Dm chord
Darker and more melancholy than major. A single semitone — the flattened third — makes the whole difference.
D minor · 3 voicings
Notes in Dm
How to Play Dm
Open position
x x 0 2 3 1
Barre, Em shape
10 12 12 10 10 10
Barre, Am shape
x 5 7 7 6 5
Numbers under each diagram are frets, string 6 (thickest) to string 1. x means don't play that string; 0 means play it open.
Where Dm Is Used
Dm occurs naturally in 3 major keys. Its roman numeral tells you the job it does in each — the same chord feels like home in one key and like tension in another.
| Key | Degree | Role |
|---|---|---|
| C major | ii | Pre-dominant — sets up the V |
| F major | vi | Relative minor — the darker centre |
| B♭ major | iii | Mediant — a soft, in-between colour |
Progressions featuring Dm
- ii – V – I — the central cadence in jazz
- I – vi – ii – V — the 1950s doo-wop turnaround
- vi – IV – I – V — the pop-punk staple
Playing tips for Dm
Dm has an open-position shape, which means some strings ring open and it is playable without barring. Press just behind the fret rather than on top of it, keep your fingertips arched so they do not deaden neighbouring strings, and strum only the strings the diagram marks as played.
If a string buzzes or sounds dead, the usual causes are a fingertip leaning against it, not quite enough pressure, or a finger too far behind the fret. Play each string one at a time to find which one is failing before adjusting the whole shape — and make sure your guitar is in tune first, since an out-of-tune string will make a correct shape sound wrong. Use our free online tuner to check.
Related Chords
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