fuaranScale Mastery
SCALE · ON ALTO SAXOPHONE

D♭ Double Harmonic

Major with ♭2 and ♭6 — Byzantine / Arabic / Hungarian Gypsy minor (parent scale). Two augmented seconds.

MEIMIDIHumdrum
Choose a root
Meter:Octave per barCrotchets in 4/4Quavers in 4/4Triplets in 4/4
Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 3 title D♭ Double Harmonic
Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 2 3 4 5 title D♭ Double Harmonic
Verovio
Tempo120 bpm

Playback sounds a major 6th below the written notation — the instrument's concert (sounding) pitch.

Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)

FingeringFollows the scale as it plays — written pitch, matches the staff
D♭8ve8vefFfFDDE♭E♭FFbisbisG♯G♯C♯C♯BBB♭B♭EECCB♭B♭F♯F♯E♭E♭CC
Related scales
Diatonic chord harmonisation
Same scale, other instruments
Same scale, other tonics
Modes built on this tonic
Compare with
Theory reference
Questions
What notes are in the D♭ Double Harmonic scale?

The D♭ Double Harmonic scale uses the notes D♭, E𝄫, F, G♭, A♭, B𝄫, C (one octave; the pattern repeats at higher registers).

What's the Double Harmonic scale formula?

The Double Harmonic scale follows the interval pattern H W+H H W H W+H H, where W = whole step (2 semitones) and H = half step (1 semitone). Apply that pattern starting on D♭ to get the D♭ Double Harmonic scale.

What chords work over D♭ Double Harmonic?

Try chord pairings derived from the scale's third, fifth, and seventh degrees as roots — they share the most diatonic notes.

How do I finger D♭ Double Harmonic on Alto Saxophone?

On saxophone, scales train fingering + the altissimo register. Practice the entire range — low Bb through high F (or higher with altissimo fingerings) — at each scale.

When would I use the Double Harmonic scale?

Major with ♭2 and ♭6 — Byzantine / Arabic / Hungarian Gypsy minor (parent scale). Two augmented seconds.