D♭ Whole Tone Scale
Notes in the D♭ Whole Tone Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | D♭ | 277.183 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | E♭ | 311.127 Hz |
| 3 | Mediant | F | 349.228 Hz |
| ♯4 | Augmented 4th | G | 391.995 Hz |
| ♯5 | Augmented 5th | A | 440.000 Hz |
| ♭7 | Subtonic | B | 493.883 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | D♭ | E♭ |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | E♭ | F |
| 3 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | F | G |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | G | A |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A | B |
| 6 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | B | D♭ |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D♭ | D♭ augmented | augmented |
| 2 | E♭ | E♭ augmented | augmented |
| 3 | F | F augmented | augmented |
| ♯4 | G | G augmented | augmented |
| ♯5 | A | A augmented | augmented |
| ♭7 | B | B augmented | augmented |
Key Signature
5 ♭ — The D♭ key signature uses B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭.
D♭ Whole Tone Scale in Practice
The D♭ Whole Tone Scale uses the key signature of 5 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭). 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, D♭ positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys for this scale.
The whole tone scale divides the octave into six equal whole steps, creating a symmetrical, ambiguous sound with no tonal center. Debussy used it extensively to create impressionistic, floating effects. When played starting on D♭, the 6 notes are D♭, E♭, F, G, A, B. In this key the signature has 5 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭). Db major uses all five black keys of the piano, placing the hand naturally on the raised keys and creating a legato, connected feel. Modern R&B and neo-soul producers often write in Db because keyboard players find the five-flat hand position physically comfortable for extended improvisations.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| D♭ | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| E♭ | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 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 |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: D♭ Whole Tone Scale
D♭ 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 D♭ concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in D♭ sound a major sixth lower.