D♭ Half Diminished
Also Known As
Hear the D♭ Half Diminished chord played for you.
D♭ø7
D♭ – E – G – B
Formula:R-m3-d5-m7
Intervals:P1-m3-d5-m7
Scale Degrees:1-b3-b5-b7
Introduction
The D♭ Half Diminished chord is a four-note chord made up of D♭, E, G, and B. It is built from a root, minor third, diminished fifth, and minor seventh.
The Db Half Diminished piano chord (Dbm7b5) consists of the notes Db, E, G, B. It is a diminished triad with an added minor 7th, giving it a dark, moody, and tense character commonly used in jazz and minor key progressions. Formula: R-m3-d5-m7 | Scale degrees: 1-b3-b5-b7.
Notes
D♭ Half Diminished Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | Db – E – G – B |
| 1st Inversion | E – G – B – Db |
| 2nd Inversion | G – B – Db – E |
| 3rd Inversion | Db – E – G – B |
Key Signature
The key of Db Half Diminished has 5 flats.
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 Db Major
These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the Db major scale:
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
I — D♭ Major (major)
Theory: Intervals
Formula: R-m3-d5-m7
Intervals: P1-m3-d5-m7
The D♭ Half Diminished is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-d5-m7 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-d5-m7 show the distance between each note in the chord.
D♭ Half Diminished — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the Db Half Diminished chord?
Dbm7b5 contains: Db, Fb, Abb, Cb. Diminished triad with minor seventh. Enharmonic of C#m7b5.
How does Dbm7b5 differ from Dbdim7?
Dbm7b5 has Cb (minor seventh). Dbdim7 has Bbb (diminished seventh).
How is Dbm7b5 used?
ii chord in Cb minor. C#m7b5 more commonly written.
What songs use Half Diminished?
Jazz minor-key harmony. Autumn Leaves pattern.
How does Dbm7b5 differ from Dbm7?
Flatted fifth (Abb vs Ab).
Is Dbm7b5 the same as Fbm6?
Same notes, different root.
Practice Tips
- Minor-key ii–V–i: Dbm7b5 → Gb7 → Cbm.
- Dbm7b5 and C#m7b5 enharmonic.
- Compare with Dbdim7.
- Compare with Dbm7.
- Half-diminished is essential jazz vocabulary.
- The ø symbol means half-diminished.
Related Tools
Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.