Scale degrees · D major
The ♭5 of D is A♭
The ♭5 (flat five, written b5) of D is A♭ (A 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 Dm7♭5:
D · F · A♭ · C
The ♭5 in every key
| Key | The ♭5 |
|---|---|
| C | G♭ |
| G | D♭ |
| D | A♭ |
| A | E♭ |
| E | B♭ |
| B | F |
| F♯ | C |
| D♭ | A𝄫 |
| A♭ | E𝄫 |
| E♭ | B𝄫 |
| B♭ | F♭ |
| F | C♭ |
Every degree of D
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