D Minor Guitar Chord (Dm)

231

Dm

NameD minor
NotesDFA
IntervalsRrootb3minor 3rd55th

Root

Chord type

  • Space Play
  • Left arrowRight arrow Root
  • Up arrowDown arrow Chord type

Shape

Tone

Dots show

Dm is a soft, sad-sounding open chord on the top four strings. It's the minor cousin of D major: only the note on the high E string changes.

How to play the Dm chord

  1. Don't play the low E and A strings.
  2. Put your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the G string (A).
  3. Put your 3rd finger on the 3rd fret of the B string (D).
  4. Put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the high E string (F).
  5. Let the D string ring open (D).
  6. Strum from the D string down, skipping the strings above it.

TipStart your strum on the open D string. Your 1st finger on the high E sits right next to your 3rd finger on the B string, so keep both on their tips.

4 ways to play Dm

Every shape below is a real Dm, checked note by note: D, F, A and nothing else. Easiest first, with the dark dot on the root.

Dm chord diagram, open: x x 0 2 3 1
Open EasyWith sound The one most players learn first. This is the shape you hear on the play button.
Dm chord diagram, barre, 5th fret: x 5 7 7 6 5
Barre, 5th fret Medium Root on the A string. The open Am shape moved up with a barre, a movable shape for any minor chord.
Dm chord diagram, barre, 10th fret: 10 12 12 10 10 10
Barre, 10th fret Medium Root on the low E string. It's the open Em shape moved up with your 1st finger as the nut, so you can slide it to any minor chord.
Dm chord diagram, 12th fret: x x 12 14 15 13
12th fret Medium 4 strings, root on the D string. Higher and lighter, great for a second guitar part.

D vs Dm: hear the difference

Only one note changes: Dm has F (the minor 3rd), D has F# (the major 3rd). Play them back to back:

Dm

DFA

Darker and sadder

D

DF#A

Bright and settled

Chord progressions with Dm

Chords make sense once you move between them. Press play to hear each progression with the real recordings, one chord per bar, then play along. Tap any chord to open its page.

The pop progression, from the minor

vi - IV - I - V in F
Dm Bb F C
Countless songs loop this.

The walk-down

i - bVII - bVI - V in D minor
Dm C Bb A
Also called the Andalusian cadence.

Minor key loop

i - iv - V - i in D minor
Dm Gm A Dm
The V is major here, which pulls you home.

Practice changing to Dm

Switching chords cleanly is what makes a new chord usable in a song. Start the timer, then go back and forth between Dm and the chord you picked, strumming each one, and keep a count in your head. Your hands stay on the guitar the whole time. When it beeps, type in your count and try to beat it next time.

Dm to Bb

60seconds

-last try

-your best

Practice Dm with

Songs that use Dm

  • Sultans of Swing by Dire StraitsHome chord, verse Dm-C-Bb-A
  • Losing My Religion by R.E.M.End of verse Am-Em-Dm-G
  • Wild World by Cat StevensVerse Am-D7-G-Cmaj7-F-Dm-E
  • Dust in the Wind by KansasVerse line Am-G-Dm-Am

Learn it with a teacher

Diagrams show you where your fingers go. A teacher shows you how to make it sound good. Start with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:

The Minor Chord Free with an account · Mike Edwin Introduction To Guitar - Chords Free with an account · Chris Feener Chord Changes for Beginners - Transitions Free with an account · Chris Feener Mastering Bar Chords - Introduction Free with an account · Chris Feener

Access these lessons with a free account. No payment needed. Sign up free

Chords that go with Dm

BbmajorFmajorCmajorAmajorGmminor

Other D chords

DmajorD7dominant 7Dmaj7major 7Dm7minor 7Dsus4suspended 4D7sus47 suspended 4D5power chordD6major 6Dm6minor 6D9dominant 9DaugaugmentedDdim7diminished 7

Other minor chords

CmC Eb GC#mC# E G#EbmEb Gb BbEmE G BFmF Ab CF#mF# A C#GmG Bb DG#mG# B D#AmA C EBbmBb Db FBmB D F#

See all 154 chords in the Guitar Chord Chart

Dm chord FAQ

What notes are in a Dm chord?

Dm has 3 notes: D (the root), F (the minor 3rd) and A (the 5th). Every Dm shape on the guitar is those notes in a different order.

What is the difference between D and Dm?

Only one note changes: Dm has F (the minor 3rd), D has F# (the major 3rd). Use the player above to hear both.

Is Dm hard to play?

No, it's one of the easier ones: 3 fingers and no barre, and the open strings do some of the work. Practice switching to it from a chord you already know.

How do you play Dm as a barre chord?

Barre the 5th fret with your 1st finger, using the A shape (x-5-7-7-6-5). That shape is movable: slide it up or down and it plays a minor chord on every fret.

What key is Dm in?

It's the i chord in D minor, the vi chord in F major, the ii chord in C major and the iii chord in Bb major.