# D♯ Major piano chord (D♯)

D♯ contains D♯, F× and A♯. A major third with a perfect fifth above the root. D♯ and A♯ are black keys; F× is white.

- Canonical page: https://piano.org/chords/major/d-sharp/
- Entity: chord:major:d-sharp
- Notes: D♯ F× A♯
- Formula: 1 3 5
- Intervals from root: P1, M3, P5
- Interval stack (semitones): 4 3
- Also written: D♯, D#, D♯ major
- Parameters: A440, 12-TET, 165 mm octave, spans centre to centre

## Construction

| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Semitones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | D♯ | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 3 | F× | Major third | 4 |
| 5 | A♯ | Perfect fifth | 7 |

## Fingering

Rest your right hand over the notes with finger 1 on D♯, finger 3 on F×, finger 5 on A♯. The left hand mirrors it.
Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Source: piano.org fingering method v1.

## Inversions

| Position | Bass | Notes in order | Figured bass | Span |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Root position | D♯ | D♯3 F×3 A♯3 | 5/3 | 7 st, 96 mm |
| First inversion (D♯/F×) | F× | F×3 A♯3 D♯4 | 6/3 | 8 st, 110 mm |
| Second inversion (D♯/A♯) | A♯ | A♯3 D♯4 F×4 | 6/4 | 9 st, 124 mm |

## Voicings (5)

| Voicing | Notes | Span | Relation | Omits or adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Close, root position | D♯3 F×3 A♯3 | 7 st, 96 mm | identical | none |
| Close, first inversion | F×3 A♯3 D♯4 | 8 st, 110 mm | identical | none |
| Close, second inversion | A♯3 D♯4 F×4 | 9 st, 124 mm | identical | none |
| Open, fifth on top | D♯2 A♯2 F×3 | 16 st, 220 mm | identical | none |
| Root and third only | D♯3 F×3 | 4 st, 55 mm | subset | omits A♯ |

## Diatonic function by key

| Key | Roman numeral | Function |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C minor | ♭III | Relative-major color |
| E♭ major | I | Tonic, home |
| F minor | ♭VII | Subtonic |
| G minor | ♭VI | Pre-dominant color |
| A♭ major | V | Dominant, wants to resolve |
| B♭ major | IV | Subdominant, away from home |

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

## Progressions (8)

| Progression | Key | Role | Sequence | Voice leading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ♭III, ♭VI, ii°, v | C minor | ♭III | E♭ to A♭ to Ddim to Gm | D♯ opens the phrase |
| i, ♭III | C minor | ♭III | Cm to E♭ | 2 tones held from Cm |
| ii, V, I | E♭ major | I | Fm to B♭ to E♭ | 1 tone held from B♭ |
| IV, I | E♭ major | I | A♭ to E♭ | 1 tone held from A♭ |
| I, vi, ii, V | E♭ major | I | E♭ to Cm to Fm to B♭ | D♯ opens the phrase |
| ♭VII, i | F minor | ♭VII | E♭ to Fm | D♯ opens the phrase |
| ♭VI, iv, i, v | G minor | ♭VI | E♭ to Cm to Gm to Dm | D♯ opens the phrase |
| i, ♭VI | G minor | ♭VI | Gm to E♭ | 2 tones held from Gm |

## One-edit neighbors

| Becomes | Edit | Changes | Common tones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| D♯maj7 | 1 3 5 7 | adds C× | 3 |
| D♯7 | 1 3 5 ♭7 | adds C♯ | 3 |
| D♯6 | 1 3 5 6 | adds B♯ | 3 |
| D♯add9 | 1 3 5 9 | adds E♯ | 3 |
| D♯m | 1 ♭3 5 | F× becomes F♯ | 2 |
| D♯aug | 1 3 ♯5 | A♯ becomes A× | 2 |
| D♯sus2 | 1 2 5 | F× becomes E♯ | 2 |
| D♯sus4 | 1 4 5 | F× becomes G♯ | 2 |
| D♯m7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | F× becomes F♯, C♯ | 2 |
| D♯mMaj7 | 1 ♭3 5 7 | F× becomes F♯, C× | 2 |
| D♯aug7 | 1 3 ♯5 ♭7 | A♯ becomes A×, C♯ | 2 |
| D♯7sus4 | 1 4 5 ♭7 | F× becomes G♯, C♯ | 2 |

## Set theory

- Absolute pitch classes: {3, 7, 10}
- Relative pitch classes: [0, 4, 7]
- Normal order: [3, 7, 10]
- Prime form: (037)
- Forte number: 3-11
- Interval vector: <001110>

## Frequencies (close root position)

| Note | MIDI | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| D♯3 | 51 | 155.56 Hz |
| F×3 | 55 | 196.00 Hz |
| A♯3 | 58 | 233.08 Hz |

## Questions and answers

### What notes are in D♯?

D♯ contains D♯, F× and A♯. The formula is 1, 3, 5.

### How do you play D♯ on piano?

Play D♯, F× and A♯ together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. D♯ and A♯ are black keys; F× is white.

### What are the inversions of D♯?

3 positions: root position D♯ F× A♯, D♯/F×, D♯/A♯.

### What keys contain D♯?

6: ♭III in C minor, I in E♭ major, ♭VII in F minor, ♭VI in G minor, V in A♭ major, IV in B♭ major.

### What is the difference between D♯ and D♯maj7?

Adds C×. 3 of the notes are shared.

### What is an easy D♯ for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, D♯3 F×3, spans 4 semitones or about 55 mm.

### What are the frequencies of D♯?

From D♯3 at A440 in 12-TET: 155.56, 196.00, 233.08 Hz.

### What is the set class of D♯?

Prime form (037), Forte 3-11, interval vector &lt;001110&gt;.

### How do I transpose D♯ to another key?

Keep the 1, 3, 5 formula on the new root. C is C, E, G; C♯ is C♯, E♯, G♯.

### Is E♭ the same as D♯?

Enharmonically yes: the same piano keys and the same sound, spelled differently.

## Provenance

Every derived value above is computed by the piano.org theory kernel from the root, the quality and the stated parameters. Nothing is hand-entered per chord.

Machine record: https://piano.org/api/knowledge/v1/entities/chord:major:d-sharp
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12