Dm, minor chord
D, F and A
- Root
- D
- Minor third
- F
- Perfect fifth
- A
Formula
1 ♭3 5 (3, 7 half steps above D)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | D | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
D minor inversions
D minor has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
Dm
Root position
| Notes | D | F | A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Dm/F
First inversion
| Notes | F | A | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Dm/A
Second inversion
| Notes | A | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with D minor
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. D minor appears as:
- i in D minor
- vi in F major
- ii in C major
- iii in B♭ major
- iv in A minor
- v in G minor
How D minor is built
D is the root, F the minor third and A the perfect fifth.
A minor chord is a root, the minor third 3 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Raise the middle note by one key and D minor becomes D major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of D minor are D, F, A. That is why it is spelled D, F and A.
Find D minor yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of D minor, in any octave and any order.
Practice D minor in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the D minor chord?
D minor (Dm) has three notes: D, F and A. D is the root, F the minor third and A the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for D minor on piano?
In root position, play D, F and A with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of D minor?
D minor has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Dm/F): F, A and D. Second inversion (Dm/A): A, D and F.
What key is D minor in?
D minor is i in D minor, its home key. It also appears as vi in F major, ii in C major, iii in B♭ major, iv in A minor and v in G minor.