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D Guitar Chord

D major (D) is made of the notes D F♯ A. Here are 3 ways to play it on guitar, starting with the easiest.

How to play D on guitar

  1. Shape 1

    Open position

    1 2 D A D F♯

    xx0232

  2. Shape 2

    Barre at fret 10

    10fr 1 3 4 2 D A D F♯ A D

    10-12-12-11-10-10

  3. Shape 3

    Barre at fret 5

    5fr 1 3 D A D F♯ A

    x57775

Notes in D

Formula 1 3 5
DegreeNote
1D
3F♯
5A

Shape 1 step by step

  1. Lay your index finger flat across strings 3 to 1 at fret 2.
  2. Put your middle finger on string 2 at fret 3.
  3. Let string 4 ring open.
  4. Don’t play strings 6, 5.
  5. Strum from string 4 to string 1.

Shape 2 step by step

  1. Lay your index finger flat across strings 6 to 1 at fret 10.
  2. Put your ring finger on string 5 at fret 12.
  3. Put your little finger on string 4 at fret 12.
  4. Put your middle finger on string 3 at fret 11.
  5. Strum from string 6 to string 1.

Tune your guitar first

A chord only sounds right when your instrument is in tune. Check your strings with the free online tuner before you practise. Open the guitar tuner

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D chord?

D major has the notes D F♯ A. Its formula is 1 3 5. The numbers are steps of the major scale, counted from the root.

What is the easiest way to play D on guitar?

Start with shape 1 (open position), written as xx0232 from string 6 to string 1. Here x means you don’t play that string and 0 means it rings open.

What is the difference between D and Dm?

D has the notes D F♯ A, and Dm has D F A. The only difference is that D has F♯ where Dm has F.

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