Chord · D Major (2nd Inversion)
D/5 Chord
D/5 is A, D and F# — major triad with the fifth in the bass.
D/5 on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 1 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What D/5 is made of
D Major (2nd Inversion) (D major (2nd inversion)) is built from the notes A, D, F#, with the interval pattern 5, 1, 3. A common major (2nd inversion) chord across many styles.
Stack 5, 1 and 3 on a root of D and you get A, D and F#. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major second inversion chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C/5 sounds like a transposed D/5.
Major (2nd Inversion): Major triad with the fifth in the bass.
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/5
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 second inversion shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about D/5
- What notes are in the D/5 chord?
- D/5 is made of A, D and F# — the 5, 1 and 3 degrees of a major second inversion chord built on D.
- What keys use the D/5 chord?
- Every note of D/5 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/5 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows D/5 on piano — 1 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/5 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.