Dm9 Guitar Chord

Dm9 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a - m - i · Smooth Bossa (2/4 · 6 notes · Level 2)

From the bass on the 6th to the 1st string there are 4 different notes. Six plucks give time to hear them. All 6 arpeggios

Subtle syncopation and oscillating timbre.

Speed:

What sets Dm9 apart

The notes of Dm9 are D, F, A, C and E. D is the root, F the minor third, A the fifth, C the minor seventh and E the ninth.

String by string, low to high, it plays E, A, D, C and F. The bass is E, the ninth, not the root. That makes this shape an inversion.

The open strings add notes to Dm9 too. String 6 gives E, string 5 gives A and string 4 gives D. Avoid string 3. Every finger presses at fret 1. There is one more position, starting at fret 3.

Inside Dm9 sits a complete F chord, made of F, A and C. F shares two positions with this shape.

Dm9 shows up in four keys. In F major it is the vi9, in C major the ii9 and in D minor the i9. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01Dm Dm - Bb - Gm - A7 02C C - Am - Dm - G7 03F F - Dm - Gm - C7 04Am Am - F - Dm - E7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Dm9)

Formula: Minor Ninth (1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9)

Constituent chord intervals:

D 1F ♭3A 5C ♭7E 9

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 0 (E)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Dm9:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

○Open

EDegree 9

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 5

4th String (D)

○Open

DDegree 1

3rd String (G)

×Muted

Do not play

2nd String (B)

Fret 1Finger 1

CDegree ♭7

1st String (High E)

Fret 1Finger 2

FDegree ♭3

Placement tip: Press: 2nd String (B) at fret 1 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 1 with your Middle finger. Play open: 6th String (Low E), 5th String (A), 4th String (D). Don't play: 3rd String (G).

Neo Soul / City Pop

Inversion

4 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

Fret 5Finger 2

DDegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 3Finger 1

FDegree ♭3

3rd String (G)

Fret 5Finger 3

CDegree ♭7

2nd String (B)

Fret 5Finger 4

EDegree 9

1st String (High E)

×Muted

Do not play

Placement tip: Press: 5th String (A) at fret 5 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 3 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 5 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 1st String (High E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Dm9)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	fret 1
Fretting fingers	2
Open	6th, 5th, and 4th
Muted	3rd

What to check

The 3rd string stays muted between strings that ring.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Dm9

Listen: Dm9 → F · C · Bb

Dm9 → F01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions

Stay in place

string 2, fret 1
string 1, fret 1

Move

string 6, fret 1
string 5, fret 3
string 4, fret 3
string 3, fret 2

Dm9 → C02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 1: string 2, fret 1

Move

finger 3: string 5, fret 3
finger 2: string 4, fret 2

Dm9 → Bb03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position

Stay in place

string 1, fret 1

Move

string 5, fret 1
string 4, fret 3
string 3, fret 3
string 2, fret 3

Dm9 in every key

Dm9 sits in the scale of 4 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 1/5
Highest fret: 1
Frets the hand covers: 1
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 2

Major keys

Minor keys

Dm9 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Dm9)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Dm9 chord?

To play the Dm9 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 6 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the Dm9 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Dm9 chord is its lowest pitch: E. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Dm9 chord and what is its formula?

The Dm9 chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 formula (Minor Ninth). Its constituent pitches are D, F, A, C, E.

How do you prevent the Dm9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Dm9 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official Dm9 chord diagram

Dm9 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the D family:

Chord D Chord Db Chord Dm Chord D7 Chord Db7 Chord Dmaj7 Chord Dbmaj7 Chord Dm7