What notes are in the Db11 chord?

Db11 is made of Db, F, Ab, Cb, Eb and Gb — the 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 degrees of an eleventh chord built on Db.

What keys use the Db11 chord?

Every note of Db11 belongs to 4 keys: F# Major (V), Gb Major (V), D# Minor (VII), Eb Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.

How do you play Db11 on guitar and piano?

This page shows Db11 on guitar and piano — 4 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.

Is Db11 the same as C#11?

Yes. Db11 and C#11 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Db11 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Chord · Db Dominant 11th

D♭11 Chord

D♭11 is Db, F, Ab, Cb, Eb and Gb — dense; usually voiced rootless.

Hear it

D♭11 on every instrument

The same 6 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

Guitar2 voicings

Piano2 voicings

What D♭11 is made of

Db Dominant 11th (Db dominant 11th) is built from the notes Db, F, Ab, Cb, Eb, Gb, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11. A common dominant 11th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 on a root of D♭ and you get Db, F, Ab, Cb, Eb and Gb. That interval recipe is what makes the chord an eleventh chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C11 sounds like a transposed D♭11.

Dominant 11th: Dense; usually voiced rootless.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with D♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain D♭11

All 6 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Major keys

Minor keys

Other chords on D♭

Same root, different colour.

D♭Db Major D♭augDb Augmented D♭sus2Db Suspended 2nd D♭sus4Db Suspended 4th D♭5Db Power Chord D♭6Db Major 6th D♭6/9Db 6/9 D♭7Db Dominant 7th

The same eleventh shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

C11C Dominant 11th D11D Dominant 11th E11E Dominant 11th F11F Dominant 11th G11G Dominant 11th A11A Dominant 11th B11B Dominant 11th F♯11F# Dominant 11th

Questions people ask about Db11

What notes are in the Db11 chord?: Db11 is made of Db, F, Ab, Cb, Eb and Gb — the 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 11 degrees of an eleventh chord built on Db.
What keys use the Db11 chord?: Every note of Db11 belongs to 4 keys: F# Major (V), Gb Major (V), D# Minor (VII), Eb Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Db11 on guitar and piano?: This page shows Db11 on guitar and piano — 4 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Db11 the same as C#11?: Yes. Db11 and C#11 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Db11 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why D♭11 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min read The 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min read