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D minor major 7th chord on guitar (DmMaj7)
Also called or written DmMaj7, Dminmaj7, Dmmaj7, DmM7, D Minor Sharp 7 or D Minor ♯7
D minor major 7th is built from D, F, A, and C♯. The open voicing uses only four strings, giving it a compact, focused sound.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7
- Root positionD–F–A–C♯DmMaj7×-×-0-2-2-1
- First inversionF–A–C♯–DDmMaj7/F1-0-0-2-2-1
- Second inversionA–C♯–D–FDmMaj7/A×-0-0-2-2-1
- Third inversionC♯–D–F–ADmMaj7/C♯×-4-3-2-3-×
How do you play a D minor major 7th chord on guitar?
D minor major 7th is played in open position as × × 0 2 2 1: middle finger on the G string at fret 2, ring finger on the B string at fret 2 and index finger on the high e string at fret 1. The D string rings open. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 | F (♭3) |
AdvancedThe open voicing requires precise finger placement to avoid muting the open D string while fretting the adjacent high e string.
5th fret
D minor major 7th is played at the 5th fret as × 5 7 6 6 5: barre your index finger across fret 5, pinky finger on the D string at fret 7, middle finger on the G string at fret 6 and ring finger on the B string at fret 6. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 1 (barre) | D (1) |
| 4 (D) | 7 | 4 | A (5) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 2 | C♯ (7) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 3 | F (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | 5 | 1 (barre) | A (5) |
10th fret
D minor major 7th is played at the 10th fret as 10 12 11 10 10 10: barre your index finger across fret 10, pinky finger on the A string at fret 12 and ring finger on the D string at fret 11.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (1) |
| 5 (A) | 12 | 4 | A (5) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 3 | C♯ (7) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 1 (barre) | F (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 10 | 1 (barre) | A (5) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 1 (barre) | D (1) |
12th fret
D minor major 7th is played at the 12th fret as × × 12 14 14 13: index finger on the D string at fret 12, ring finger on the G string at fret 14, pinky finger on the B string at fret 14 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 13. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 1 | D (1) |
| 3 (G) | 14 | 3 | A (5) |
| 2 (B) | 14 | 4 | C♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 2 | F (♭3) |
Dminmaj7/F inversion
D minor major 7th is played in open position as 1 0 0 2 2 1: index finger on the low E string at fret 1, ring finger on the G string at fret 2, pinky finger on the B string at fret 2 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The A and D 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) | 2 | 4 | C♯ (7) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
D minor major 7th combines a minor triad (1, ♭3, 5) with a major seventh (7), giving the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 7. The major seventh C♯ is what gives this chord its distinctive, unresolved quality. Compare it to D minor, which has only the triad and sounds more settled.
What goes wrong with D minor major 7th?
- Letting the low E or A string ring, which are not chord tones.
- Flattening the middle finger onto the B string, deadening it.
- Pressing the index finger against the D string, stopping it from ringing.
When to use it
D minor major 7th works as a tonic in D minor, often moving to D minor or D suspended 4th. It suits classical-flavored passages, dark folk, and jazz ballads.
Changing to and from D minor major 7th
- Move to D minor by lifting the index finger from the high e string, leaving the other fingers in place.
Which voicing to use
The open position is the easiest and has D in the bass. The 10th fret barre voicing gives a fuller sound with the root on the low E string. The 12th fret voicing omits the low strings for a tighter, higher-register color.
Other D chords
Common questions
How is D minor major 7th written?
D minor major 7th is written Dmmaj7, Dminmaj7, or DmM7. The symbol mmaj7 is also used.
Why does the open voicing mute the A string?
The open A is a chord tone, but muting it keeps the bass note as D, preserving the root position. Letting it ring would create a second-inversion sound with A in the bass.
How does D minor major 7th differ from D minor 7th?
D minor 7th has a minor seventh (C) while D minor major 7th has a major seventh (C♯). The major seventh creates a sharper, more leading-tone pull.
What scale does D minor major 7th come from?
D minor major 7th appears in D harmonic minor and D melodic minor scales. The raised seventh degree of those scales is the C♯ in this chord.