Minor 7th · beginner

D minor 7th(Dm7)

A compact D minor 7 voicing used in jazz, soul and the common Dm7–G7–Cmaj7 turnaround.

Notes

DFAC

Intervals

Rb35b7

Finger placement

  1. AMiddle finger (2): fret 2 of the G string.
  2. BIndex finger (1): fret 1 of the B string.
  3. CIndex finger (1): fret 1 of the high E string.
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211××DACF

Sounding notes shown below · low E on the left

× Don’t play○ Open string1–4 Fingers● Root (ring)

Choose a string to hear its note.

String & finger reference
D minor 7th, Open position
StringFretFingerNote
6 · low EMuted——
5 · AMuted——
4 · DOpen—D · root
3 · G22A
2 · B11C
1 · high E11F

Common mistakes

  • Accidentally muting an open string.
  • Strumming a bass string that should be left out.

Coaching tips

  • Use your index finger as a small barre across the B and high E strings at fret 1; keep the low E and A muted.
  • Check the chord one string at a time before strumming across it.

Troubleshooting

An open string sounds muted

Arch the fretting fingers and check that no fingertip or finger pad is touching a neighboring open string.

The chord sounds muddy

Play each string on its own and leave out the muted low strings shown in the diagram.

Progressions that use Dm7

Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 (ii–V–I in C)

Dm7 · G7 · Cmaj7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D minor 7th chord?

D minor 7th contains D, F, A, C — the intervals R, b3, 5, b7 from the root D.

Is D minor 7th a beginner chord?

D minor 7th is rated beginner. A compact D minor 7 voicing used in jazz, soul and the common Dm7–G7–Cmaj7 turnaround.

D minor 7th: an open string sounds muted — what should I do?

Arch the fretting fingers and check that no fingertip or finger pad is touching a neighboring open string.

D minor 7th: the chord sounds muddy — what should I do?

Play each string on its own and leave out the muted low strings shown in the diagram.