D minor 7th chord

  1. Dre
  2. Ffa
  3. Ala
  4. Cdo
Root positionRight hand 1-2-3-5

Dm7 chord notes

D minor 7th adds a minor seventh to the minor chord, ten semitones above the root. It keeps the minor colour but sounds smoother, and it's the II chord in countless II–V–I progressions. Charts write it as Dm7.

NoteInterval from the rootSemitones
DreRoot10
FfaMinor thirdb33
AlaPerfect fifth57
CdoMinor seventhb710
All piano chords

Dm7 chord inversions

An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Dm7's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.

  1. Root position

    D, F, A, C

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1
  2. First inversion

    F, A, C, D

    Right hand
    1-2-4-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1
  3. Second inversion

    A, C, D, F

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-3-2-1
  4. Third inversion

    C, D, F, A

    Right hand
    1-2-3-5
    Left hand
    5-4-2-1

Keys that use Dm7

In these major keys Dm7 is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.

  • C majorIIm7
  • F majorVIm7
  • B-flat majorIIIm7

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Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Dm7 chord?

D minor 7th (Dm7) is D, F, A, C. In solfège that's re, fa, la, do.

Which fingers play Dm7?

In root position, the right hand plays 1-2-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-2-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.

Which chord usually comes after Dm7?

In a II–V–I it moves to the 7th chord a fifth below its root, then to the home chord. That's the most common path for Dm7 in pop and jazz.