Chords in the key of D minor
The key of D minor has seven diatonic chords: DmDmDmDm, E°, F, GmGmGmGm, Am, Bb and C. As sevenths: Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7, Em7b5, Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7, Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7, Am7Am7Am7Am7, Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7 and C7C7C7C7. They come from the D natural minor scale, D, E, F, G, A, Bb and C, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | DmDmDmDm | Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7 | tonic |
| ii° | E° | Em7b5 | subdominant |
| III | FFFF | Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7 | tonic |
| iv | GmGmGmGm | Gm7Gm7Gm7Gm7 | subdominant |
| v | AmAmAmAm | Am7Am7Am7Am7 | dominant |
| VI | BbBbBbBb | Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7Bbmaj7 | subdominant |
| VII | CCCC | C7C7C7C7 | subdominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.
These are the chords of the natural minor scale. In practice the v often becomes V (major) or V7, borrowed from the harmonic minor, to create the leading tone that pulls back to the tonic.