D Minor 7th
Open PositionThe classic open Dm7 — middle on G fret 2, index on B fret 1, ring on high e fret 1. The D string is played open as the root. The low E and A strings are not strummed.
D Minor 7th
5th FretAm7-shape barre at the 5th fret. Barre fret 5 with the index across the A, D, G, B, and high e strings; ring on D fret 7, middle on B fret 6. A full Dm7 voicing rooted on the A string.
D Minor 7th
10th FretEm7-shape barre at the 10th fret. Barre across all six strings at fret 10 with the index, then ring on A fret 12. A full, resonant Dm7 voicing with the root on the low E string.
D Minor 7th
5th FretCompact three-note voicing on the top strings — minor 7th on G fret 5, minor 3rd on B fret 6, root on high e fret 5. Only three fingers, no barre. Great for fast comping in jazz and soul.
D Minor 7th
12th FretThe open Dm7 shape moved up the neck by one octave — index on G fret 12, ring on B fret 13, middle on high e fret 13, with the D string played at fret 12. Bright and articulate for high-register chord work.
Tips for Playing the Dm7 Chord
Start with the open shape
The open Dm7 (x-x-0-2-1-1) is one of the easiest 7th chords on guitar. Two or three fingers, and it sounds beautifully smooth — perfect for folk, jazz, and pop.
Mute the low E and A
In the open Dm7, only the D string and above should ring. Let your thumb or the side of your index finger lightly touch the A and low E to mute them.
Try the mini-barre
In the open Dm7, you can use a partial barre with the index finger across the B and high e at fret 1 — frees up your other fingers and is a useful technique for many 7th chords.
Dm7 in the ii–V–I
Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7 is the classic ii–V–I in C major and the single most-used cadence in jazz. Practise this cycle through every key.
Sub for Dm
Dm7 sounds great as a substitute for Dm in soul, R&B, and bossa nova styles. Try it anywhere a plain Dm feels too dark or static.
Move the barre shapes
The Am7-shape at fret 5 and Em7-shape at fret 10 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any minor 7th chord on the A or low E string roots.
About the Dm7 Chord on Guitar
The Dm7 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. Dm7 is one of the most-used chords in jazz, soul, R&B, folk, and bossa nova — it most commonly functions as the ii chord in a ii–V–I progression in C major (Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7), but it also serves as the vi chord in F major and the i chord in D minor. This page covers five voicings, from the easy open shape (one of the most beginner-friendly 7th chords on guitar) to advanced barre and high-register voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Dm7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open position, Am7-shape barre, Em7-shape barre, compact top-string, and high-register voicings
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the D 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.