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D Natural Minor vs D Harmonic Minor

D harmonic minor is D natural minor with a raised 7th: C becomes C#. Both drawn on one guitar neck.

D Natural Minor and D Harmonic Minor on one guitar fretboard, the shared notes and the differences marked13578910121415eBGDAEEFGABbCC#DEFGCC#DEFGABbCC#DGABbCC#DEFGABbDEFGABbCC#DEFABbCC#DEFGABbCEFGABbCC#DEFG

Tap any note on the neck.

Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.

D harmonic minor is D natural minor with a raised 7th: C becomes C#.

D natural minor vs D harmonic minor: what is different

They share six notes and differ in one:

Shared by both: D E F G A Bb.

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 Natural Minor
D   E   F   G   A   Bb   C
D Harmonic Minor
D   E   F   G   A   Bb   C#
Shared notes
D   E   F   G   A   Bb
Only in Natural Minor
C (b7)
Only in Harmonic Minor
C# (7)
Compare these two on the interactive neck →

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

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