Guitar, piano and ukulele chords

D chord (D major)

The D chord (D major) has 3 notes: D, F♯ and A. It is a major chord: root, major third and perfect fifth. It sounds bright and stable. It works as I in D major, V in G major and IV in A major.

How to play it on guitar

An x is a string you don't play and 0 is an open string. The number on the left is the fret where the shape starts.

××
Barre chord · fret 2
xx0232
5fr ×
Barre chord · fret 5
x57775

Notes in the chord

NoteInterval
DRoot
F♯Major third
APerfect fifth

Inversions

  • Root position: D – F♯ – A
  • First inversion: F♯ – A – D
  • Second inversion: A – D – F♯

On piano

The highlighted keys (D, F♯ and A) make the chord in root position.

On ukulele

Usual shape
2220
5fr
Higher up the neck · fret 5
7655

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D chord?

D has 3 notes: D, F♯ and A. It is a major chord: root, major third and perfect fifth.

How do you play D on guitar?

The usual shape is xx0232, read from the low E string to the high E string.

What keys is D in?

D is in D major (I), G major (V), A major (IV), E minor (VII), F sharp minor (VI) and B minor (III).