D Minor Guitar Chord (Dm) | Easy Ways to Play It
Welcome to our tutorial on the D minor (D m) chord. This chord belongs to the Minor Chords family and is composed of the notes D, F, and A. The intervals that construct this chord are the 1 (Root), b3 (Minor Third), and 5 (Perfect Fifth).
The D m chord is a staple in many musical genres and is crucial in creating a melancholic or intense atmosphere. It's an essential chord to master for any aspiring guitarist. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to play this chord with chord diagrams and fretboard patterns showing the tones composing it.
To understand more about the theory behind the formation of chords, you might want to check out our tutorial that teaches how to build chords by stacking intervals. This will give you a deeper understanding of the D m chord and other chords as well.
Our tutorial about fretboard intervals is also a great resource to get familiar with the intervals that make up the D m chord. Understanding these intervals is key to mastering the fretboard and expanding your chord vocabulary.
If you're interested in learning how to denote chords depending on the intervals that compose it, our tutorial on chord notation will be of great help. This will further enhance your understanding of the D m chord and how it fits into larger pieces of music.
Understanding and mastering the D m chord will open up new possibilities in your guitar playing journey. So, let's dive in and start learning!
Notes in the D m chord:
How the Minor chord is built:
The D Minor Chord | Keys, Fingerings and Progressions
The standard way to play the D minor chord is a 3 finger shape with the open D string
Finger Placement:
- Index finger: 1st fret of the high E (1st) string.
- Middle finger: 2nd fret of the G (3rd) string.
- Ring finger: 3rd fret of the B (2nd) string.
Strum from the D (4th) string down to the high E (1st) string.
It's important to avoid playing the A (5th) and low E (6th) strings.
Keys With The D Minor Chord
C Major Key
The most common place in which you'll find the D minor chord is the C major scale.
Here the D minor is at the 2nd degree, acting as supertonic.
| Key | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | Dm | Em | F | G | Am | B dim |
F Major Key
In the F Major key, Dm is the relative minor, placed at 6th degree.
| Key | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | F | Gm | Am | Bb | C | Dm | E dim |
Bb Major Key
The B-flat major is among the most popular keys for concert bands, that include instruments like the clarinet, saxophone, and soprano trumpet.
It's rarely used on guitar, anyway the Dm is located at the 3rd degree of this key.
| Key | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bb | Bb | Cm | Dm | Eb | F | Gm | A dim |
A Minor Key
This is a great key to play the D minor chord. In fact, the minor version of the 1-4-5 progression, is Am, Dm and Em.
Give it a try to fell how it sounds cool!
| Key | i | ii | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Am | B dim | C | Dm | Em | F | G |
G Minor Key
In the G minor key the D m chord act as dominant. Try again the 1-4-5 progression, which is Gm, Cm and Dm in this case.
| Key | i | ii | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Gm | A dim | Bb | Cm | Dm | Eb | F |
Popular Progressions With The D Minor Chord
The Dm chord is present in many songs and progressions, here a list of cool sequences you can try:
- i-iv-VII: Dm, Gm and C, in the key of D minor
- i-iv-V: Dm, Gm, A, in the key of D minor
- I-vi-ii-V: C, Am, Dm, G, in the key of C major
You find more chord progressions in all keys in my complete ebook 52 Chord Progressions | Learn How To Connect Chords and Create Great Songs.
D Minor Guitar Chord Voicings
Chord boxes are sorted from the easiest to the hardest. Learn how to read chord diagrams.
If you have difficulties with bar chord shapes, check the Bar Chords Tips tutorial.
You can also use this accessible chords page with written diagrams instruction.
Position 1
Movable
Position 2
Movable
Position 3
Open
Position 4
Movable
Position 5
Movable
Position 6
Movable
Position 7
Open
Position 8
Open
Position 9
Open
Position 10
Open
Position 11
Movable
Position 12
Movable
Position 13
Barre
Open
Position 14
Barre
Open
Position 15
Barre
Movable
Position 16
Barre
Movable
Position 17
Barre
Movable
Position 18
Barre
Movable
Position 19
Barre
Movable
You can find more shapes in our all guitar chords online library. If you
prefer a printable pdf, download
the Free Guitar Chords Chart Pdf
FAQ
What notes and intervals make up the D minor (Dm) chord?
The D minor chord is composed of the notes D, F, and A. These correspond to the intervals of the 1 (Root), b3 (Minor Third), and 5 (Perfect Fifth) respectively, which define its minor quality.
How do I finger the standard D minor chord on the guitar?
To play the standard D minor chord, place your index finger on the 1st fret of the high E (1st) string, your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the G (3rd) string, and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B (2nd) string. The open D (4th) string is also played.
Which strings should I strum when playing the D minor chord?
When playing the standard D minor chord, you should strum from the D (4th) string down to the high E (1st) string. It is important to avoid playing the A (5th) and low E (6th) strings to ensure the chord sounds clear.
Why does the D minor chord sound melancholic or intense?
The melancholic or intense atmosphere of the D minor chord is primarily due to the presence of the minor third (b3) interval. This specific interval relationship between the root (D) and the third (F) creates the characteristic minor quality.
In what common major and minor keys is the D minor chord typically found?
The D minor chord is a common chord found in several keys. It functions as the ii chord in C Major, the vi chord (relative minor) in F Major, the iii chord in Bb Major, the iv chord in A Minor, and the v chord (dominant) in G Minor.
What are some popular chord progressions that include the D minor chord?
Some popular chord progressions featuring the D minor chord are: i-iv-VII (Dm, Gm, C) in the key of D minor, i-iv-V (Dm, Gm, A) also in D minor, and I-vi-ii-V (C, Am, Dm, G) in the key of C major.