Ukulele · Level 5 · Intermediate
Sixth chords in D♭ major on Ukulele
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Sixth chords add the sixth note to a major triad for a sweet, vintage sound from swing, western swing and early rock'n'roll.
D♭6
Notes: D♭ · F · A♭ · B♭
G♭6
Notes: G♭ · B♭ · D♭ · E♭
B♭m
Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F
A♭
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: D♭6, G♭6, B♭m and A♭. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Use light pressure; the ukulele's nylon strings need far less force than steel.
- Set the tempo to 60 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Compare each 6 chord with the plain triad to hear the added colour.
- Strum down on every beat, then add an up-strum between beats with a loose wrist.
- Raise the tempo to 80 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for a bright, open ending sound on I6.
Listen for
Aim for a bright, open ending sound on I6. A common mistake is letting the sixth sound like a separate melody note.
Why it works
C6 and Am7 contain the same four notes; the bass note decides which name fits.
D♭ major has 5 flats; its relative minor key is B♭ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I6–IV6–vi–V in D♭ major?
In D♭ major the progression is D♭6 | G♭6 | B♭m | A♭.
What is the key signature of D♭ major?
D♭ major has 5 flats. Its relative minor is B♭ minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 5 lesson (intermediate). If it feels too hard, start with “The major ii–V–I”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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