D♭ (musical note)

${ \new Staff \with{ \magnifyStaff #3/2 } << \time 2/1 \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f { \clef bass des1_D-flat \clef treble des' } >> }$

D♭ (D-flat) is a musical note lying a diatonic semitone above C and a chromatic semitone below D. It is thus enharmonic to C♯. In the French solfège it is known as re bémol. It is the second semitone of the solfège.

When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of middle D♭ (or D♭₄) is approximately 277.183 Hz.^[1] See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.

Designation by octave

Scientific designation	Helmholtz designation	Octave name	Frequency (Hz)
D♭₋₁	D♭͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵D♭ or DDDD♭	Subsubcontra	8.662
D♭₀	D♭͵͵ or ͵͵D♭ or DDD♭	Subcontra	17.324
D♭₁	D♭͵ or ͵D♭ or DD♭	Contra	34.648
D♭₂	D♭	Great	69.296
D♭₃	d♭	Small	138.591
D♭₄	d♭′	One-lined	277.183
D♭₅	d♭′′	Two-lined	554.365
D♭₆	d♭′′′	Three-lined	1108.731
D♭₇	d♭′′′′	Four-lined	2217.461
D♭₈	d♭′′′′′	Five-lined	4434.922
D♭₉	d♭′′′′′′	Six-lined	8869.844
D♭₁₀	d♭′′′′′′′	Seven-lined	17739.688

Scales

Common scales beginning on D♭

D♭ major: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭
D♭ natural minor: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭
D♭ harmonic minor: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B C D♭
D♭ melodic minor ascending: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭
D♭ melodic minor descending: D♭ C♭ B A♭ G♭ F♭ E♭ D♭

Diatonic scales

D♭ Ionian: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭
D♭ Dorian: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭
D♭ Phrygian: D♭ E F♭ G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭
D♭ Lydian: D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭
D♭ Mixolydian: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭
D♭ Aeolian: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭
D♭ Locrian: D♭ E F♭ G♭ A B C♭ D♭

Jazz melodic minor

D♭ ascending melodic minor: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭
D♭ Dorian ♭2: D♭ E F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭
D♭ Lydian augmented: D♭ E♭ F G A B♭ C D♭
D♭ Lydian dominant: D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭
D♭ Mixolydian ♭6: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭
D♭ Locrian ♮2: D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A B C♭ D♭
D♭ altered: D♭ E F♭ G A B C♭ D♭

References

^ Suits, B. H. (1998). "Physics of Music Notes - Scales: Just vs Equal Temperament". MTU.edu. Michigan Technological University. Retrieved 5 February 2024.