Db guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - i - m - a · Classic Ascending (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The thumb plays C# on the 5th and the three top strings add up to 3 different notes. All 6 arpeggios
Steady bass with uniform ascending movement.
Play Db one string at a time and you hear Db, F and Ab. Db is the root, F the major third and Ab the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are D flat, F and A flat.
String by string, low to high, it plays Db, Ab, Db, F and Ab. Db rings twice across the five strings, and it is the root. It runs from Db on string 5 up to Ab on string 1.
The main Db shape needs a barre at fret 4 across five strings. String 6 stays silent. Your hand covers three frets, from 4 to 6. This page has three positions. The others start at frets 1 and 9.
Change only string 3 in Db and you have Db7. Db and Bbm have Db and F in common. Ab shares two positions with this shape. C# is the same chord under another name.
Db belongs to seven keys. In Db major it is the I, in Gb major the V and in Ab major the IV. The rest appear in the key list. Further down there is a song that uses it.
Db 1F 3Ab 5
Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 4 (Db)
String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted
Placement tip: Barre fret 4. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 6, 3rd String (G) at fret 6, 2nd String (B) at fret 6. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Barre fret 9. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 11, 4th String (D) at fret 11, 3rd String (G) at fret 10.
Placement tip: Barre fret 1. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 4 with your Pinky finger, 4th String (D) at fret 3 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 2 with your Middle finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 4 to 6 |
| Barre | fret 4, from the 5th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 4 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | 6th |
At fret 4, only the barre sounds the 5th and 1st strings.
Listen: Db → Db7 · Ab · Abm
Db sits in the scale of 7 keys.
Well-known songs where this chord plays a clear role
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Db chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.
The primary bass note of the Db chord is its root note: Db. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 4.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Db chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 formula (Major Triad). Its constituent pitches are Db, F, Ab.
To prevent fret buzz on the Db barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
"Clair de Lune" (Claude Debussy, 1905). The home chord, the tonic of the song (Db).
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