D♭ (musical note)
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) | MIDI note number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D♭−1 | D♭͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵D♭ or DDDD♭ | Subsubcontra | 8.662 | 1 |
| D♭0 | D♭͵͵ or ͵͵D♭ or DDD♭ | Subcontra | 17.324 | 13 |
| D♭1 | D♭͵ or ͵D♭ or DD♭ | Contra | 34.648 | 25 |
| D♭2 | D♭ | Great | 69.296 | 37 |
| D♭3 | d♭ | Small | 138.591 | 49 |
| D♭4 | d♭′ | One-lined | 277.183 | 61 |
| D♭5 | d♭′′ | Two-lined | 554.365 | 73 |
| D♭6 | d♭′′′ | Three-lined | 1108.731 | 85 |
| D♭7 | d♭′′′′ | Four-lined | 2217.461 | 97 |
| D♭8 | d♭′′′′′ | Five-lined | 4434.922 | 109 |
| D♭9 | d♭′′′′′′ | Six-lined | 8869.844 | 121 |
| D♭10 | d♭′′′′′′′ | Seven-lined | 17739.688 | N/A |
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♭
- 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♭
- 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.