D is a
musical note
In music, notes are distinct and isolatable sounds that act as the most basic building blocks for nearly all of music. This musical analysis#Discretization, discretization facilitates performance, comprehension, and musical analysis, analysis. No ...
a
whole tone above
C, and is known as Re within the
fixed-Do solfege system. Its
enharmonic
In music, two written notes have enharmonic equivalence if they produce the same pitch but are notated differently. Similarly, written intervals, chords, or key signatures are considered enharmonic if they represent identical pitches that ar ...
equivalents are C (C-double sharp) and E (E-double flat). It is the third semitone of the
solfège
In music, solfège (British English or American English , ) or solfeggio (; ), also called sol-fa, solfa, solfeo, among many names, is a mnemonic used in teaching aural skills, Pitch (music), pitch and sight-reading of Western classical music, W ...
.
When calculated in
equal temperament
An equal temperament is a musical temperament or Musical tuning#Tuning systems, tuning system that approximates Just intonation, just intervals by dividing an octave (or other interval) into steps such that the ratio of the frequency, frequencie ...
with a reference of A above middle C as 440
Hz, the frequency of middle D (D
4) is approximately 293.665Hz.
See
pitch for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.
Designation by octave
Scales
Common scales beginning on D
*
D major
D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...
: D E F G A B C D
* D
harmonic major: D E F G A B C D
* D
melodic major ascending: D E F G A B C D
* D melodic major descending: D C B A G F E D
*
D natural minor: D E F G A B C D
* D
harmonic minor: D E F G A B C D
* D
melodic minor ascending: D E F G A B C D
* D melodic minor descending: D C B A G F E D
Diatonic scale
In music theory a diatonic scale is a heptatonic scale, heptatonic (seven-note) scale that includes five whole steps (whole tones) and two half steps (semitones) in each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by eith ...
s
* D
Ionian: D E F G A B C D
* D
Dorian: D E F G A B C D
* D
Phrygian: D E F G A B C D
* D
Lydian: D E F G A B C D
* D
Mixolydian: D E F G A B C D
* D
Aeolian: D E F G A B C D
* D
Locrian: D E F G A B C D
Jazz melodic minor
* D
ascending melodic minor: D E F G A B C D
* D
Dorian ♭2: D E F G A B C D
* D
Lydian augmented: D E F G A B C D
* D
Lydian dominant: D E F G A B C D
* D
Mixolydian ♭6: D E F G A B C D
* D
Locrian ♮2: D E F G A B C D
* D
altered: D E F G A B C D
See also
*
Piano key frequencies
This is a list of the fundamental frequencies in hertz (cycles per second) of the keys of a modern 88-key standard or 108-key extended piano in twelve-tone equal temperament, with the 49th key, the fifth A (called A4), tuned to 440 Hz (refe ...
*
D major
D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...
*
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major.
The D natural minor scale is:
Changes needed ...
*
Root (chord)
In the music theory of harmony, the root is a specific Note (music), note that names and typifies a given chord (music), chord. Chords are often spoken about in terms of their root, their Chord quality, quality, and their Chord extensions, exten ...
References
{{Semitones
Musical notes