Chord · D Major
D Chord
D is D, F# and A — bright, stable. The reference triad.
D on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What D is made of
D (D major) is built from the notes D, F#, A, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5.
Stack 1, 3 and 5 on a root of D and you get D, F# and A. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C sounds like a transposed D.
Major: Bright, stable. The reference triad.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with F♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain D
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on D
Same root, different colour.
The same major shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about D
- What notes are in the D chord?
- D is made of D, F# and A — the 1, 3 and 5 degrees of a major chord built on D.
- What keys use the D chord?
- Every note of D belongs to 6 keys: G Major (V), D Major (I), A Major (IV), E Minor (VII), B Minor (III), F# Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play D on guitar and piano?
- This page shows D on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 26 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why D behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.