major sixth chord
D♭, F, A♭ and B♭
- Root
- D♭
- Major third
- F
- Perfect fifth
- A♭
- Major sixth
- B♭
Formula
1 3 5 6 (4, 7, 9 half steps above D♭)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | D♭ | F | A♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D♭6 inversions
D♭6 has 3 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
D♭6
Root position
| Notes | D♭ | F | A♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D♭6/F
First inversion
| Notes | F | A♭ | B♭ | D♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
D♭6/A♭
Second inversion
| Notes | A♭ | B♭ | D♭ | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
D♭6/B♭
Third inversion
| Notes | B♭ | D♭ | F | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Where D♭6 fits
All of its notes are in D♭ major, A♭ major and G♭ major, so it fits naturally in those keys.
How D♭6 is built
D♭ is the root, F the major third, A♭ the perfect fifth and B♭ the major sixth.
A major sixth chord is a major chord plus the major sixth, 9 half steps above the root. D♭6 uses the same keys as B♭ minor 7: the name depends on which note is heard as the root.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of D♭6 are D, F, A, B. That is why it is spelled D♭, F, A♭ and B♭.
Find D♭6 yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 4
Tap the notes of D♭6, in any octave and any order.
Practice D♭6 in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the D♭6 chord?
D♭6 has four notes: D♭, F, A♭ and B♭. D♭ is the root, F the major third, A♭ the perfect fifth and B♭ the major sixth.
What fingers do you use for D♭6 on piano?
In root position, play D♭, F, A♭ and B♭ with right hand fingers 1, 2, 4 and 5 (thumb, index finger, ring finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3, 2 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of D♭6?
D♭6 has 3 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (D♭6/F): F, A♭, B♭ and D♭. Second inversion (D♭6/A♭): A♭, B♭, D♭ and F. Third inversion (D♭6/B♭): B♭, D♭, F and A♭.
What is a major sixth chord?
A major sixth chord is a major chord plus the major sixth, 9 half steps above the root. D♭6 uses the same keys as B♭ minor 7: the name depends on which note is heard as the root. All the notes of D♭6 are in D♭ major, A♭ major and G♭ major.