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Chords in the Key of Db Major

Every diatonic triad and seventh chord in Db major, with the progressions built from them. Free. No sign-up.

Key facts

Key signature
five flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb)
Scale notes
Db · Eb · F · Gb · Ab · Bb · C
Relative minor
Bb Minor
Parallel minor
C# Minor

Diatonic triads

The seven diatonic triads in Db Major
DegreeChordQualityNotes
IDbmajorDb · F · Ab
iiEbmminorEb · Gb · Bb
iiiFmminorF · Ab · C
IVGbmajorGb · Bb · Db
VAbmajorAb · C · Eb
viBbmminorBb · Db · F
vii°CdimdiminishedC · Eb · Gb

Seventh chords

Stack one more scale tone on each triad and you get the seventh chords — same key, more color.

The seven diatonic seventh chords in Db Major
DegreeChordQualityNotes
Imaj7Dbmaj7major 7thDb · F · Ab · C
ii7Ebm7minor 7thEb · Gb · Bb · Db
iii7Fm7minor 7thF · Ab · C · Eb
IVmaj7Gbmaj7major 7thGb · Bb · Db · F
V7Ab7dominant 7thAb · C · Eb · Gb
vi7Bbm7minor 7thBb · Db · F · Ab
viiø7Cm7b5half-diminishedC · Eb · Gb · Bb

Common progressions in Db major

  • I–V–vi–IV

    Db – Ab – Bbm – Gb

    The four-chord pop loop — a huge share of modern radio runs on it.

  • I–IV–V

    Db – Gb – Ab

    The three-chord workhorse behind blues, folk, and early rock and roll.

  • ii–V–I

    Ebm – Ab – Db

    The jazz cadence — the strongest pull back home in the key.

  • I–vi–IV–V

    Db – Bbm – Gb – Ab

    The '50s doo-wop turnaround, still everywhere in ballads.

How the key of Db major works

Db Major carries five flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb). The scale runs Db–Eb–F–Gb–Ab–Bb–C, and stacking every other note of that scale builds the seven chords above — every chord tone comes from those same seven notes.

Bb Minor is the relative minor: identical key signature, identical seven chords. A song that treats Bbm — the vi chord here — as home base is in Bb minor, even though its chord inventory matches this page exactly.

The parallel minor, C# Minor (listed here in its enharmonic spelling), keeps the same root but flattens the third, sixth, and seventh — its signature shifts to four sharps (F#, C#, G# and D#). Borrowing chords across that line is where a lot of songwriting color comes from.

Keep practicing

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