Chords in the Key of D Minor: The 7 Chords, the A7 Trick and Progressions
D minor is the classic sad key. It shares its chords with F major, plus one important change: the A7 that pulls the music home. Here is all of it on guitar.
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In this guide
The chords in the key of D minor are Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, Bb and C. In real songs, the fifth chord is usually played as A or A7 rather than Am, because the major version leads home to Dm much more strongly. The most-used chords are Dm, Gm, A7, Bb, C and F.
D minor has one flat (Bb) and shares every chord with its relative major, F. If you can play in F, you already know the chords; the difference is that in D minor, Dm is home.
The chords
| Degree | i | ii° | III | iv | v (often V7) | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord | Dm | Edim | F | Gm | Am → A7 | Bb | C |
| Notes | D F A | E G Bb | F A C | G Bb D | A C E → A C# E G | Bb D F | C E G |
The A7 trick, explained
In the natural minor scale, the fifth chord is minor (Am). It sounds gentle, but it does not pull back to Dm very strongly. Raise one note, the C, by a fret to C#, and Am becomes A (or A7). That C# sits just below D, and the ear hears it as wanting to rise to D, so A7 to Dm sounds like coming home.
Both are correct. Use Am for a softer, modal, folk sound and A or A7 for a classic, resolved minor-key sound. Many songs use both.
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Common progressions in D minor
| Progression | Chords | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| i – iv – V7 – i | Dm – Gm – A7 – Dm | Classic minor key; folk and classical |
| i – VI – VII – i | Dm – Bb – C – Dm | Rock and epic film music |
| i – VII – VI – V | Dm – C – Bb – A | The "Andalusian cadence", flamenco and rock ballads |
| i – III – VII – iv | Dm – F – C – Gm | Pop with a melancholy edge |
| i – iv – i – V | Dm – Gm – Dm – A | Minor blues feel |
The Andalusian cadence, stepping down Dm – C – Bb – A, is one of the most recognizable sounds in guitar music. Play it slowly with a down-strum per chord and you will hear why. For more moody progressions, see sad chord progressions.
Playing in D minor with a capo
If Gm and Bb are holding you back, play Am-family shapes with a capo on the 5th fret. A minor shapes (Am, Dm, E7, F, G, C) then sound as D minor chords:
| You play (capo 5) | Am | Dm | E7 | F | G | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| It sounds as | Dm | Gm | A7 | Bb | C | F |
That turns Dm – Gm – A7 – Dm into the very playable Am – Dm – E7 – Am. Our A minor guide covers those shapes in detail.
Scales for soloing in D minor
- D minor pentatonic (D, F, G, A, C): the safe, bluesy choice. The box starts at the 10th fret on the low E string, or use the open-position notes.
- D natural minor (D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C): the full key; adds the E and Bb.
- D harmonic minor (with C# instead of C): matches the A7 chord and gives the exotic, classical sound.
Get the pentatonic shapes in the printable minor pentatonic chart or see any scale on the neck with the scale finder.
Related keys
- F major (relative major): same chords, F is home. See chords in the key of F.
- A minor: the most guitar-friendly minor key, and D minor's neighbor. Chords in A minor.
- D major (parallel major): same root, brighter. Chords in D.
Start with the open D minor chord if it is new to you.
Frequently asked questions
What chords are in the key of D minor?
The natural minor chords are Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, Bb and C. In practice, songs in D minor often replace Am with A or A7, because a major V chord leads back to Dm much more strongly.
Why do songs in D minor use A7 instead of Am?
A7 contains C#, a note that sits one fret below D and pulls strongly up to it. That pull makes the return to Dm sound final. The C# comes from the harmonic minor scale.
What is the relative major of D minor?
F major. Both keys use the same seven notes and chords; the difference is which chord feels like home.
How many flats does D minor have?
One, Bb, the same as F major. The D natural minor scale is D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C.
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