SCALE · ON BASS GUITAR
D Major
The bright, stable home of common-practice tonality.
Tempo120 bpm
Playback sounds an octave below the written notation — the instrument's concert (sounding) pitch.
Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)
Tuning
FretboardTuning: BEADG
Related scalesDiatonic chord harmonisation Alternate arrangements Same scale, other instruments Same scale, other tonics Modes built on this tonic Compare with Theory reference
RelativeB Natural MinorSame seven notes, tonic on the 6th degree — your access to the related minor key.ParallelD Natural MinorSame tonic, the parallel minor — the deepest mode flip in tonal music.Up a fifthA MajorOne sharp brighter on the circle of fifths.Up a fourthG MajorOne flat darker on the circle of fifths.One note differentD LydianRaise the 4th — the bright, floating Lydian colour.One note differentD MixolydianLower the 7th — folk, blues-rock, Celtic vocabulary.SubsetD Pentatonic MajorFive notes from the same scale — the bedrock pentatonic.ExoticD Harmonic MajorBorrow the ♭6 from minor — operatic edge, IV / iv6 colour.
Questions
What notes are in the D Major scale?
The D Major scale uses the notes D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯ (one octave; the pattern repeats at higher registers).
What chords work over D Major?
The diatonic chords of D major: D major, ii minor, iii minor, IV major, V major (or V7), vi minor, vii°. Strong cadences use IV→V→I.
How do I finger D Major on Bass Guitar?
On bass, scales follow the same position-pattern logic as guitar but with two-notes-per-string most often. Walking-bass-line construction draws on chord-tone-arpeggiation through the scale; see /walking-bass for the standalone surface (once it ships).
When would I use the Major scale?
The bright, stable home of common-practice tonality.