D#/E♭ Minor 7th
1st FretA compact 4-string D-shape voicing — the open Dm7 shape moved up one fret. Middle on D fret 1 (root), ring on G fret 3 (5th), index across B fret 2 and high e fret 2 (minor 7th and minor 3rd). Strum the top four strings only — no big barre needed.
D#/E♭ Minor 7th
6th FretThe standard D#m7 — Am7-shape barre at the 6th fret. Barre fret 6 with the index finger; ring on D fret 8, middle on B fret 7. A full D#m7 voicing rooted on the A string.
D#/E♭ Minor 7th
11th FretEm7-shape barre at the 11th fret. Barre across all six strings at fret 11 with the index, then ring on A fret 13. A full, resonant D#m7 voicing with the root on the low E string.
D#/E♭ Minor 7th
6th FretCompact three-note voicing on the top strings — minor 7th on G fret 6, minor 3rd on B fret 7, root on high e fret 6. Only three fingers, no barre. Great for fast comping and quiet rhythm work.
D#/E♭ Minor 7th
13th FretThe 1st-fret D-shape moved one octave up — index on D fret 13, ring on G fret 15, middle on B fret 14, pinky on high e fret 14. Bright and articulate for high-register chord work and chord-melody passages.
Tips for Playing the D#m7 Chord
Start with the 4-string D-shape
The x-x-1-3-2-2 shape at fret 1 is the easiest practical D#m7 — just the open Dm7 slid up one fret. Once you know Dm7, you already know D#m7.
Spell it as E♭m7 in flat keys
In written music, this chord is almost always spelled E♭m7, because flat-key signatures dominate jazz, R&B, and orchestral writing. The shape and sound are identical to D#m7.
Mute the low E cleanly
Most D#m7 voicings skip the low E. Let the side of your index finger lightly touch the low E to mute it as you strum.
Use the Am7-shape for fuller sound
The x-6-8-6-7-6 barre at fret 6 gives a richer, fuller D#m7 than the compact 4-string shape. It is the standard barre voicing.
E♭m7 in the ii–V–I
E♭m7 → A♭7 → D♭maj7 is the classic ii–V–I in D♭ major. D♭ is a common jazz key for ballads — practise this cycle to internalise the sound.
Slide between m7 shapes
D#m7 (fret 6 Am7-shape) and C#m7 (fret 4 Am7-shape) use the same shape — practise sliding the barre to build m7 fluency around the neck.
About the D#m7 Chord on Guitar
The D#m7 chord is built from four notes: D# (the root), F# (the minor 3rd), A# (the perfect 5th), and C# (the minor 7th). It is the D# minor triad with an added flat 7th, giving the chord a smooth, mellow, slightly melancholy quality. Because none of the chord tones match an open guitar string, every D#m7 voicing requires fretted notes — making this a key chord for developing your barre and moveable-shape technique. D#m7 is enharmonically identical to E♭m7, which is by far the more common spelling in written music: E♭m7 functions as the ii chord in D♭ major (a popular jazz ballad key), the vi chord in G♭ major, and the i chord in E♭ minor. This page covers five voicings, from a compact 4-string D-shape at fret 1 to a high-register voicing an octave up. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 D#m7/E♭m7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 044-string D-shape, Am7-shape barre, Em7-shape barre, top-string voicing, and high-register D-shape
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the D#/E♭ Minor 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every minor 7th chord follows this same formula — root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh.