Jazz · D Minor · 138 BPM

Jazz Backing Track in D Minor

16-bar arrangement from the “Modal Vamp” demo, at 138 BPM. Chord chart, scale positions and practice drills for D minor.

Open in the app · D · 138 BPM

Hear the jazz feel: “Modal Vamp” · D dorian · 138 BPM

This is the recording of the arrangement charted above, in D dorian at 138 BPM.

16-bar chord chart in D Minor

16-bar arrangement from the “Modal Vamp” demo. Count four beats per bar; each card shows where the chord starts.

  1. Bar 1 Dm7 i7 · 8 beats
  2. Bar 3 Dm7 i7 · 8 beats
  3. Bar 5 Dm7 i7 · 8 beats
  4. Bar 7 Dm7 i7 · 8 beats
  5. Bar 9 Ebm7 bii7 · 8 beats
  6. Bar 11 Ebm7 bii7 · 8 beats
  7. Bar 13 Ebm7 bii7 · 8 beats
  8. Bar 15 Ebm7 bii7 · 8 beats

Chart of the bundled demo arrangement. The demo's inspiration prompt is a style reference, not a transcription of a song.

The app opens with the style, key, tempo and this chart filled in; press Generate to create your track (it counts toward your daily generations). The original demo opens the recorded arrangement without a generation.

More about “Modal Vamp”

Chord chart and notes for “Modal Vamp”.

ii–V–I with turnaround in D Minor

Minor ii–V–i with the half-diminished ii. The b5 in the iiø7 is the color note to hit.

II
Em7b5
V
A7
I
Dm7
bVI
Bbmaj7
II
Em7b5
V
A7
I
Dm7
I
Dm7
Generate a backing track over these changes →

Scales to solo in D Minor

Four scales that sit well over jazz in D minor. Each one gives the line a different color — try them all and notice what changes.

Scale
D Dorian
D E F G A B C
Scale
D Natural Minor
D E F G A Bb C
Scale
D Harmonic Minor
D E F G A Bb C#
Scale
D Minor Pentatonic
D F G A C

Where to play in D Minor

Five-fret windows in standard tuning, anchored on D on the low E string. Highlighted notes are the root.

D Dorian
Stringfret 9fret 10fret 11fret 12fret 13
e D E F
B A B C
G E F G
D B C D
A G A
E D E F
Notes: D E F G A B C. Root on the 6th string at fret 10, on the 5th string at fret 5.
D Natural Minor
Stringfret 9fret 10fret 11fret 12fret 13
e D E F
B A Bb C
G E F G
D C D
A G A Bb
E D E F
Notes: D E F G A Bb C. Root on the 6th string at fret 10, on the 5th string at fret 5.

Practice drills

  1. 1. Find the changes in D Minor

    Play only the root on the first beat of each change: D (bars 1–8, Dm7), Eb (bars 9–16, Ebm7). Keep counting through every bar that holds the same chord; the form resolves back to D.

  2. 2. Target the guide tones

    When each chord arrives, land on its third and hold it for a beat: F over Dm7, Gb over Ebm7. Then repeat with the seventh (see the table) to hear how the line leads into the next chord.

  3. 3. D Dorian in position

    Play D Dorian (D E F G A B C) up and down in frets 9–13, one note per beat at 138 BPM. Start and finish on D: 6th string fret 10, or 5th string fret 5 for the next position up.

Guide tones for every chord in the chart
ChordRoot3rd7th / 6th
Dm7DFC (b7)
Ebm7EbGbDb (b7)

Keep practicing

Try Jazz in another key

Chord chart, scale positions and practice drills in the keys jazz is most often played in.

Play Jazz in D Minor

Open the app with Jazz, D, 138 BPM and this chart pre-filled. Press Generate when you are ready.

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