D♯ Minor
Key Signature
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonic | D♯ |
| Mode | Minor |
| Accidentals | 6 sharps |
| Key Signature Notes | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ |
D♯ minor has six sharps and is enharmonically equivalent to E♭ minor. It is theoretically constructed; E♭ minor is typically preferred in practice for readability.
Diatonic Chords
The seven diatonic chords of D♯ Minor — each built on a scale degree using only the notes of the key signature:
| Degree | Roman Numeral | Chord Type | Chord |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Minor | D♯ Minor |
| 2 | ii° | Diminished | E♯ Diminished |
| 3 | III | Major | F♯ Major |
| 4 | iv | Minor | G♯ Minor |
| 5 | v | Minor | A♯ Minor |
| 6 | VI | Major | B Major |
| 7 | VII | Major | C♯ Major |
Related Keys
- Relative Major
- F Sharp Major — shares the same key signature.
- Parallel Major
- E♭ Major — same tonic, different key signature.
See all key relationships on the Circle of Fifths.
Scales in D♯ Minor
Common scales built from the D♯ tonic:
Transposing Instrument Context
Sharp-key signatures like D♯ Minor are comfortable for open-string instruments (guitar, violin). B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone) read in E♯ minor to sound D♯ Minor. E♭ instruments (alto saxophone, E♭ clarinet) read in B♯ minor to sound D♯ Minor. Standard guitar tuning (E A D G B E) resonates naturally in D♯ Minor.