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D minor 9th chord on guitar (Dm9)
Also called or written Dm9 or D
D minor 9th contains D, F, A, C and E. The 10th-fret barre is a movable shape that works up and down the neck.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9
- Root positionD–F–A–C–EDm910-12-10-10-10-12
- First inversionF–A–C–E–DDm9/F1-0-0-2-1-0
- Second inversionA–C–E–D–FDm9/Ano shape on this instrument
- Third inversionC–E–D–F–ADm9/C×-3-3-2-3-0
- Fourth inversionE–D–F–A–CDm9/E0-0-0-2-1-1
How do you play a D minor 9th chord on guitar?
D minor 9th is played at the 10th fret as 10 12 10 10 10 12: barre your index finger across fret 10, ring finger on the A string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 12.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (1) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 3 | A (5) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 1 (barre) | C (♭7) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 1 (barre) | F (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 10 | 1 (barre) | A (5) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 4 | E (2) |
AdvancedThe index barre must hold down all six strings at the 10th fret while the ring finger and pinky stretch to the 12th fret.
Dm9/F inversion · 1-0-0-2-1-0 — the easy shape, no barre
D minor 9th is played in open position as 1 0 0 2 1 0: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the G string at fret 2 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The A, D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (5) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (5) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | C (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (2) |
Dm9/F inversion · 1-3-0-2-1-0
D minor 9th is played in open position as 1 3 0 2 1 0: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, pinky finger on the A string at fret 3, ring finger on the G string at fret 2 and middle finger on the B string at fret 1. The D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (5) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 2 | C (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (2) |
Dm9/F inversion · 1-3-0-2-3-0
D minor 9th is played in open position as 1 3 0 2 3 0: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the G string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (♭7) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (5) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (1) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (2) |
Dm9/F inversion · 13-12-12-14-13-12
D minor 9th is played at the 12th fret as 13 12 12 14 13 12: barre your index finger across fret 12, middle finger on the low E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the G string at fret 14 and ring finger on the B string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 2 | F (♭3) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 1 (barre) | A (5) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 1 (barre) | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 14 | 4 | A (5) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 3 | C (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (2) |
Why it sounds like that
D minor 9th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, ♭7, 9. The 9th, E, is what separates it from D minor 7th. The ♭7, C, gives the chord its minor 9th quality.
What goes wrong with D minor 9th?
- The D string is muted because the ring finger leans against it when fretting the A string.
- The high E string does not ring clearly because the pinky is not pressing hard enough.
When to use it
D minor 9th is the vi chord in F major, appearing in the I–V–vi–IV progression F–C–Dm–B♭. It suits jazz, funk and R&B where the 9th adds a smooth colour.
Changing to and from D minor 9th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 8th fret gives C minor 9th.
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 9th fret gives C♯ minor 9th.
Which voicing to use
The 10th-fret voicing has D in the bass and is the default grip. The Dm9/F inversion, with F in the bass, creates a darker sound that works when the bass player covers the root.
Other D chords
Common questions
How is D minor 9th written?
D minor 9th is written Dm9 or D minor 9th. The symbol Dm9 is the most common shorthand.
What is the difference between D minor 9th and D minor 7th?
D minor 9th adds the 9th, E, to the D minor 7th notes D, F, A and C. The 9th gives a more open, jazzy sound.
Can I play D minor 9th without a barre?
Yes, the Dm9/F inversion at the 1st fret uses open strings and no barre. It has F in the bass, so it works well when the bass player covers the root.