transpose.siteChords in the key of D♭ (D♭ major)
Songs in D♭ use the seven notes of the D♭ major scale: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C. The key signature has 5 (D♭ E♭ G♭ A♭ B♭). The seven chords built on these notes are the ones you will meet most in D♭.
Diatonic chords in D♭
| Degree | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triad | D♭ | E♭m | Fm | G♭ | A♭ | B♭m | Cdim |
| Seventh | D♭maj7 | E♭m7 | Fm7 | G♭maj7 | A♭7 | B♭m7 | Cm7(♭5) |
| Role | tonic (home) | subdominant side | tonic substitute | subdominant | dominant (tension) | tonic substitute, relative minor | dominant substitute |
I
ii
iii
IV
V
vi
Common progressions in D♭
- D♭ – A♭ – B♭m – G♭ (I – V – vi – IV, the most common pop progression)
- D♭ – B♭m – G♭ – A♭ (I – vi – IV – V, the '50s progression, ballads)
- B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭ (vi – IV – I – V, the same four chords with a minor feel)
- E♭m – A♭ – D♭ (ii – V – I, the classic jazz and ballad cadence)
- D♭ – G♭ – A♭ (I – IV – V, rock and blues basics)
Playing in D♭ with a capo
If the barre chords are hard, put on a capo and use the shapes of an easier key.
- Capo on fret 1 + play C shapes (chords in C)
- Capo on fret 4 + play A shapes (chords in A)
- Capo on fret 6 + play G shapes (chords in G)
To move a whole PDF score to an easier key, open it in the free PDF transposer: chords and TAB change together.
Relative minor: B♭ minor
B♭ minor (B♭m) uses the same seven notes as D♭ major. If a song starts and ends on B♭m, it is in B♭ minor.
Chords in B♭ minor: i B♭m · ii° Cdim · III D♭ · iv E♭m · v Fm · VI G♭ · VII A♭ (F7 is common in place of v)
- B♭m – G♭ – D♭ – A♭ (i – VI – III – VII, minor-key rock and ballads)
- B♭m – E♭m – Fm – B♭m (i – iv – v – i, minor-key basics (V7 often replaces v))
- B♭m – A♭ – G♭ – A♭ (i – VII – VI – VII, a rock riff progression)