D Minor (Dm)

Download MIDI
1+b3+5
D1F3A5
4 4

Notes in D Minor

D (root)FA

Inversions

Same notes as D Minor, with a different chord tone as the lowest note. Useful for smoother movement between chords instead of jumping around the keyboard.

Root position

D in the bass

D1F3A5

1st inversion

F in the bass (Dm/F)

F1A2D5

2nd inversion

A in the bass (Dm/A)

A1D3F5

D Minor is built from D, F and A.

Shrink the major third by a semitone and the same stable shape turns melancholy. A minor triad still resolves, it just carries a heavier, more introspective mood than its major counterpart. Sad songs lean on it constantly, but so do tense film cues and moody grooves, so treat the label as a starting point rather than the whole story.

Difficulty: Beginner. Category: Triads. Click any highlighted key on the diagram above, or tab to it and press Enter, to hear that single note. Inversions mark the bass note with a contrasting outline.