Db Major Scale on Piano

The Db Major scale sounds bright and resolved. It runs Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C and is written with five flats.

It shares its key signature with Bb minor, its relative minor.

Interval Circle

WWHWWWHC7Db1DEb2EF3Gb4GAb5ABb6B

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

The reference point for Western tonality. Its half steps sit between the 3rd and 4th and between the 7th and 8th degrees, and that leading tone pulling up into the tonic is what makes it sound finished.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2

Left Hand (ascending)

3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3

Why this fingering

5 black keys (Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto F and C; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in Db Major

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
DbDb4Root (1)23
EbEb4Major 2nd (2)32
FF4Major 3rd (3)11
GbGb4Perfect 4th (4)24
AbAb4Perfect 5th (5)33
BbBb4Major 6th (6)42
CC5Major 7th (7)11
DbDb5Octave (8)23

Other Major Scales

C Major
C – D – E – F – G – A – B
D Major
D – E – F# – G – A – B – C#
Eb Major
Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D
E Major
E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D#
F Major
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – E
F# Major
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E#
G Major
G – A – B – C – D – E – F#
Ab Major
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G
A Major
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G#
Bb Major
Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – A
B Major
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#

Other Db Scales

Db Major Pentatonic
Db – Eb – F – Ab – Bb
Db Mixolydian
Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb
Db Chromatic
Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C