Dm7 Piano Chord

Dm7 is the D minor seventh chord. It has four notes: D, F, A and C. All four are white keys, and it is one of the three all white minor sevenths.

1D2F3A5CC4C5

D at the bottom, then F and A and C. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. Every key here is white.

How to play Dm7 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the D above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): D
  3. Index finger (2): F
  4. Middle finger (3): A
  5. Little finger (5): C
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just D on its own as a bass note.

Dm7 is the first chord of the most used progression in jazz: Dm7, G7, C. Practising those three in a row teaches the shape and its job at the same time.

Inversions of Dm7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Dm7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionF A C D
Dm7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, F A C D
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionA C D F
Dm7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, A C D F
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.
Third inversionC D F A
Dm7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, C D F A
The most restless of the four. The seventh is the note that wants to move, and putting it underneath the whole chord makes that pull impossible to miss.

If it sounds wrong

The top note is C sharp
It has to be C natural. A minor seventh uses the flat seventh, and C sharp would turn the chord into something else.
The second note is wrong
It is F, a white key. F sharp would give D7, a dominant chord with a very different pull.
The chord sounds thick
Try the first inversion, F A C D. The same four notes sit higher and speak more clearly.

What makes it a Dm7

D · F · A · C 1 ♭3 5 ♭7

Dm7 is a D minor triad, D F A, with a C added on top: the flat seventh.

It is the ii chord of C and the vi of F. The ii job is the important one: Dm7 to G7 to C is the progression that most of jazz is built on, and it appears throughout pop as well.

Dm7 vs Dm

Dm7 is D minor with a C added. D minor is plain and slightly austere; Dm7 is softer and fuller.

In the key of C, either will do the job of the ii chord. Dm7 is the one jazz asks for, and the one that leads into G7 most smoothly.

Questions about Dm7

Which notes are in a Dm7 chord on piano?

D, F, A and C. All four are white keys.

What fingers do you use for Dm7?

Right hand: thumb on D, index on F, middle on A, little finger on C. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

What is the difference between Dm7 and D7?

The second note. Dm7 has F and sounds soft and minor; D7 has F sharp and pulls hard toward G.

Where does Dm7 fit in a progression?

It is the ii chord in C. The standard move is Dm7 to G7 to C, which is the backbone of jazz harmony and common in pop too.

Is Dm7 easy to play?

Yes. Four white keys with an even shape, and it is often learned alongside Am7 and Em7.

Chords to learn next

Other D chords