D# Neapolitan minor
Minor with lowered 2nd and 6th degrees and a raised 7th; the leading tone and augmented 2nd increase tension.
Octaves
Musical context
How the scale relates to the chord, mode, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- D# Neapolitan minor
- Family
- Exotic scales
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – W – H – W+H – H
- Numeric formula
- 0-1-2-2-2-1-3-1
Notes & degrees
1D#root
b2Eminor 2nd
b3F#minor 3rd
4G#perfect 4th
5A#perfect 5th
b6Bminor 6th
7Dmajor 7th
Construction
- Overview
- Minor with lowered 2nd and 6th degrees and a raised 7th; the leading tone and augmented 2nd increase tension.
- Application in music
- The lowered 2nd supports Neapolitan bII harmony, while the major 7th preserves the leading tone to the minor tonic.
- Interval formula
- D#HEWF#WG#WA#HBWHD
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
ID#point of resttonic
IIIF#defines modal qualitythird
VA#supports the tonic sonorityfifth
Typical resolutions & tensions
VIIDD
ID#D#
In typical voice leading, the leading tone rises by semitone to tonic.
IIIF#F#
IVG#G#
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
ID#D#
IIEE
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how D# Neapolitan minor 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.