Db Enigmatic Scale

Notes in the Db Enigmatic Scale

Degree Name Note Frequency (A=440)
1 Tonic Db 277.183 Hz
♭2 Lowered 2nd D 293.665 Hz
3 Major Mediant F 349.228 Hz
♯4 Augmented 4th G 391.995 Hz
♯5 Augmented 5th A 440.000 Hz
♯6 Augmented 6th B 493.883 Hz
7 Leading Tone C 261.626 Hz

Interval Pattern

Formula: H-A2-W-W-W-H-H
Step Interval Semitones From Note To Note
1 Half Step (H) 1 Db D
2 Aug 2nd (WH) 3 D F
3 Whole Step (W) 2 F G
4 Whole Step (W) 2 G A
5 Whole Step (W) 2 A B
6 Half Step (H) 1 B C
7 Half Step (H) 1 C Db

Chords Built on Scale Degrees

Degree Note Chord Quality
1 Db Db augmented augmented
♭2 D D (complex) other
3 F F major
♯4 G G (complex) other
♯5 A A (complex) other
♯6 B B (complex) other
7 C C (complex) other

Key Signature

5 — The Db key signature uses Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb.

Db Enigmatic Scale in Practice

The Db Enigmatic Scale uses the key signature of 5 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb). Db major has five flats and is enharmonically equivalent to C# major. It has a warm, veiled quality and appears in Romantic piano literature and jazz compositions. On guitar, Db positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys for this scale.

The enigmatic scale was composed by Giuseppe Verdi in 1889. It has a mysterious, chromatic character with no standard harmonic usage, prized for its unique tonal ambiguity.

Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments

Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.

Note Equal Temp. Pythagorean Just Intonation
Db 277.183 Hz 278.437 Hz 279.067 Hz
D 293.665 Hz 293.332 Hz 294.329 Hz
F 349.228 Hz 347.654 Hz 348.834 Hz
G 391.995 Hz 391.111 Hz 392.438 Hz
A 440.000 Hz 440.000 Hz 436.043 Hz
B 493.883 Hz 495.000 Hz 490.548 Hz
C 261.626 Hz 260.740 Hz 261.626 Hz

Related Scales

Transposing Instruments: Db Enigmatic Scale

Db is a natural key for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax), which sound a major second lower than written. B♭ instruments reading in C produce Db concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in Db sound a major sixth lower.