Construction
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D♭ | Root | 1 |
| F♭ | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| A♭ | Perfect 5th | 5 |
Fingering
| Note | Key color | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| D♭ | black | thumb (1) | little finger (5) |
| F♭ | white | middle finger (3) | middle finger (3) |
| A♭ | black | little finger (5) | thumb (1) |
Right hand: thumb (1) on D♭, middle finger (3) on F♭, little finger (5) on A♭.
Left hand: little finger (5) on D♭, middle finger (3) on F♭, thumb (1) on A♭.
D♭ Minor Inversions
- Root positionD♭ – F♭ – A♭
- 1st inversion (D♭m/F♭)F♭ – A♭ – D♭
- 2nd inversion (D♭m/A♭)A♭ – D♭ – F♭
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the D♭ Minor 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 |
How D♭ Minor functions in a key
The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where D♭ Minor sits diatonically across the common keys:
- In C♭ major, D♭ Minor is the ii chord — a predominant.
- In A♭ minor, D♭ Minor is the iv chord — a predominant.
Scales That Include the D♭ Minor
D♭ Minor : Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in D♭m?
How do you play D♭m on piano?
What are the inversions of D♭m?
What keys contain D♭m?
What is the difference between D♭m and D♭m7?
What is an easy D♭m for small hands?
What are the frequencies of D♭m?
What is the set class of D♭m?
How do I transpose D♭m to another key?
Is C♯m the same as D♭m?
D♭ Minor in detail
Exact
Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.
| Type | Notes | Semitones | Span | Omissions and additions | Set relation | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close, root position | D♭3 F♭3 A♭3 | 7 | 96 mm | none | identical | |
| Close, first inversion | F♭3 A♭3 D♭4 | 9 | 124 mm | none | identical | |
| Close, second inversion | A♭3 D♭4 F♭4 | 8 | 110 mm | none | identical | |
| Open, fifth on top | D♭2 A♭2 F♭3 | 15 | 206 mm | none | identical |
Reduced
A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.
| Type | Notes | Semitones | Span | Omissions and additions | Set relation | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root and third only | D♭3 F♭3 | 3 | 41 mm | omits A♭ | subset |
Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).
| Position | Bass note | Notes in order | Figured bass | Semitones | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | D♭ | D♭3, F♭3, A♭3 | 5/3 | 7 | 96 mm |
| First inversion: D♭m/F♭ | F♭ | F♭3, A♭3, D♭4 | 6/3 | 9 | 124 mm |
| Second inversion: D♭m/A♭ | A♭ | A♭3, D♭4, F♭4 | 6/4 | 8 | 110 mm |
One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.
| Progression | Key | Role | Sequence | Voice leading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ii°, v, i | C♯ minor | i | D♯dim to G♯m to C♯m | 1 tone held from G♯m |
| iv, i | C♯ minor | i | F♯m to C♯m | 1 tone held from F♯m |
| i, ♭VI, ii°, v | C♯ minor | i | C♯m to A to D♯dim to G♯m | D♭m opens the phrase |
| vi, IV, I, V | E major | vi | C♯m to A to E to B | D♭m opens the phrase |
| I, vi | E major | vi | E to C♯m | 2 tones held from E |
| v, i | F♯ minor | v | C♯m to F♯m | D♭m opens the phrase |
| ii°, v, i | F♯ minor | v | G♯dim to C♯m to F♯m | 1 tone held from G♯dim |
| iv, v, i | G♯ minor | iv | C♯m to D♯m to G♯m | D♭m opens the phrase |
| i, iv | G♯ minor | iv | G♯m to C♯m | 1 tone held from G♯m |
Root motion, common tones and voice displacement are computed from pitch class sets. Roman numerals follow common practice functional harmony.
Which keys it belongs to
| Key | Roman numeral | Function |
|---|---|---|
| C♯ minor | i | Tonic, home |
| E major | vi | Tonic substitute |
| F♯ minor | v | Minor dominant |
| G♯ minor | iv | Subdominant |
| A major | iii | Tonic substitute |
| B major | ii | Predominant |
Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.
Change one note
Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.
| Chord | Change | Formula | Common tones |
|---|---|---|---|
| D♭m7 | adds C♭ | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | 3 |
| D♭mMaj7 | adds C | 1 ♭3 5 7 | 3 |
| D♭m6 | adds B♭ | 1 ♭3 5 6 | 3 |
| D♭ | F♭ becomes F | 1 3 5 | 2 |
| D♭dim | A♭ becomes A♭♭ | 1 ♭3 ♭5 | 2 |
| D♭sus2 | F♭ becomes E♭ | 1 2 5 | 2 |
| D♭sus4 | F♭ becomes G♭ | 1 4 5 | 2 |
| D♭maj7 | F♭ becomes F, C | 1 3 5 7 | 2 |
| D♭7 | F♭ becomes F, C♭ | 1 3 5 ♭7 | 2 |
| D♭m7♭5 | A♭ becomes A♭♭, C♭ | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 | 2 |
| D♭dim7 | A♭ becomes A♭♭, C♭♭ | 1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 | 2 |
| D♭7sus4 | F♭ becomes G♭, C♭ | 1 4 5 ♭7 | 2 |
Frequencies
| Note | MIDI | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| D♭3 | 49 | 138.59 Hz |
| F♭3 | 52 | 164.81 Hz |
| A♭3 | 56 | 207.65 Hz |
Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.
Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector
- Absolute pitch class set
- {1, 4, 8}
- Normal order
- [1, 4, 8]
- Prime form
- (037)
- Forte number
- 3-11
- Interval vector
- <001110>
| Pair | Interval | Semitones | Interval class |
|---|---|---|---|
| D♭ to F♭ | Minor third | 3 | 3 |
| D♭ to A♭ | Perfect fifth | 7 | 5 |
| F♭ to A♭ | Major third | 4 | 4 |
Where these facts come from
Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a minor applied to the root D♭, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.