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D Harmonic Minor vs D Melodic Minor

D melodic minor is D harmonic minor with a raised 6th: Bb becomes B. Both drawn on one guitar neck.

D Harmonic Minor and D Melodic Minor on one guitar fretboard, the shared notes and the differences marked13578910121415eBGDAEEFGABbBC#DEFGBC#DEFGABbBC#DGABbBC#DEFGABbDEFGABbBC#DEFABbBC#DEFGABbBEFGABbBC#DEFG

Tap any note on the neck.

Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.

D melodic minor is D harmonic minor with a raised 6th: Bb becomes B.

D harmonic minor vs D melodic minor: what is different

They share six notes and differ in one:

Shared by both: D E F G A C#.

When to use which

Play both over the same chord and listen to the notes that differ. Whichever sounds right for the song is the answer; the names matter less than the ear. As a rule, the scale with the raised note sounds brighter or more tense, and the one with the lowered note sounds darker or more settled.

Hear the difference

D Harmonic Minor
D   E   F   G   A   Bb   C#
D Melodic Minor
D   E   F   G   A   B   C#
Shared notes
D   E   F   G   A   C#
Only in Harmonic Minor
Bb (b6)
Only in Melodic Minor
B (6)
Compare these two on the interactive neck →

Free, no account needed. Change the key and both scales follow.

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