The D Minor chord is a three-note chord made up of D, F, and A. It is built from a root, minor third, and perfect fifth.
Construction
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D | Root | 1 |
| F | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| A | Perfect 5th | 5 |
How to Play the D Minor
Right Hand (RH)
Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1 – 3 – 5
Left Hand (LH)
For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 1
D Minor Inversions
| Position | Notes |
|---|---|
| Root Position | D – F – A |
| 1st Inversion | F – A – D |
| 2nd Inversion | A – D – F |
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the D Minor is the tonic (i) chord of D Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, F Major — 1 flat (B♭).
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
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Chords in the Key of D Minor
These are the triads built on each degree of the D minor scale:
How D Minor functions in a key
The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where D Minor sits diatonically across the common keys:
- In F major, D Minor is the vi chord — the tonic.
- In D minor, D Minor is the i chord — the tonic.
- In C major, D Minor is the ii chord — a predominant.
- In A minor, D Minor is the iv chord — a predominant.
- In B♭ major, D Minor is the iii chord — a mediant / color chord.
- In G minor, D Minor is the v chord.
Common D Minor Progressions
Pick a progression and press play. Change the key to hear it anywhere — every chord is built from the same theory as the chord pages, so the notes always agree.
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