Scale degrees · D♭ major

The ♭5 of D♭ is A𝄫

The ♭5 (flat five, written b5) of D♭ (D flat, Db) is A𝄫 (A double flat): a diminished fifth above the root.

D♭ — the root, 1A𝄫 — the ♭5

How to find it

Count letters first, the root included: D, E, F, G, A. A 5th lands on A.

Then the sound: a diminished fifth is 6 semitones above D♭, and the A that is 6 semitones up is A𝄫.

That is why it is A𝄫 and not G: G is the same key on the piano, but from D♭ it would be a 4th, not a 5th.

Where you meet it

The ♭5 halves the octave: a tritone above D♭. It is the 5th of the half-diminished and the diminished chord.

In D♭m7♭5:

D♭ · F♭ · A𝄫 · C♭

The ♭5 in every key

KeyThe ♭5
CG♭
GD♭
DA♭
AE♭
EB♭
BF
F♯C
D♭A𝄫
A♭E𝄫
E♭B𝄫
B♭F♭
FC♭

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