Dm7
D Minor 7th — the workhorse of smooth harmony — soft, rounded, and at home on the ii chord of nearly everything.
The keys
D – F – A – C
What's inside Dm7
| Note | Interval from root | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| D | Root | 1 |
| F | Minor 3rd | b3 |
| A | Perfect 5th | 5 |
| C | Minor 7th | b7 |
Inversions
| Position | Keys (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Root position | D4 – F4 – A4 – C5 |
| 1st inversion | F4 – A4 – C5 – D5 |
| 2nd inversion | A4 – C5 – D5 – F5 |
| 3rd inversion | C5 – D5 – F5 – A5 |
A working voicing
Split the chord between two hands the way working players do — a solid shell low down, the colour tones up top:
| Hand | Keys |
|---|---|
| Left (shell) | D2 – C3 |
| Right (colour) | F4 – A4 |
Where Dm7 lives
As the ii chord
Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7
Minor-family sevenths live on the ii — this is the move they were born for.
Stepwise colour
D → Dm7 → Em7
Used as a passing colour between neighbouring chords.
Put Dm7 under your fingers
Hear every voicing, see the keys light up, and drill it in the interactive Chord & Voicing Lab.
Open the Chord & Voicing Lab →