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D minor

D minor has 1 flat (B♭). Its scale is D E F G A B♭ C, its chords are Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, B♭ and C, and its relative major is F major.

Make a beat in D minorWrite a melody in this key

Opens the free editor with a trap beat on Dm B♭ F C. No account needed to start.

The D minor scale

Whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole: the half steps come between E and F, and between A and B♭.

D E F G A B♭ C D

DEFGACDB♭

On the piano, D minor uses 1 black key (B♭) and 6 white keys (D, E, F, G, A and C).

The notes of D minor by scale degree
DegreeNoteName
1DTonic
2ESupertonic
3FMediant
4GSubdominant
5ADominant
6B♭Submediant
7CSubtonic

The raised seventh

Many songs in D minor raise C to C♯. That makes the harmonic minor scale, D E F G A B♭ C♯, and turns the fifth chord from Am into A major, which pulls hard back to Dm. The editor’s minor progressions play the fifth chord that way.

Chords in D minor

One chord on each note of the scale, built from the scale’s own notes. The Roman numeral says which note it starts on: capitals are major, small letters minor.

iDm
ii°Edim
IIIF
ivGm
vAm
VIB♭
VIIC

Which chords sound happy or sad

Dark

Dm Gm Am

i, iv, v. The minor chords. Dm is home, and the key’s sad colour.

Lifting

F B♭ C

III, VI, VII. The major chords, which bring light into a minor song.

Tense

Edim

ii°. Diminished: tense and unstable, so most minor songs use it only in passing.

A progression in D minor

The epic minor · i–VI–III–VII
Dm
B♭
F
C
Hear it as

More progressions in D minor

Key signature and related keys

Key signature

1 flat: B♭

Written at the start of every line of music, so each B is played flat. Sharps join in the order F C G D A E B, and flats in the order B E A D G C F.

Relative major

F major

The same seven notes and key signature, starting on F.

Parallel major

D major

The same home note, with 2 sharps. Borrowing a chord from it makes a part sound brighter.

Next to it on the circle of fifths

  • A fifth down: G minor (2 flats)
  • A fifth up: A minor (no sharps or flats)

Keys next to each other share six of their seven notes. See them all on the circle of fifths.

D minor in beats

The editor’s starter beats for these styles are written in D minor. Each opens the free editor with its own drums, bass and chords at its usual tempo, no account needed.

Afroswing · 102 BPMBaltimore club · 130 BPMCumbia · 92 BPMDeep house · 122 BPMFela afrobeat · 112 BPMFilm score · 80 BPMFootwork · 160 BPMJersey club · 140 BPM

And 3 more of the editor’s styles start in D minor.

Questions about D minor

How many flats are in D minor?

One: B♭. Every B is played flat, so the key signature has 1 flat, and F major, its relative major, has the same.

What is the relative major of D minor?

F major. It uses the same seven notes and the same key signature as D minor, but starts on F, the third note of the scale. The two share every chord, which is why songs move between them so easily.

What chords are in D minor?

Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, B♭ and C: one built on each note of the scale (i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII). Many songs play the fifth chord as A major instead of Am: its C♯ pulls hard back to Dm.

What is a common chord progression in D minor?

i–VI–III–VII: Dm, B♭, F and C. It is the minor key’s best-known loop, heard in anthems, EDM and film, and it is the one the beat on this page plays.

Every key

Major keys
C majorG majorD majorA majorE majorB majorF♯ majorD♭ majorA♭ majorE♭ majorB♭ majorF major
Minor keys
A minorE minorB minorF♯ minorC♯ minorG♯ minorD♯ minorB♭ minorF minorC minorG minorD minor

Build a song in D minor

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.

Make a beat in D minorAll music keys

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