D Harmonic Minor Guitar Scale — 8-string
Guitar scale in 8-string tuning — fretboard diagram
D Harmonic Minor in 8-string — Notes and Intervals
The D Harmonic Minor scale is a variation of the minor scale that introduces a strong leading tone. On Guitar, the notes are D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#. It has a distinctive exotic or Middle Eastern flavor due to the wide gap between its upper notes, and is used to provide the harmonic tension necessary for classical minor-key resolutions. It is a staple in neo-classical metal and flamenco. The diatonic chords of D Harmonic Minor are DmMaj7, Em7b5, F+maj7, Gm7, A7, Bbmaj7, C#o7. Commonly used in Metal, Classical, Flamenco, Film Scores, Neoclassical. Notable players include Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, Johann Sebastian Bach. Use over m(Maj7), m7, dim7 chords. Essential for creating V7 → i resolutions in minor keys. The raised 7th provides the leading tone that natural minor lacks.
Notes: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Diatonic Chords
DmMaj7 — Em7♭5 — F+maj7 — Gm7 — A7 — B♭maj7 — C♯o7
About 8-string Tuning
The 8-string guitar adds both a low B and a low F# string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E), pushing the instrument's range almost into bass guitar territory. This massive tonal range has become the weapon of choice for djent, progressive metal, and experimental composers who need bone-crushing low-end and soaring highs in a single instrument.
With artists like Tosin Abasi, Meshuggah, and After the Burial leading the charge, the 8-string guitar has redefined what's possible in modern heavy music. The low F# string delivers subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest, while the upper strings maintain standard guitar voicings for leads and clean passages. Extended-range compositions often exploit the full span of the instrument, creating a wall of sound that covers bass, rhythm, and lead guitar roles simultaneously.
Notable artists: Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, Intervals, Monuments
Best for: Djent polyrhythms, extended-range metal riffs, experimental compositions, and one-instrument arrangements spanning bass to lead
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- D Harmonic Minor in Standard Tuning
- D Harmonic Minor in Drop D
- D Harmonic Minor in DADGAD
- D Harmonic Minor in Open G
- D Harmonic Minor in Baritone (B Standard)
- D Harmonic Minor in 7-string
- D Harmonic Minor in Drop C
- D Harmonic Minor in Drop B
- D Harmonic Minor in Open D
- D Harmonic Minor in Half Step Down
- D Harmonic Minor in Open E
- D Harmonic Minor in Open A
- D Harmonic Minor in Double Drop D
- D Harmonic Minor in Open C