D Minor 7 Guitar Chord (Dm7)

211

Dm7

NameD minor 7
NotesDFAC
IntervalsRrootb3minor 3rd55thb7flat 7th

Root

Chord type

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

Shape

Tone

Dots show

Dm7 is a mellow four-string chord you hear in jazz, soul and pop. It's often the ii chord on the way to G7 and C.

How to play the Dm7 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 1st finger on the 1st fret of the B string (C).
  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.

TipLay your 1st finger across the B and high E strings at the 1st fret, then put your 2nd finger on the G string.

4 ways to play Dm7

Every shape below is a real Dm7, checked note by note: D, F, A, C and nothing else. Easiest first, with the dark dot on the root.

Dm7 chord diagram, open: x x 0 2 1 1
Open EasyWith sound The one most players learn first. This is the shape you hear on the play button.
Dm7 chord diagram, barre, 5th fret: x 5 7 5 6 5
Barre, 5th fret Medium Root on the A string. The open Am7 shape moved up with a barre, a movable shape for any minor 7 chord.
Dm7 chord diagram, barre, 10th fret: 10 12 10 10 10 10
Barre, 10th fret Medium Root on the low E string. It's the open Em7 shape moved up with your 1st finger as the nut, so you can slide it to any minor 7 chord.
Dm7 chord diagram, 12th fret: x x 12 14 13 13
12th fret Medium 4 strings, root on the D string. Higher and lighter, great for a second guitar part.

Dm vs Dm7: hear the difference

Dm7 is Dm plus C (the flat 7th). Play them back to back:

Dm7

DFAC

Mellow and smooth

Dm

DFA

Darker and sadder

Chord progressions with Dm7

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.

As the ii in a ii - V - I

iim7 - V7 - Imaj7 in C
Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 Cmaj7
The most important progression in jazz.

Soul vamp

im7 - ivm7 in D minor
Dm7 Gm7 Dm7 Gm7
Two minor 7ths, all over soul and funk.

Jazz turnaround

Imaj7 - vim7 - iim7 - V7 in F
Fmaj7 Dm7 Gm7 C7
Loops back to the start forever.

Practice changing to Dm7

Switching chords cleanly is what makes a new chord usable in a song. Start the timer, then go back and forth between Dm7 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.

Dm7 to G7

60seconds

-last try

-your best

Practice Dm7 with

Songs that use Dm7

  • Fly Me to the Moon by Frank SinatraOpening Am-Dm7-G7-Cmaj7
  • Sunday Morning by Maroon 5Whole song is Dm7-G7-C
  • Moondance by Van MorrisonChorus Am-Dm7
  • Let It Be by The BeatlesTurnaround F-C/E-Dm7-C

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:

Shell Voicings - Build Your Chord Vocabulary Free lesson · Tom Quayle Voice Leading: Intro Free with an account · Mike Salow Chord Changes for Beginners - Transitions Free with an account · Chris Feener

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

Chords that go with Dm7

G7dominant 7Cmaj7major 7Gm7minor 7Fmaj7major 7C7dominant 7

Other D chords

DmajorDmminorD7dominant 7Dmaj7major 7Dsus4suspended 4D7sus47 suspended 4D5power chordD6major 6Dm6minor 6D9dominant 9DaugaugmentedDdim7diminished 7

Other minor 7 chords

Cm7C Eb G BbC#m7C# E G# BEbm7Eb Gb Bb DbEm7E G B DFm7F Ab C EbF#m7F# A C# EGm7G Bb D FG#m7G# B D# F#Am7A C E GBbm7Bb Db F AbBm7B D F# A

See all 154 chords in the Guitar Chord Chart

Dm7 chord FAQ

What notes are in a Dm7 chord?

Dm7 has 4 notes: D (the root), F (the minor 3rd), A (the 5th) and C (the flat 7th). Every Dm7 shape on the guitar is those notes in a different order.

What is the difference between Dm and Dm7?

Dm7 is Dm plus C (the flat 7th). Use the player above to hear both.

Is Dm7 hard to play?

No, it's one of the easier ones: 2 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 Dm7 as a barre chord?

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