Dminor

Dm is D, F and A, a minor triad. The shape this page opens on is written xx0231, lowest string first.

Note by note. D is the root, F is the minor third and A is the fifth.

Also written Dmin, D- or D minor. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 10 common shapes for Dm on the guitar, and 50 derived voicings in 2 families.

One note away. Change a single note of Dm and you have D (with one note moved), Ddim (with one note moved), Dsus2 (with one note moved), Dsus4 (with one note moved), Dm6 (with one note added) or Dm7 (with one note added).

In which keys. Every note of Dm belongs to C major (the ii), D minor (the i), F major (the vi), G minor (the v), A minor (the iv) and Bb major (the iii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: xx0231, xx3231, x5323x, x57765, x8776x, 10-8-7-7-x-10, 10-12-12-10-10-10, x-x-12-10-10-10, x-x-12-14-15-13, x-x-15-14-15-13.

Under the hand. 1 of the 10 shapes here sits in open position, and the first uses 1 open string with 2 left unplayed. 2 of the 10 need a barre. Together they cover the neck from the 1st fret to the 15th.

Triad. Three notes across one string set. Dm has 100xxx, xxx231, xx0231, xx3231, 1002xx, xx323x, x0323x, 553xxx.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Dm has x0076x.

What kind of chord this is. Dm is a minor chord — root, minor third, fifth. minor chords on every root, and what they are for.

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.