D# Chromatic scale
All twelve pitch classes of the octave in semitone order; tonal hierarchy comes only from context.
Octaves
Musical context
How the scale relates to the chord, mode, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- D# Chromatic scale
- Family
- Symmetric scales
- Note count
- 12
- Step formula
- H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H
- Numeric formula
- 0-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Notes & degrees
1D#root
b2Eminor 2nd
2E#major 2nd
b3F#minor 3rd
3Gmajor 3rd
4G#perfect 4th
b5Adim 5th
5A#perfect 5th
b6Bminor 6th
6B#major 6th
b7C#minor 7th
7Dmajor 7th
Construction
- Overview
- All twelve pitch classes of the octave in semitone order; tonal hierarchy comes only from context.
- Application in music
- Has no key of its own. Used for chromatic passing and neighbor tones.
- Interval formula
- D#HEHE#HF#HGHG#HAHA#HBHB#HC#HD
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
ID#nominal centretonic
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIGG
IVG#G#
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
ID#D#
IIE#E#
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how D# Chromatic scale looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.