D major chord
- Dre
- F#fa#
- Ala
D chord notes
D major stacks a major third on its root and a minor third on top, four semitones and then three. It sounds bright and settled, and chord charts write it as D.
| Note | Interval from the root | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| Dre | Root1 | 0 |
| F#fa# | Major third3 | 4 |
| Ala | Perfect fifth5 | 7 |
D chord inversions
An inversion plays the same notes with a different one at the bottom. Using D's inversions keeps your hand close to the next chord, so you move less between chords.
Root position
D, F#, A
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
First inversion
F#, A, D
- Right hand
- 1-2-5
- Left hand
- 5-3-1
Second inversion
A, D, F#
- Right hand
- 1-3-5
- Left hand
- 5-2-1
Keys that use D
In these major keys D is one of the key's own chords. The numeral beside each key is its place in that key, as chord charts write it.
- D majorI
- G majorV
- A majorIV
Piano practice that remembers
The chords are just the start
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Online metronomeKeep your chord changes even, with accents and a speed trainerFrequently asked questions
What notes are in the D chord?
D major (D) is D, F#, A. In solfège that's re, fa#, la.
Which fingers play D?
In root position, the right hand plays 1-3-5 and the left hand 5-3-1, counting from the lowest note. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5.
Where does the D chord usually show up?
A major chord is the home chord of its own key and the IV and V of two neighbouring keys, so D turns up at the start and end of phrases and in almost every pop accompaniment.