Music theory games > Lessons > Pitch of sounds > Scales > Major scales > D flat Major scale

D flat Major scale

the D flat (D♭) major scale has five flats (5 ♭) and according to the order of flats they are the B flat, E flat, A flat, D flat and the G♭ (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ & G♭).
The names of the notes in the D flat major scale are: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C

Like all other major scales, D flat major scale is composed by this sequence of whole steps and half steps (tones and semitones ):

:1 Whole step / 1 Whole step / 1 half step / 1 Whole step / 1 Whole step / 1 Whole step / 1 half step

: 1 Tone / 1 Tone / 1 semitone / 1 Tone / 1 Tone / 1 Tone / 1 semitone

Leading Tone of D flat Major

The leading Tone of D flat Major is C, because C is the degree VII and is distant to a seventh major of the tonic, or an half step (semitone ) lower than the tonic).

Chords of D flat major scale

Here are triad chords for D flat Major scale:

Chord I : D♭ Major (Notes: D♭ F A♭)
Chord II : E♭ minor (Notes: E♭ G♭ B♭)
Chord III : F minor (Notes: F A♭ C)
Chord IV : G♭ Major (Notes: G♭ B♭ D♭)
Chord V : A♭ Major (Notes: A♭ C E♭)
Chord VI : B♭ minor (Notes: B♭ D♭ F)
Chord VII : C diminished (Notes: C E♭ G♭)

Key signature of D flat major scale

The key signature of D flat Major has five flats (5♭).

D flat Major scale in most common clefs

Here is D flat major scale in most common clefs: treble clef, bass clef, tenor clef and alto clef.

D flat Major scale in treble clef (G-clef)

Below is the D flat major scale in treble clef:

D flat Major scale in bass clef

Below is the D flat major scale in bass clef:

D flat Major scale in alto clef

Below is the D flat major scale in alto clef:

D flat Major scale in tenor clef

Below is the D flat major scale in tenor clef:

Scale degrees of D flat major

The degrees of D flat major scale are:

D♭ : degree I (Tonic)
E♭ : degree II (Supertonic)
F : degree III (Mediant)
G♭ : degree IV (Subdominant)
A♭ : degree V (Dominant)
B♭ : degree VI (Submediant)
C : degree VII (Leading Tone)

Closely related keys of D flat Major

Closely related keys of D flat Major are:

- A flat Major
- G flat Major
- F minor
- B flat minor
- E flat minor

Relative minor key of D flat Major

The relative minor key of D flat Major is B flat minor and below if the B flat minor natural scale:

D flat major scale on a piano

Below is the D flat major scale on a piano:



You will notice that only the white piano keys are used. Music notes must be played successively from left to right to obtain the ascending scale, or from right to left for the descending scale.

D flat major triad chord

The D flat major triad chord as a root note (D flat), a major third (D flat / A) and a perfect fifth (D flat / A flat):

And below is the D flat major triad chord on a piano keyboard:

Authentic cadence (perfect cadence) in D flat major

Here is an Authentic cadence (perfect cadence ) in D flat major :

D flat Major scale video

Here is a D flat Major scale video:

D flat major on the circle of fifths

You can find D flat major on the circle of fifths and its key signature, relative minor key and closely related keys :

Famous works D flat major

Here are some works by famous composers composed in D flat major:

Maple Leaf Rag (Scott Joplin)

Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag ragtime has a part composed in D flat major (the trio):

String Quartet No.16, Op.135 (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Ludwig van Beethoven's String Quartet No. 16, Opus 135 features a movement titled Lento assai, cantante e tranquilo (very slow, singing and quiet) which is predominantly written in D flat major.

This excerpt was recorded by the Borromeo String Quartet (source, license Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0))

test your knowledge

How much flats in D flat major?

What is the relative minor of D flat major?

What is the dominant note in D flat major?

What are the major chords of D flat major?

What are the minor chords of D flat major?