Chord a Day, March 13th - Db7
Learn a new Ukulele chord every day of the year. The chord for March 13th is Db7.
Additional Content Available for Site Members Only
This lesson is a Basic / Silver Member lesson and part of the LearningUkulele.com Site Membership and Study with Curt - On-line and Private Lesson Program. To view additional content for this lesson you'll need to either login, sign-up for a site membership or upgrade your membership level from your user profile.
Login or SignUp to View Complete Lesson
Db7 is a Core Chord
A core chord is a basic chord that other chords can be derived from - creating new chords from your known chords. Your ever expanding set of core chords creates a solid foundation for playing music on ukulele or any instrument capable of playing chords. There are just far too many chord shapes to memorize all the possibilities. Some chords you can simply create on the fly as needed based on known information and how chords work.
Chord Type(s):
Major
4-part
Chord Categories:
Movable Form
Big Six
Related Lesson: Understanding a Chord Diagram
Open Position chords typically do not show the location of the root or letter name of the chord as these chords are the first chords a ukulele player learns and are almost entirely learned by shape and sound - hopefully, the chords' name. Later on one develops the ability to determine the location of the chord root(s) or letter name within the chord.
Standard Music Notation and TAB
Standard music notation and TAB for C Tuning, Low and High "G" variations
Chord Spelling
Chord Spelling is simply knowing what the notes of a chord are. The notes of all chords can be determined from its corresponding major scale based on the root of the chord.
The notes for Db7 are:
Db F Ab Cb
These are the 1 3 5 b7 scale degrees of the parent Db major scale.
Db7 is a movable version of the open position C7 with the root on string three.
Recommended Fingering
All though additional fingerings are possible for many chords. Fingering for any given chord depends on the harmonic context the chord is being used in, what was the previous chord and what's the next chord.
Although you can play any chord with any finger as long as it's your, the recommended fingering for Db7 is:
Recommended Fingering
1-1-1-2
Alternate Fingering(s)
Here are a few alternate fingerings for today’s Db7 chord depending on the context the chord is being used.
Alternate fingering(s) for Db7:
A barre of finger one is the most functional fingering with this movable form chord.
- 1-1-1-3
Fingering Notation
Fingering of a chord using text only, without using a chord grid is typically done using the finger numbers from left to right, string four to string one. Here is the text notation for January 1st C chord.
The Typical text representation of a chord fingering without a chord grid.
Note: A Zero (0) fingering notation represents an open string that no finger is required.
Fingering Chords
Additional alternate fingerings might be possible for selected chords. If there isn't an overwhelming musical reason for one fingering over another, let efficiency be the determining factor. Something as simple as longer fingers can reach the lower string four and three goes a long way to being efficient when switching chords.
Factors such as playing notes right behind the fret takes less effort than in the middle of the fret. Less effort leads to overall efficiency in play, lower maintenance for maintaining your technique and efficiency leads to speed. This can help in determining what finger to use. Finger three can overlap finger four and finger two can overlap finger three a little allowing them to get closer to the fret.
Remember – the thumb's primary role is to support the fingers – not play notes. Think of the thumb as a Stagehand. He is unseen, doesn't get any lines BUT is a critical member of the team.
Chord Construction, Notes and Intervals
ALL chords can be be constructed based on the their intervals relative to the major scale of the root or letter name of the chord. The individual names of the notes of the chord can also be determined from the same scale.
The chord tones for Db7 are: Db F Ab Cb
Db7 is the 1 3 5 b7 of the Db Major Scale based on the root (Db) of the chord.
7th (pronounced Seventh)
A partial seventh chord can be created by lowering the Root of a major chord two frets.
A seventh chord as a 4-part chord ( 1 3 5 b7 ) and one of the Big Six core chords used to derive other contemporary and jazz chords.
Next Steps
After memorizing todays Db7 chord and able to switch in time with other chords. The next step is adding various Strums and Fingerpicking patterns to your ukulele skills.
No additional assets for Chord a Day, March 13th - Db7 at this time.
Basic Open Position `Ukulele Chord Chart
A core set of basic ukulele chords that ALL Ukulele players should know - at least - in the five common keys of C, G, D, A and E. As well as the seventh chords for common keys. The chart is organized in common keys and covers basic chords in these keys. Of the 15 possible major and relative minor keys in music. There are five common keys to get started with: C, G, D, A, and E. These keys allow you to play quite a few popular songs. There's more in common between songs that your might think.
Chord Shapes and Learning `Ukulele Chords
Pick up any chord dictionary, and one thought that should go through your mind is. There is now way to memorize all those shapes. It would be better off learning how they came up with all those shapes. Most chord dictionaries are also just like pages transposed to all possible keys.
The Harmonized Major and Minor Scale Charts
The Major Scale or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do)”, the “Do” in the parenthesis at the end being the octave of the root.
No related books for Chord a Day, March 13th - Db7 at this time.
No related lesson series for Chord a Day, March 13th - Db7 at this time.
No related songs for Chord a Day, March 13th - Db7 at this time.
No videos for Chord a Day, March 13th - Db7 at this time. Filming a lot of videos for various lessons, songs and books.
FREE Plan - A limited selection of basic lessons ( currently over 140 ) and 100+ songs for ukulele as well as basic general music reference material — Completely FREE — Simply Register/Signup to access associated lessons, books, songs and their related assets.
NOTE: Each higher membership level includes ALL the benefits of each of the lower levels of membership. The Private Lesson Plans include all the benefits of the Premium Access Plans
Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee
Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the best — Glen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys
Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too. — Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg
I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent. — fatveg — Portland
Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!
Original Curtie Animation - 1987 for my first web site
31 years ago years ago.
Content is added and updated almost daily - so check back often.
LearningUkulele.com has one of the largest collections of lessons, songs, and TABS, luthiers, ukulele builders, ukulele festival and club information, and, ukulele links on the web. I’ve been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!
