D minor chord
- Dre
- Ffa
- Ala
Dm chord notes
D minor stacks a minor third on its root and a major third on top, three semitones and then four. Only the middle note moves down from the major chord, and the sound turns darker. Chord charts write it as Dm.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Dre | Root1 | 0 |
| Ffa | Minor thirdb3 | 3 |
| Ala | Perfect fifth5 | 7 |
Dm chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using Dm's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
D, F, A
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
F, A, D
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
A, D, F
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use Dm
In these major keys Dm 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 majorIIm
- F majorVIm
- B-flat majorIIIm
Piano practice that remembers
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What notes are in the Dm chord?
D minor (Dm) is D, F, A. In solfège that's re, fa, la.
Which fingers play Dm?
In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.
How is Dm different from the major chord?
Only the middle note. Lower the major chord's third by one semitone and you have Dm, so you can switch between the two without moving your hand.