Dm7 D minor seventh chord
- Notes
- D F A C
- Formula
- 1 b3 5 b7
- Semitones
- 0 3 7 10 above the root
- Other symbols
- Dmin7, D−7
D to F is a minor third (3 semitones), F to A is a major third (4 semitones), A to C is a minor third (3 semitones). A minor triad plus a minor seventh (C). With F in the bass the same four notes are read as F6.
Dm7 on the piano
Root position from D4: D4, F4, A4, C5. Middle C is C4.
Dm7 on the guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E). Strings run low E on the left to high e on the right, frets downwards; × is a muted string, ○ an open string, and each dot shows the note it sounds, with the root in blue-green. Every shape below has D as its lowest note.
x x 0 2 1 1 (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 A3 C4 F4
x 5 7 5 6 5 (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 A3 C4 F4 A4
10 12 10 10 10 10 (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 A3 C4 F4 A4 D5
The barre shapes are movable: an E-shape chord's root is the note under your first finger on the low E string, an A-shape chord's root is the note on the A string. Slide the same grip up or down to play minor seventh chords on other roots.
Inversions of Dm7
An inversion puts a note other than the root in the bass. The name is what semicord's chord finder calls those notes played bottom to top; a slash name like C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
| Position | Notes, bass first | Named | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | D F A C | Dm7 | |
| 1st inversion | F A C D | F6 (also read as Dm7/F) | |
| 2nd inversion | A C D F | Dm7/A | |
| 3rd inversion | C D F A | Dm7/C |
Where Dm7 fits
Dm7 is ii7 in C major, iii7 in Bb major, vi7 in F major. As ii7 it is the first chord of the ii–V–I that ends countless jazz and pop phrases: Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7.