D-flat major chord (Db)
The D♭ major chord (D♭) is a major triad made of D♭, F and A♭: root, major third and perfect fifth.
It is the I in D♭ major and the IV in A♭ major; its relative minor is B♭ minor, and A♭ dominant seventh leads into it as its V7.
Below: voicings, notes on the fretboard, ukulele, piano, inversions and progressions.
How to play D♭ major on guitar
There are 2 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: x-4-6-6-6-4, barre at fret 4, with D♭ in the bass (fingers x-1-3-3-3-1).
- Voicing 2: 9-11-11-10-9-9, movable E-shape barre chord at fret 9, with D♭ in the bass.
Notes of the D♭ major chord on the fretboard
D♭ major has 3 notes: D♭, F and A♭. This is where they fall on each string, from the nut to the 12th fret (fret number in parentheses):
- String 6 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · D♭ (9)
- String 5 (A): D♭ (4) · F (8) · A♭ (11)
- String 4 (D): F (3) · A♭ (6) · D♭ (11)
- String 3 (G): A♭ (1) · D♭ (6) · F (10)
- String 2 (B): D♭ (2) · F (6) · A♭ (9)
- String 1 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · D♭ (9)
Formula and intervals of D♭ major
Its formula is 1-3-5; in semitones from the root, 0-4-7.
- D♭: Root, the note that gives the chord its name
- F: Major third (M3), 4 semitones above D♭
- A♭: Perfect fifth (P5), 7 semitones above D♭
D♭ major on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 1-1-1-4, barre at fret 1; it sounds A♭, D♭, F and D♭.
D♭ major on piano
- Keys: D♭4, F4 and A♭4.
Inversions of D♭ major
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: D♭, F and A♭, with D♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (D♭/F): F, A♭ and D♭, with F in the bass.
- Second inversion (D♭/A♭): A♭, D♭ and F, with A♭ in the bass.
Keys that use D♭ major
D♭ major appears in 7 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| D♭ major (5 flats) | I | Tonic |
| A♭ major (4 flats) | IV | Subdominant |
| G♭ major (6 flats) | V | Dominant |
| B♭ minor (5 flats) | III | Mediant |
| F minor (4 flats) | VI | Submediant |
| E♭ minor (6 flats) | VII | Subtonic |
| F♯ minor (harmonic minor, 3 sharps) | V (written C♯) | Dominant |
Progressions with D♭ major
- Pop progression in D♭ major (I–V–vi–IV): D♭ – A♭ – B♭m – G♭
- Pop progression starting on vi in D♭ major (vi–IV–I–V): B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭
- Three-chord progression in D♭ major (I–IV–V): D♭ – G♭ – A♭
- Turnaround in D♭ major (I–vi–ii–V): D♭ – B♭m – E♭m – A♭
- Minor pop progression in F minor (i–VI–III–VII): Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭
D♭ major or C♯ major?
D♭ major (D♭) and C♯ major (C♯) are the same chord with two names: they sound the same and use the same frets.
The spelling depends on the key: it is written D♭ major in flat keys and C♯ major in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the D♭ major chord?
D♭, F and A♭: root, major third and perfect fifth. Its formula is 1-3-5.
Which keys use D♭ major?
Mainly as the I in D♭ major and the IV in A♭ major. In total it appears in 7 major and minor keys.
Is C♯ major the same chord as D♭ major?
Yes: C♯ major and D♭ major sound the same and are played the same way. It is written D♭ major in flat keys and C♯ major in sharp keys.
What is the relative minor of D♭ major?
B♭ minor. D♭ major and B♭ minor are the tonic chords of two relative keys, which share the same key signature and the same scale notes.