A quick guide to chords in the key of C#/Db major.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | Minor | Minor | Major | Major | Minor | Dim |
| I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | viiº |
| C# | D#m | E#m | F# | G# | A#m | B#º |
| Db | Ebm | Fm | Gb | Ab | Bbm | Cº |
The notes of a C# major scale are:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| C# | D# | E# | F# | G# | A# | B# |
Written as Db major, they would be:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C |
These two scales sound exactly the same, and so are ‘enharmonically equivalent’. The only difference is how they are written. The Db version is more commonly used, as 5 flats is easier on the brain than 7 sharps. So we will use this version going forward.
Major Scale Formula
The scale notes above follow the 'major' scale formula of 'steps':
WHOLE – WHOLE – HALF – WHOLE – WHOLE – WHOLE – HALF
Or 'tones':
TONE – TONE – SEMITONE – TONE – TONE – TONE – SEMITONE
Or even frets:
Two Frets – Two Frets – One Fret – Two Frets – Two Frets – Two Frets – One Fret
Which gives us the following interval relationships from the tonic (1st note):
- Unison
- Major 2nd
- Major 3rd
- Perfect 4th
- Perfect 5th
- Major 6th
- Major 7th
- Octave
The notes of each chord in Db major
All the chords in the key of Db major are made up of notes from the Db major scale.
| Db major | Db | F | Ab |
| Eb minor | Eb | Gb | Bb |
| F minor | F | Ab | C |
| Gb major | Gb | Bb | Db |
| Ab major | Ab | C | Eb |
| Bb minor | Bb | Db | F |
| C diminished | C | Eb | Gb |
The relative minor scale of C#/Db major is A#/Bb minor, which comes from the 6th note of the major scale.
