Chord chart

D Chord on Guitar: 3 Easy Ways to Play D Major (Charts)

D chord charts with finger numbers, an easier version, the notes and intervals, and the keys and progressions that use it. Also searched as d chord, d guitar chord and how to play D.

By David Sandy, guitar player and founder of Sandy Music Lab. Every chord shape on this page is checked note by note against the chord's formula.

D chord diagram, Open positionD Open position: low E muted, A muted, D open, G fret 2, B fret 3, high e fret 2.××132x x 0 2 3 2
Open position
x x 0 2 3 2
D chord diagram, Barre (10th fret, E-string root)D Barre (10th fret, E-string root): low E fret 10, A fret 12, D fret 12, G fret 11, B fret 10, high e fret 10.10fr134210 12 12 11 10 10
Barre (10th fret, E-string root)
10 12 12 11 10 10
D chord diagram, Easy 3-string versionD Easy 3-string version: low E muted, A muted, D muted, G fret 7, B fret 7, high e fret 5.5fr×××341x x x 7 7 5
Easy 3-string version
x x x 7 7 5

Numbers are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky, T thumb). × = don't play that string, ○ = play it open. A long bar is a barre: one finger flat across those strings. Strings run low E (left) to high e (right).

Chord chart by Sandy Music Lab

Quick answer: To play D (D major) on guitar, play x x 0 2 3 2 from the low E string to the high e string (the open position shape). The chord contains D, F#, A. If that is hard, use the easier shape x x x 7 7 5, which needs 3 fretted notes.

D chord facts

Chord D (D major)
Other names Dmaj, DM
Notes D, F#, A
Intervals D (root), F# (major 3rd), A (perfect 5th)
Formula 1-3-5
Difficulty Beginner
Shapes on this page 3

How do you play D on guitar?

The main shape is x x 0 2 3 2 (Open position). Finger by finger:

  1. Put your index finger (1) on the G string at fret 2 (A, the perfect 5th).
  2. Put your middle finger (2) on the high e string at fret 2 (F#, the major 3rd).
  4. Put your ring finger (3) on the B string at fret 3 (D, the root).
  5. Let the D (D) string ring open.
  6. Don't play the low E and A strings: start your strum on the D string, or touch them lightly to mute.