The D♭ 7♭5 chord is a four-note chord made up of D♭, F, A♭♭, and C♭. It is built from a root, major third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
Construction
D♭ 7♭5 = Root + Major 3rd + Diminished 5th + Minor 7th = D♭ · F · A♭♭ · C♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D♭ | Root | 1 |
| F | Major 3rd | 3 |
| A♭♭ | Diminished 5th | ♭5 |
| C♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
D♭ 7♭5 Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | D♭ – F – A♭♭ – C♭ |
| 1st Inversion | F – A♭♭ – C♭ – D♭ |
| 2nd Inversion | A♭♭ – C♭ – D♭ – F |
| 3rd Inversion | C♭ – D♭ – F – A♭♭ |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the D♭ 7♭5 is the tonic (I) chord of Db Major, whose key signature has 5 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭).
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of D♭ Major
These are the triads built on each degree of the D♭ major scale:
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes D♭ – F – A♭♭ – C♭ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:
D♭ 7♭5 — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the D♭ 7♭5 chord on piano?
The D♭ 7♭5 chord contains the notes D♭ – F – A♭♭ – C♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Db 7♭5 chord?
The Db 7♭5 chord (Db7♭5) contains 4 notes: Db, F, G, B. Formula: R-M3-d5-m7.
How is Db7♭5 used in music?
Db7♭5 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for Db7♭5?
Db7♭5 uses scale degrees 1-3-b5-b7, giving it its distinctive sound.