D Minor (Dm)

1+b3+5
DFA
4 4
Download MIDI

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

DFA

1st inversion

F in the bass

FAD

2nd inversion

A in the bass

ADF

Press D, F and A together on the keyboard and you're playing D Minor.

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 key on the diagram above to hear that single note.