D minor (Dm) chord on guitar
- Notes
- DFA
- Formula
- 1♭35
How to play Dm on guitar
-
Shape 1 · 1st position
-
Shape 2 · fret 5 · barre
-
Shape 3 · fret 2
-
Shape 4 · fret 10 · barre
-
Shape 5 · fret 7 · barre
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. x = do not play the string, o = open string. The coloured dot is the root (D). The same shapes work on acoustic, classical and electric guitar.
Dm inversions on guitar
The same Dm with another chord note in the bass (the lowest note that sounds). The notes stay the same, but the colour changes, and the bass line can move by step from one chord to the next. In a chord symbol, the bass comes after the slash.
3rd (F) in the bass1st inversion · Dm/F
3rd (F) in the bass1st inversion · Dm/F
5th (A) in the bass2nd inversion · Dm/A
5th (A) in the bass2nd inversion · Dm/A
About the minor chord
The minor third makes the chord darker, wistful or inward-looking. In a major key it shows up on the ii, iii and vi degrees (A minor in C major); in a minor key it is home base, from romantic ballads to folk songs.
Notes and intervals of Dm
Dm (D minor) is built from 3 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- D · 1 · root
- F · ♭3 · minor third
- A · 5 · perfect fifth
Other D chords
- D
- Dm
- D7
- D7M
- Dm7
- Dm7(b5)
- D°
- D°7
- D+
- Dsus2
- Dsus4
- D7sus4
- D5
- Dadd9
- D6
- Dm6
- D9
- Dm(add9)
- Dm9
- D7M(9)
- Dm(7M)
- D7M(#5)
- D7(b9)
- D6(9)
- Dm6(9)
- D11
- Dm11
- D13
- Dm13
- D7(#9)
- D7(#11)
- D7(b13)
- D7(#5)
- D7M(#11)
- D9sus4
Minor: other roots
Chords that go with Dm
In the key of Dm (minor), the most common chords next to it are the iv, the V7, the ♭III, the ♭VI and the ♭VII:
Arpeggio
Frequently asked questions
How do you play the Dm chord on guitar?
Dm (D minor) has 5 fingerings on this page, from easiest to hardest. Each diagram shows the fingers, the open strings (o) and the strings you do not play (x), and you can hear every shape.
What notes are in Dm?
The notes of Dm are D, F, A. The formula is 1 · ♭3 · 5: root, minor third, perfect fifth.
What does Dm mean?
Dm is the chord symbol for D minor. The minor third makes the chord darker, wistful or inward-looking. In a major key it shows up on the ii, iii and vi degrees (A minor in C major); in a minor key it is home base, from romantic ballads to folk songs.
Can I play Dm on other instruments?
Yes. Dm also has a page on ukulele, on cavaquinho, with the fingerings for each instrument.