Which strings do I strum for D minor?

4 strings, from the D string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E and A strings.

What notes are in a D minor chord?

D, F, A. The D is the root, the note the chord is named after. The F makes it minor.

What chords go with Dm?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Gm and Am, and its relative major, F. Songs move between these because they share notes.

minor chord

How to play D minor chord on guitar

The minor twin of D. One finger moves one fret and the mood changes completely.

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Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
2
ring finger, B string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
3
index finger, thin e string, fret 1
The thinnest string, nearest the floor.
4
Leave the D string open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
5
Strum 4 strings, from the D string down
Skip the thick E and A. They would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in Dm

A chord is three or four notes played together. D minor is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
D	root	D string, open; B string, fret 3
F	minor third	thin e string, fret 1
A	fifth	G string, fret 2

The root, D, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds sad or thoughtful.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

Gm and Am are Dm’s neighbours. Most songs in Dm use one or both.
F is its relative major: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Index on fret 2

That makes D major. For D minor the index finger sits on fret 1 of the thin e string.

Tip

Four strings only

Start the strum on the D string. The two thick strings are not part of this chord.

Songs that use it

Songs in A minor, D minor and F. The chord before E in a minor song.

In those songs, Dm is followed by Am . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for D minor?: 4 strings, from the D string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E and A strings.
What notes are in a D minor chord?: D, F, A. The D is the root, the note the chord is named after. The F makes it minor.
What chords go with Dm?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Gm and Am, and its relative major, F. Songs move between these because they share notes.