D Whole Tone Scale

Made entirely of whole steps. Creates an ambiguous, floating sound with no strong tonal center.

Dreamy, ambiguous Impressionist classical 6 notes
D Whole Tone Scale — Quick Answer & Harmonic Definition

The D Whole Tone scale consists of 6 notes: D, E, F#, G#, A#, C. Its step interval pattern is W–W–W–W–W–W (W=whole step, H=half step), creating a characteristic dreamy, ambiguous sound.

Formula: W–W–W–W–W–W
Notes
D – E – F# – G# – A# – C
Step Pattern
W–W–W–W–W–W

D Whole Tone Scale on Piano

D 1 (Root)
E 2
F# 3
G# ♭5/♯4
A# ♯5/♭6
C ♭7

Scale Degrees

Degree Semitones Note Scale Name
1 (Root) 0 D Tonic
2 2 E Supertonic
3 4 F# Mediant
4 6 G# Subdominant
5 8 A# Dominant
6 10 C Submediant

About the D Whole Tone Scale

The D Whole Tone scale contains 6 notes — D, E, F#, G#, A#, C — following the interval pattern W–W–W–W–W–W. Made entirely of whole steps. Creates an ambiguous, floating sound with no strong tonal center.

Sound and Musical Character

The D Whole Tone scale has a dreamy, ambiguous character. The major third (F#) above the root D gives it its brighter, more uplifting quality.

How to Practice D Whole Tone

Start slow — 60 BPM with a metronome — playing the scale ascending and descending. On piano, learn the correct fingering to minimize hand position shifts. On guitar, learn one box pattern first, then expand to cover the entire neck. The key milestone is being able to play the D Whole Tone scale starting from any position in any key.

Using D Whole Tone in Real Music

The D Whole Tone scale is fundamental to Impressionist classical, jazz, film scores. Countless famous recordings use this exact scale over major progressions in the key of D. Learning this scale in the context of real songs is the fastest way to internalize its sound.

Whole Tone Scale in All 12 Keys

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B

Other D Scales

D Major
Bright, happy
D Natural Minor
Sad, melancholic
D Harmonic Minor
Exotic, dramatic
D Melodic Minor
Smooth, jazzy
D Major Pentatonic
Bright, versatile
D Minor Pentatonic
Bluesy, soulful
D Blues
Raw, expressive
D Dorian
Minor + jazzy
Virtual Piano
Play the scale on piano
Virtual Guitar
See fretboard patterns
D Chords
Chords for this key
Theory
How scales work

Knowledge Base & FAQs

D Whole Tone Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our browser-based Web Audio engine, instruments, and music theory workspace.

What notes are in the D Whole Tone scale?

The D Whole Tone scale has 6 notes: D, E, F#, G#, A#, C.

The pattern is W–W–W–W–W–W (W=whole step/2 semitones, H=half step/1 semitone).

How many notes does the Whole Tone scale have?

The Whole Tone scale has 6 notes.

This is a hexatonic (6-note) scale.

What is the character of the Whole Tone scale?

The Whole Tone scale sounds dreamy, ambiguous.

Made entirely of whole steps. Creates an ambiguous, floating sound with no strong tonal center. It is commonly used in Impressionist classical, jazz, film scores.

What step pattern does the D Whole Tone scale use?

The D Whole Tone scale uses the pattern W–W–W–W–W–W.

Starting from D: D, up 2 semitones to E, up 2 semitones to F#, up 2 semitones to G#, up 2 semitones to A#, up 2 semitones to C.

Is the D Whole Tone scale major or minor?

The D Whole Tone scale is a major-type scale — it contains a major third above the root, giving it a brighter, more uplifting quality.

How does D Whole Tone relate to other scales?

The Whole Tone scale is a 6-note subset of the major scale.

Its reduced note count makes it highly versatile for improvisation.

How do I practice the D Whole Tone scale on guitar?

Learn the D Whole Tone scale as a box pattern.

Find D on the 6th string, then play the pattern ascending (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 semitones). Practice slowly with a metronome at 60 BPM, then increase by 5 BPM each session. Also learn to play across the neck, not just in one box.

What chords work over the D Whole Tone scale?

Over the D Whole Tone scale, use Dm (i), F# major (♭III), and G# major — diatonic chords of the D minor family.

Every note in the scale works safely over these chords.

How do I use the D Whole Tone scale for improvisation?

Start by playing the D Whole Tone scale notes in sequence to internalize their sound.

Then practice landing on the root (D), third (F#), and fifth (A#) on strong beats. Use passing tones between these chord tones. The dreamy, ambiguous character of this scale makes it ideal for Impressionist classical improvisation.

What genres use the D Whole Tone scale?

The D Whole Tone scale is widely used in Impressionist classical, jazz, film scores.

Made entirely of whole steps. Creates an ambiguous, floating sound with no strong tonal center. Its dreamy, ambiguous character fits these musical styles perfectly. Learning this scale in all 12 keys allows you to play in any key within these genres.