BC-123 • The Dmin Chord

[PJMCM]

As Flyhead says, your hand and fingers should be angled slightly. Perhaps a picture would better than words.......should be something like this:



Get into those finger stretching exercises!!!

Peter

[MikeCraig]

I have a question about what it is supposed to sound like.  My Dmin is I think pretty good.  I'm hitting the right strings and not muting anything.  Similarly, my D chord is pretty good (it should be as it's easy).  However is the Dmin supposed to sound almost identical to the D chord?  Mine does; I can hear a slight difference but whereas I am beginning to identify chords by sound I don't think I could tell which of these is which.  FYI, my guitar is in tune.

Thanks.

[Bootstrap]

Hi Mike - it will sound similar as it shares 2 notes with the D chord and the other note is just a half step lower.

D major = D F# A
D minor = D F A

The difference between a major and a minor chord is always just that half step.

To characterize the difference a major chord should sound "bright" and a minor chord will have a "sadder" sound.

As your ear gets more tuned in you will more easily identify the difference.

Good luck.

[MikeCraig]

Thanks for the advice. 

I figured it out just recently.  I was reviewing old lessons (like really old) and was watching Justin's video on finger placement.  And one of the things he mentioned was that you could actually change the tune of the thinner strings by having your fingers too far back from the fret (i.e., pushing too hard and tightening the string).  Ah Ha! Move fingers on Dmin closer to the fret and suddenly it sounds way different than a D chord (and better by the by).

So basically I was unintentionally bending the strings and messing up my chord (so my old ears weren't at fault).

[fmaj7]

Hello

I think its a good idea to be able to play both fingersets 124 and 123 for dm-chord. Cause 124  lets free the 3. finger to play nice bass progression starting with the C on A-string (Dm7-chord) Dm/C

[Lester Blackstone]

Hi All.

I'm up to Stage 4, but I'm still struggling with changing to Dm.  I'm having a heck of a time changing to it, so I've been tacking it onto my chord practice / 1-min changes every day.  Other than A and Am (from lesson 2), are there any other chords that I should be pairing with it? Also, can someone suggest some easy songs and/or chord progressions that incorporate this chord?

[jacksroadhouse]

The Dmin is a bit of an odd duck in the beginning. When I practised stuff like that, I just randomly changed to and from other chords I knew. That gets your fingers used to the idea to find their way no matter where you come from. Just do it slowly - the Dmin needs a but more accuracy than many other chords.

I'm wrecking my brain for a beginner song using Dmin, but I can't remember one right now. All the Dmin songs I know are kind of advanced. But there are bound to be some. Have you checked Justin's songbook?

[shadowscott007]

I like Jack don't know any songs with Dm off the top of my head.  But for chords in no particular order (I am such a liar) C, Em, F, G, and Am come to mind.

Like a Rolling stone uses Dm now that I think about it.  I am sure I know more they just don't come to mind.

Shadow

[Chantal]

A Girl Like You uses the minor chords. Justin uploaded a video lesson on that recently. And there are others in the Beginners Songbook too

[TB-AV]

are there any other chords that I should be pairing with it?

C Dm G7 C     round and round she goes, where she stops, nobody knows

C Dm G7 C Dm G7 C Dm G7 C Am Em Am Em Em7 Dm G7 C        rinse and repeat

Dm Asus2 F E7sus4(strings a and g fret 2 others open) A Dm A Dm A Dm A     and so on.

[Mouserjan]

I have to play at the nursing home this sunday, and one of the songs goes from C to Dm, Blessed Assurance, maybe not the music you listen to (in all honesty I'm bored with it myself but the old folks seem to like it) point is I'm in the middle of doing C-Dm 1 min changes. Ya might not like the chord but it does come up once in awhile.

Keep working on it ya never know when you're gonna need it   

[amc]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a problem I have been having...

It seems that I can«t find enough strenth on my index finger to press down that e string on the 1st fret and keep it down...

Can some one help me out? Thanks! oh and sorry for my poor english.

[Chantal]

It may not be your strength that's the problem.


What kind of guitar do you play?

How high is the action (the space between the strings and the frets)?

How long have you been playing?

Can you play an E chord or Amin chord or are those difficult for you too?


That 3-fret stretch can be difficult, it could be the cause of why you have problems with Dmin. But it could also be your guitar set-up or just a lack of experience.

[amc]

It may not be your strength that's the problem.


What kind of guitar do you play?

How high is the action (the space between the strings and the frets)?

How long have you been playing?

Can you play an E chord or Amin chord or are those difficult for you too?


That 3-fret stretch can be difficult, it could be the cause of why you have problems with Dmin. But it could also be your guitar set-up or just a lack of experience.

I'm playing a classical bluebird, I dont find any dificulty with the E chord and the A minor that's why I find it odd... I'm rather a newbie since I only really picked up this old guitar about 2 months ago, but I've been improving quite well besides that d minor, it's not the placement of the fingers that's the problem neither the stretch it's just I cant find a way to keep my 1st finger holding that string down properly.

Don't know about the action I guess it's normal.

But probably yeah it's lack of experience I will keep working on it and see where it takes me

I apreciated your help thanks very much

P.S: Basicly to keep that finger down I'm forcing my thumb from the back of the guitar pretty much and it doesn't seem to help that much! But if I play a girl like you with the capo on the 3rd fret i don't have any trouble actually I don't hassle with it

[shadowscott007]

So I assume that means you have no problem just fretting the first string first fret note?

A thing to try:

Try just the first and second strings of the chord.  Still a problem?

Try just the first and third strings.  Still a problem?

If you try this chord do you still experience the problem:

XXX321

Trying to break it down and see where/when the F note starts to be a problem.

Shadow