Which notes are in the Dm7 chord?

Dm7 contains the notes D, F, A and C. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7.

How many ways can you play Dm7?

Minory lists 3 guitar fingerings for Dm7, 3 of which are barre shapes. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.

Is the Dm7 chord hard to play?

Dm7 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

D minor 7th · Guitar

Dm7 Chord on Guitar

The Dm7 chord (D minor 7th) is built from the notes D, F, A and C. 3 different guitar fingerings for it are shown below.

Chord diagrams

Position 1barre shape

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): muted
string 4 (D): played open
string 3 (G): fret 2 — middle finger
string 2 (B): fret 1 — index finger
string 1 (E): fret 1 — index finger

Position 2barre shape · starts at fret 5

Fingering

string 6 (E): muted
string 5 (A): fret 5 — index finger
string 4 (D): fret 7 — ring finger
string 3 (G): fret 5 — index finger
string 2 (B): fret 6 — middle finger
string 1 (E): fret 5 — index finger

Position 3barre shape · starts at fret 10

Fingering

string 6 (E): fret 10 — index finger
string 5 (A): fret 12 — ring finger
string 4 (D): fret 10 — index finger
string 3 (G): fret 10 — index finger
string 2 (B): fret 10 — index finger
string 1 (E): fret 10 — index finger

Notes in this chord

Degrees: 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7

How to play

Every guitar shape for Dm7 needs a barre, and the lowest one starts at fret 1. Keep the index finger straight and as close to the fret wire as possible, and let the wrist rather than the thumb supply the pressure.

Theory behind the chord

Minor seventh chords soften the plain minor triad with a minor seventh. They are the standard ii chord in jazz progressions and sit comfortably under vocals in R&B and funk. On Dm7 this structure sits on the root D, so the degrees 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7 map onto D, F, A and C.

Frequently asked questions

Which notes are in the Dm7 chord?: Dm7 contains the notes D, F, A and C. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – ♭3 – 5 – ♭7.
How many ways can you play Dm7?: Minory lists 3 guitar fingerings for Dm7, 3 of which are barre shapes. They all produce the same chord — what changes is the voicing and where it sits on the neck.
Is the Dm7 chord hard to play?: Dm7 requires a barre, so it can feel demanding at first. Keeping the index finger straight and pressing from the wrist rather than the thumb makes it noticeably easier.

Practise Dm7 on your phone

Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.