Construction
D Major 7♭5 = Root + Major 3rd + Diminished 5th + Major 7th = D, F♯, A♭, C♯
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D | Root | 1 |
| F♯ | Major 3rd | 3 |
| A♭ | Diminished 5th | ♭5 |
| C♯ | Major 7th | 7 |
Fingering
| Note | Key color | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | white | thumb (1) | little finger (5) |
| F♯ | black | index finger (2) | middle finger (3) |
| A♭ | black | middle finger (3) | index finger (2) |
| C♯ | black | little finger (5) | thumb (1) |
Right hand: thumb (1) on D, index finger (2) on F♯, middle finger (3) on A♭, little finger (5) on C♯.
Left hand: little finger (5) on D, middle finger (3) on F♯, index finger (2) on A♭, thumb (1) on C♯.
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the D Major 7♭5 is the tonic (I) chord of D Major, whose key signature has 2 sharps (F♯, C♯).
F♯C♯
Order of sharps
Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.
F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯
Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
Chords in the Key of D Major
These are the triads built on each degree of D Major:
D Major 7♭5 : Frequently Asked Questions
What is the D Major 7♭5 chord on piano?
The D Major 7♭5 chord contains the notes D – F♯ – A♭ – C♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.