Db Whole Tone Scale
Notes in the Db Whole Tone Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | Db | 277.183 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | Eb | 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 | Db | Eb |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Eb | 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 | Db |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Db | Db augmented | augmented |
| 2 | Eb | Eb 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 Db key signature uses Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb.
Db Whole Tone Scale in Practice
The Db Whole Tone 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 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.
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 |
| Eb | 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: Db Whole Tone 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.