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Fig. 1 · Db double harmonic · first 12 frets

guitar scale

D♭ double harmonic

D♭1E♭♭♭2F3G♭4A♭5B♭♭♭6C7

Two augmented seconds in one scale, one above the tonic and one below the octave.

The same sounds spelled from the other side are C♯ double harmonic.

on ukuleleon piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · Db double harmonic, ascending

Every accidental is written in, rather than left to a key signature, so the letters can be read one at a time.

The step pattern

D♭HE♭♭W+HFHG♭WA♭HB♭♭W+HCHD♭

What is true of it

D♭ double harmonic is D♭, E♭♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭♭ and C, and back to D♭.

Its steps are H – W+H – H – W – H – W+H – H, where W is a whole step and H a half.

Written correctly it needs 7 alterations, E♭♭ and B♭♭ among them. That is what the letters force, and it is also why nobody writes music in this key: the same notes spelled from the other side are easier to read.

On the same tonic, D♭ harmonic major differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the guitar its notes fall in 44 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

D♭majorD♭augaugmentedD♭maj7major seventhFmajorFmminorFaugaugmentedG♭mminorG♭dimdiminished

Found by testing every chord in the catalogue against these 7 sounds, not chosen.

Other scales on D♭

D♭ Phrygian dominantexoticD♭ Lydian dominantexoticD♭ alteredexoticD♭ majormajorD♭ natural minorminorD♭ harmonic minorminor

C dbl harmD dbl harmD♯ dbl harmE♭ dbl harmE dbl harmF dbl harmF♯ dbl harmG♭ dbl harmall 374