D♭ major · A shape
D♭ guitar chord
Best match1Exact match
Chords113
C♯ dominant seventh · Frets 2–4
C♯ dominant seventh suspended fourth · Frets 4–7
C♯ diminished · Open position
How to play D♭ on guitar
The most common way, the first shape above: lay your index finger flat across the five strings from the A to the high E at the 4th fret, your ring finger on the D string at the 6th fret, your ring finger on the G string at the 6th fret and your ring finger on the B string at the 6th fret. Don’t play the low E string.
From the low E string x 4 6 6 6 4 (x: not played, 0: open)
An easier D♭
The full shape is a barre chord, hard at first. This one needs no full barre and sounds much the same: your ring finger on the D string at the 6th fret, your ring finger on the G string at the 6th fret, your ring finger on the B string at the 6th fret and your index finger on the high E string at the 4th fret. Don’t play the low E and A strings.
x x 6 6 6 4
D♭, the easier shape
StandardFrets 4–6 · 5th in bass · 4 strings
What notes are in D♭?
D♭, D♭ major, is D♭, F and A♭: the root (D♭), the major third (F) and the perfect fifth (A♭). Its formula is 1 3 5.
What is the difference between D♭ and C♯m?
One note. D♭ has the major third, F; C♯m lowers it a half step to F♭. That one note turns the bright sound of a major chord into the darker sound of a minor one.
Can I play C♯5 instead?
C♯5, the power chord, is D♭ and A♭ with no third, so it is neither major nor minor. It stands in for D♭ in rock, especially with distortion, where a full chord can sound muddy.
Keys with D♭
D♭ is the I chord in D♭ major, the V chord in F♯ major, the IV chord in A♭ major, the VII chord in E♭ minor, the VI chord in F minor and the III chord in B♭ minor, and the V of F♯ minor, the major fifth chord from its harmonic minor scale.
More C♯ chords on guitar
C♯msadC♯7the pullD♭maj7dreamyC♯m7mellowC♯sus2openC♯sus4openD♭add9sweetC♯dimthe edgeD♭auguneasyD♭6sweetC♯m6bittersweetC♯9the pullC♯7sus4openC♯5rawC♯m7♭5the edgeC♯dim7the edgeEvery C♯ chord ›
Major chords in every key
CbrightDbrightE♭brightEbrightFbrightF♯brightGbrightA♭brightAbrightB♭brightBbright