How to play D (D Major) on Guitar
Diagram, notes, and audio for the D chord on guitar. Free in your browser.
About D on guitar
D major on guitar is a small triangle shape played on the top three strings: index finger on the 2nd fret of the G string, middle finger on the 2nd fret of the high E, and ring finger on the 3rd fret of the B. The open D string serves as the root, and the low E and A strings are muted. The chord notes D, F#, and A ring with a bright, almost mandolin-like quality.
D is the I chord in the key of D major and the V chord in the key of G — which is why so many guitar songs in G transition through D for the dominant, then resolve back to G for the chorus. Drop D tuning lowers the 6th string to D, transforming this same chord shape into a six-string thunder, popular in fingerstyle, folk, and modern alt-rock.
Common songs in D include House of the Rising Sun, Blowin' in the Wind, and most country shuffles. The chord pairs naturally with G, A, and Bm for the I-IV-V-vi loop, and with Bm and F#m for richer minor-flavoured progressions. Because D is closer to the headstock than C or G, beginners often find it the easiest of the open major chords to switch to from a stop position.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do I mute the bottom two strings on a D chord?
- Strumming the low E and A strings includes notes that aren't in a D major triad and weakens the chord's identity. Practice strumming only from the open D string downward.
- What chord progression uses D major most often?
- D-G-A is the classic three-chord trick in the key of D — it covers thousands of folk, country, and rock songs.
- Is D major hard for beginners?
- It is one of the easier open chords because it only requires three fingers in a tight triangle, but new players often struggle to mute the low strings cleanly while strumming.
Switch instruments
See D on a different instrument — same chord, new diagram.