it deliberately or leave it out.
Understand the sound
D Melodic minor: from a pattern to a musical choice
Hear C♯ in context
Jazz melodic minor keeps its raised sixth and seventh in both directions. Hear the major seventh against the minor third.
In D Melodic minor, degree 7 is C♯. Play D, then C♯, then D again. Sing the middle note before touching the instrument.
A mistake to avoid
Do not switch to natural minor automatically when descending; this page uses the jazz form.
Slow the player to 60 bpm. Record one short phrase and check whether its ending sounds deliberate. Increase the tempo only when you can repeat it without losing the pulse.
D Melodic minor versus D Dorian
Shared pitches: D, E, F, G, A, B. Pitches in D Melodic minor outside the comparison scale: C♯. Compare the sounds over the same root, at the same tempo.
Play D Dorian on guitar →Your guitar checkpoint
Start with D on string 5, fret 5. The next note E is on string 5, fret 7. Name both notes aloud before playing, then find the same two pitches in another octave.
Before moving on, close the diagram and name the notes: D · E · F · G · A · B · C♯. Then play a two-bar phrase from memory and leave two bars of silence.
On piano
The same scale on the keyboard.
Reference
D Melodic minor — notes, degrees & intervals.
| Degree | Note | Interval from D | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | E | major 2nd (2 semitones) | H |
| ♭3 | F | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | W |
| 4 | G | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | W |
| 5 | A | perfect 5th (7 semitones) | W |
| 6 | B | major 6th (9 semitones) | W |
| 7 | C♯ | major 7th (11 semitones) | H |
Chord it implies: Dm(maj7) (D – F – A – C♯). Use it for: minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered.
Take it to the bandstand.Practice Radio streams endless changes to play D Melodic minor over through all twelve keys, with the chord and scale shown live — plus ear-training and call & response modes.
▶ Open Practice RadioCommon questions
D Melodic minor FAQ.
What are the notes of the D Melodic minor scale?
D E F G A B C♯. As scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7. It has 7 notes.
What chords does D Melodic minor work over?
D Melodic minor fits Dm(maj7) and, more generally, minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered.
What is the formula of the Melodic minor scale?
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 — the step pattern from the root is W H W W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do I play D Melodic minor on guitar?
Start on the root D on the A string at fret 5, and play the one-octave position shown: A-string fret 5, A-string fret 7, A-string fret 8, D-string fret 5, D-string fret 7, D-string fret 9, G-string fret 6, G-string fret 7. Every D on the neck is a root, so the same shape works in every position where the notes are marked.
Keep going
Melodic minor in every other key.
Same scale on piano · all Melodic minor pages: Melodic minor hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from D