D-flat major seventh chord (Dbmaj7)
The D♭ major seventh chord (D♭maj7) is a major seventh chord: a major triad with a major seventh on top, D♭, F, A♭ and C (root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh).
It is the Imaj7 in D♭ major and the IVmaj7 in A♭ major; its relative is B♭ minor seventh, 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 seventh on guitar
There are 3 guitar voicings.
Frets from the 6th string to the 1st: x = not played, 0 = open string.
- Voicing 1: x-4-3-1-1-1, barre at fret 1, with D♭ in the bass (fingers x-4-3-1-1-1).
- Voicing 2: 9-11-10-10-9-9, movable E-shape barre chord at fret 9, with D♭ in the bass.
- Voicing 3: x-4-6-5-6-4, movable A-shape barre chord at fret 4, with D♭ in the bass.
Notes of the D♭ major seventh chord on the fretboard
D♭ major seventh has 4 notes: D♭, F, A♭ and C. 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) · C (8) · D♭ (9)
- String 5 (A): C (3) · D♭ (4) · F (8) · A♭ (11)
- String 4 (D): F (3) · A♭ (6) · C (10) · D♭ (11)
- String 3 (G): A♭ (1) · C (5) · D♭ (6) · F (10)
- String 2 (B): C (1) · D♭ (2) · F (6) · A♭ (9)
- String 1 (E): F (1) · A♭ (4) · C (8) · D♭ (9)
Formula and intervals of D♭ major seventh
Its formula is 1-3-5-7; in semitones from the root, 0-4-7-11.
- 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♭
- C: Major seventh (M7), 11 semitones above D♭
D♭ major seventh on ukulele
- Ukulele (G C E A): 1-1-1-3, barre at fret 1; it sounds A♭, D♭, F and C.
D♭ major seventh on piano
- Keys: D♭4, F4, A♭4 and C5.
Inversions of D♭ major seventh
Each inversion puts a different note in the bass.
- Root position: D♭, F, A♭ and C, with D♭ in the bass.
- First inversion (D♭maj7/F): F, A♭, C and D♭, with F in the bass.
- Second inversion (D♭maj7/A♭): A♭, C, D♭ and F, with A♭ in the bass.
- Third inversion (D♭maj7/C): C, D♭, F and A♭, with C in the bass.
Keys that use D♭ major seventh
D♭ major seventh appears in 4 major and minor keys.
| Key | Degree | Function |
|---|---|---|
| D♭ major (5 flats) | Imaj7 | Tonic |
| A♭ major (4 flats) | IVmaj7 | Subdominant |
| B♭ minor (5 flats) | IIImaj7 | Mediant |
| F minor (4 flats) | VImaj7 | Submediant |
Progressions with D♭ major seventh
- Jazz ii–V–I in D♭ major (ii7–V7–Imaj7): E♭m7 – A♭7 – D♭maj7
D♭ major seventh or C♯ major seventh?
D♭ major seventh (D♭maj7) and C♯ major seventh (C♯maj7) 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 seventh in flat keys and C♯ major seventh in sharp keys.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the D♭ major seventh chord?
D♭, F, A♭ and C: root, major third, perfect fifth and major seventh. Its formula is 1-3-5-7.
Which keys use D♭ major seventh?
Mainly as the Imaj7 in D♭ major and the IVmaj7 in A♭ major. In total it appears in 4 major and minor keys.
Is C♯ major seventh the same chord as D♭ major seventh?
Yes: C♯ major seventh and D♭ major seventh sound the same and are played the same way. It is written D♭ major seventh in flat keys and C♯ major seventh in sharp keys.
What is the difference between D♭ major seventh and a dominant seventh chord?
The seventh: in D♭ major seventh (D♭, F, A♭ and C) it is major, a half step below the octave, while in a dominant seventh it is minor. That is why D♭ major seventh sounds stable, like a chord of rest, and a dominant seventh wants to resolve.