Inversions
(root position)
Notes and intervals
| 1 | D flat | Root |
| 2 | F | Major 3rd |
| 3 | A flat | Perfect 5th |
| 4 | C flat | Minor 7th |
| 5 | E flat | Major 9th |
About the D flat nine chord
The D flat nine chord is a D flat dominant ninth built from D flat, F, A flat, C flat, E flat. It sits outside the plain diatonic set, so it is borrowed to add color and tension. Tap the keys or frets above to hear each note, or press Play chord to hear them together.
It is also written C sharp nine , which spells the same notes enharmonically.
Other D flat chords
Simpler triads
Suspended
Sixths and sevenths
Extensions
Altered
Functional relationships
These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.
The relative minor uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a calmer, darker home base.
The parallel minor keeps the same root note but lowers the third, giving the same key a darker, sadder sound.
The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.
The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.
The tritone substitution is a dominant chord a tritone away that shares the same tension, so it can stand in for this chord and resolve the same way.
What do the colors mean?
Every note has its own fixed color, laid out around the circle of fifths. Once you know the colors, chords and scales turn into patterns you can recognize at a glance.
There is so much more to explore
Play any chord or scale, transpose it, and watch it move around the color wheel in the free Chord Colors app.
Get the free Chord Colors app