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Guitar scales · Major (Ionian)

D♭ major scale on guitar (Db major)

The D♭ major scale has seven notes: D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭ and C. As degrees: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Notes and pattern

The D♭ major scale

The reference scale. Bright and resolved; every other scale is described against it. Play it to hear it up and down.

From note to note it climbs 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2 and 1 : whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

D♭ major has the same notes as B♭ minor, starting from D♭. See that scale.

  1. D♭1
  2. E♭2
  3. F3
  4. G♭4
  5. A♭5
  6. B♭6
  7. C7
EADGBE0135791215D♭D♭D♭D♭D♭D♭D♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FA♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CFG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭
  • D♭, the root
  • Other scale notes

Positions

D♭ major in five positions

The splits the neck into five overlapping positions, one per shape. Learn one, then join it to the next.

D♭ major · the whole neck

Five positions, each overlapping the next, repeating every 12 frets.

CCAAGEDDEADGBE0135791215D♭D♭D♭D♭D♭D♭D♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FA♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭A♭B♭CFG♭A♭B♭CE♭FG♭
  • Root (D♭)
  • Scale tone

Chords

Chords from the D♭ major scale

Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get its chords.

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Hear the chords and progressions in D♭ major

Same root

Other scales on D♭

Change a note or two and the same takes on a new mood.

Questions

D♭ major, in short

What notes are in the D♭ major scale?
The D♭ major scale has seven notes: D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭ and C. As degrees: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
What chords go with the D♭ major scale?
The chords built on D♭ major are D♭, E♭m, Fm, G♭, A♭, B♭m and C°.
What is the relative minor of D♭ major?
D♭ major has the same notes as B♭ minor, starting from D♭.
All guitar scales