Construction
D♭ Minor 11th = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Major 2nd + Perfect 4th = D♭, F♭, A♭, C♭, E♭, G♭
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D♭ | Root | 1 |
| F♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| A♭ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| C♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
| E♭ | Major 2nd | 9 |
| G♭ | Perfect 4th | 11 |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the D♭ Minor 11th is the tonic (i) chord of D♭ Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, E Major: 4 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯).
F♯C♯G♯D♯
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♭ Minor
These are the triads built on each degree of D♭ Minor:
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | D♭ Minor | Minor |
| 2 | ii° | E♭ Diminished | Diminished |
| 3 | III | F♭ Major | Major |
| 4 | iv | G♭ Minor | Minor |
| 5 | v | A♭ Minor | Minor |
| 6 | VI | B♭♭ Major | Major |
| 7 | VII | C♭ Major | Major |
Scales That Include the D♭ Minor 11th
- E Major (vi)
- B Major (ii)
- C# Minor (i)
- G# Minor (iv)
- F# Dorian (v)
- G# Phrygian (iv)
- A Lydian (iii)
- B Mixolydian (ii)
Same Notes, Other Names
The notes D♭ – F♭ – A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:
D♭ Minor 11th : Frequently Asked Questions
What is the D♭ Minor 11th chord on piano?
The D♭ Minor 11th chord contains the notes D♭ – F♭ – A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.