D major (D)
A bright chord played on the top four strings. All over folk and pop, often alongside G and A.
It’s played in open position, near the nut, and as a barre chord higher up the neck. It’s the home chord of the key of D major; you’ll also find it in A major and G major.
- Notes:
- D, F♯, A.
- Formula:
- 1, 3, 5.
- Difficulty:
- Beginner.
- Strings played:
- 4 (from the D string).
Chord diagram
e|--2--| B|--3--| G|--2--| D|--0--| A|--x--| E|--x--|
Other positions
e|--5--| B|--7--| G|--7--| D|--7--| A|--5--| E|--x--|
e|--10--| B|--10--| G|--11--| D|--12--| A|--12--| E|--10--|
Common mistakes
High E muted? Your ring finger (finger 3) is touching the string below it. Play right on the tip, almost vertical.
Muddy low end? Don’t strum the low E or A string. Aim for the D string to start your strum.
Variations
Dsus4: keep your D fingering and add your pinky at the 3rd fret on the high E (the diagram shows the other common fingering: index, middle, ring). Switching between D and Dsus4 adds movement to a simple strumming pattern.
e|--3--| B|--3--| G|--2--| D|--0--| A|--x--| E|--x--|
Heard in
G, D, Em, C is a very common folk progression. Twist and Shout cycles through D, G and A.
Often played with
The chords in its key, the ones you hear most often around D major.