SCALE · ON CLARINET IN A
D♯ Major
The bright, stable home of common-practice tonality.
Tempo120 bpm
Playback sounds a minor 3rd 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
Related scalesDiatonic chord harmonisation 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 Clarinet in A?
On woodwinds, scales train fingering coordination + breath support + register changes. Pay particular attention to the break (the register-key transition); slow practice with a tuner reveals intonation issues across the break.
When would I use the Major scale?
The bright, stable home of common-practice tonality.