What does "Dm" mean?

Moses619

New member
Example "Dm"

I 'm guessing it means minor?

I'm doing this because i'm using a key locating software for samples and it's says "m" sometimes. I already know "b" means flat but idk what "m" means
 
yup, just means minor

Now that i know the key for the sample is minor, how would i find the scale though?
Since minor has 3 different scales (the natural minor scale, the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale). How do i chose one of those as the correct scale.
 
Now that i know the key for the sample is minor, how would i find the scale though?
Since minor has 3 different scales (the natural minor scale, the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale). How do i chose one of those as the correct scale.

probably natural

although it's simpler to just think of it as D Minor instead of natural / harmonic / melodic
 
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what is the context of what you're trying to figure out or accomplish?

Let me give you some background:
I like to get melody-loops and compose a hip hop beat over them using FL studio.

The problem is i don't know the original scale of the loop so i use the software Keyfinder to locate the key, or go to 'detect pitch regions' on edison to create scale from the detected keys.

It would be much easier if i could know know the exact scale (minor, harmonic, melodic)
 
A key of Dm is a key of Dm, and Dm chords will work whatever. You usually use a natural scale: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D (and the same notes descending in reverse). The only reason why there's a harmonic scale is that, depending on the music, sometimes the gaps at the top make it sound a bit artificial. So the gaps are slightly altered at the top to make it sound better: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D. Just sounds better sometimes. But the scale is virtually the same.
Ditto for the melodic scale - again there's a small alteration to assist singers in moving from one tone to another at the top: D, E, F, G, A, B, C#, D (note you don't descend the melodic in reverse - you use the natural scale going down.)
Summary: use D Natural. If something doesn't sound right try C# instead of C.
Remember though that the writers of the loop could have used any of these or a combination, so it may not be easy to pin it to a particular fixed scale.
Hope this helps a bit!
 
A key of Dm is a key of Dm, and Dm chords will work whatever. You usually use a natural scale: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D (and the same notes descending in reverse). The only reason why there's a harmonic scale is that, depending on the music, sometimes the gaps at the top make it sound a bit artificial. So the gaps are slightly altered at the top to make it sound better: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D. Just sounds better sometimes. But the scale is virtually the same.
Ditto for the melodic scale - again there's a small alteration to assist singers in moving from one tone to another at the top: D, E, F, G, A, B, C#, D (note you don't descend the melodic in reverse - you use the natural scale going down.)
Summary: use D Natural. If something doesn't sound right try C# instead of C.
Remember though that the writers of the loop could have used any of these or a combination, so it may not be easy to pin it to a particular fixed scale.
Hope this helps a bit!

Man thanks alot, this exactly what i needed to know thanks. Off to my loop now!
 
Also, one of them (I think melodic minor) sharpens the 6th too, so if something still sounds off try the B natural note, instead of the Bb you'll find in D natural minor.

It's unlikely though.
 
Now that i know the key for the sample is minor, how would i find the scale though?
User DRR explained it in the first page.

This is what he said:

A key of Dm is a key of Dm, and Dm chords will work whatever. You usually use a natural scale: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D (and the same notes descending in reverse). The only reason why there's a harmonic scale is that, depending on the music, sometimes the gaps at the top make it sound a bit artificial. So the gaps are slightly altered at the top to make it sound better: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D. Just sounds better sometimes. But the scale is virtually the same.
Ditto for the melodic scale - again there's a small alteration to assist singers in moving from one tone to another at the top: D, E, F, G, A, B, C#, D (note you don't descend the melodic in reverse - you use the natural scale going down.)
Summary: use D Natural. If something doesn't sound right try C# instead of C.
Remember though that the writers of the loop could have used any of these or a combination, so it may not be easy to pin it to a particular fixed scale.
Hope this helps a bit!
 
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