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D minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale

The D minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale is made of the notes D, E, F, G, A, B♭, B, C♯. It has 8 notes; compared with the major scale its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 6 7.

Bebop · 8 notes

Note names
  1. 1D
  2. 2E
  3. ♭3F
  4. 4G
  5. 5A
  6. ♭6B♭
  7. 6B
  8. 7C♯

PatternW – H – W – W – H – H – W – H(W = whole step, H = half step)

Eight-note scales: the added note makes chord tones land on the strong beats. Degrees are shown relative to the major scale: ♭3 is the third lowered by a half step, ♯4 the fourth raised.

Open in the scale finder

Mode and chords

Barry Harris's eight-note scale: a harmonic minor with the major 6th added. It alternates the notes of the m6 chord and of a diminished chord, and is played over the m6 chord.

Used overDm(maj7)Dm6

Put it into practice

The scale played in thirds over one octave: one of the exercises MEG generates from this scale.

This scale is not part of the demo: in the MEG app you will find it in every key, with 24 patterns.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the D minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale?
The notes are D, E, F, G, A, B♭, B, C♯.
What is the pattern of the D minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale?
The sequence of steps is W – H – W – W – H – H – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step); compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 6 7.
Which chords is the D minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale used over?
It is used over Dm(maj7), Dm6: the chords on the tonic made of the notes of the scale.

Texts and tools by , professional musician and developer. Last updated: October 9, 2026.