D♭ Dominant 7th
D♭7
Notes
D♭ · F · A♭ · C♭
Intervals
- RootD♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdF (3M)
- Perfect 5thA♭ (5P)
- Minor 7thC♭ (7m)
Fretboard
On the fretboard, B represents C♭.
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
Voicings & shapes
Drop-2 voicings (12)
Drop-3 voicings (8)
Shell voicings (2)
About
The D♭7 dominant seventh (D♭–F–A♭–C♭) is the primary tension-bearing chord in tonal harmony. Its pull toward resolution comes from the tritone between F and C♭ — these two notes want to resolve inward, landing in the V–I cadence on G♭. The 3rd and ♭7 are essential: they form the tritone, and they distinguish a dominant 7 from a D♭m7. The fifth can be freely omitted without weakening the harmonic function. On guitar, shell voicings (1–3–♭7) are common in jazz; full voicings appear in blues and rhythm playing. Compared to D♭Maj7, dominant 7 is harmonically active and directional — it is a chord that moves.
Chord diagrams
Db Dominant 7th voicing charts — tap a sheet to open it full size to save or print.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- D♭ Mixolydian (I)
- A♭ Diminished (deg 4)
- A♭ Dorian (IV)
- A♭ Melodic Minor (IV)
- B Diminished (deg 2)
- B Lydian (II)
- B♭ Phrygian (III)
- D Diminished (deg 8)
- E♭ Natural Minor (VII)
- F Diminished (deg 6)
- F Locrian (VI)
- F♯ Harmonic Minor (V)
- F♯ Major (V)
- F♯ Melodic Minor (V)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.