D♭ dominant 9th chord on piano
D♭9 is a dominant 9th chord built on D♭. It uses the notes D♭ - F - A♭ - C♭ - E♭ and sounds rich and funky, a staple of funk, gospel and jazz. It is also written as C♯ dominant 9th.
- Notes
- D♭ F A♭ C♭ E♭
- Formula
- 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9
- Right hand fingering
- 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 on the upper four notes
- Left hand fingering
- 5 on the root
- Chord symbol
- D♭9
How to play D♭9 step by step
- Find D♭. D♭ is the first black key in each group of two. The same key is also called C♯.
- Add F, 4 half steps above D♭.
- Add A♭, 7 half steps above D♭.
- Add C♭, 10 half steps above D♭.
- Add E♭, 14 half steps above D♭.
- Press all 5 keys together with fingers 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 on the upper four notes of your right hand. Keep your wrist level and let the weight of your arm do the work.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the D♭ dominant 9th chord?
The D♭ dominant 9th chord (D♭9) contains 5 notes: D♭, F, A♭, C♭, E♭. Its formula is 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9.
How do you play D♭9 on piano?
Play the root D♭ alone with your left hand, then play F, A♭, C♭, E♭ with your right hand. That spreads the five notes comfortably across both hands.
Is D♭ dominant 9th the same as C♯ dominant 9th?
Yes. D♭ dominant 9th and C♯ dominant 9th use exactly the same piano keys. The name you see depends on the key signature of the piece.