Construction
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D♭ | Root | 1 |
| F♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| A | Minor 6th | ♯5 |
| C♭ | Minor 7th | ♭7 |
Fingering
| Note | Key color | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| D♭ | black | index finger (2) | little finger (5) |
| F♭ | white | middle finger (3) | ring finger (4) |
| A | white | ring finger (4) | middle finger (3) |
| C♭ | white | little finger (5) | index finger (2) |
Right hand: index finger (2) on D♭, middle finger (3) on F♭, ring finger (4) on A, little finger (5) on C♭.
Left hand: little finger (5) on D♭, ring finger (4) on F♭, middle finger (3) on A, index finger (2) on C♭.
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the D♭ Minor 7♯5 is the tonic (i) chord of D♭ Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, E Major: 4 sharps (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.
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 |
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: