D minor · 1 flat

Chords in D minor

D minor has 1 flat, and its notes are D, E, F, G, A, B♭ and C. Its seven chords are Dm, E°, F, Gm, Am, B♭ and C; with sevenths, Dm7, Em7♭5, Fmaj7, Gm7, Am7, B♭maj7 and C7. The dominant players actually use, A7, comes from harmonic minor, so all three minor scales are below.

Natural minor

The key signature's own notes. Its v is minor, so it has no leading tone.

Chords of D minor, Natural minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
i	Dm	Dm7	Tonic	D F A C
ii°	E°		Subdominant
III	F	Fmaj7	Tonic	F A C E
iv	Gm	Gm7	Subdominant
v	Am	Am7	Dominant	A C E G
VI			Tonic
VII	C	C7	Dominant

Harmonic minor

The seventh raised a semitone, which makes V major and V7 a real dominant.

Chords of D minor, Harmonic minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function
i	Dm	DmMaj7	Tonic
ii°	E°		Subdominant
III+	F+		Tonic
iv	Gm	Gm7	Subdominant
V	A	A7	Dominant
VI			Tonic
vii°			Dominant

Melodic minor

The sixth and seventh both raised, as the melody climbs to the tonic.

Chords of D minor, Melodic minor
Degree	Triad	Seventh	Function	Notes
i	Dm	DmMaj7	Tonic
ii	Em	Em7	Subdominant	E G B D
III+	F+		Tonic
IV	G	G7	Subdominant	G B D F
V	A	A7	Dominant
vi°	B°		Tonic	B D F A
vii°			Dominant

Hear where home is

Two short progressions in D minor. The last chord of each is the tonic, and the chord before it is what makes it sound like arriving.

Cadence

Dmi
Gmiv
A7V7
Dmi

Minor ii V i

iiø7
A7V7
Dm7i7

Common progressions in D minor

Minor ii V i iiø7 V7 i7
2. A7
3. Dm7
Andalusian cadence i VII VI V
1. Dm
2. C
4. A
i VI III VII i VI III VII
1. Dm
3. F
4. C

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