Arpeggio
D m
Minor
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 5
- Notes
- D F A
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| ♭3 | F | minor third | 3 | The minor third — the dark counterpart of the major third; it turns a shape minor and colours m, m7 and the minor scales. |
| 5 | A | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
About this arpeggio
The minor triad is the dark twin of the major triad: root, minor third and perfect fifth. Lowering the third by a half-step is all it takes to turn brightness into melancholy, and that single change is the most expressive move in tonal music. The perfect fifth still anchors the chord, so the sound is sad but stable — not yet unstable like the diminished family. It is the foundation of the minor key, the ii chord in a minor cadence, and the shape behind countless rock riffs. Arpeggiated, it is the cleanest way to hear where the third sits. Listen for the minor third's weight against the open fifth.
How to practise this arpeggio
- Play the minor third and the fifth together and listen for the dark interval.
- Compare it with the major triad on the same root to hear the third move.
- Use the triad as a target in a minor-key solo and land on the third.
- Play it in two positions and connect them with a slide.