This chord has 4 voicings across the fretboard. Use the arrows to see each shape and fingering — and tap any dot on the diagram to hear that note.
D Major Guitar Chord
A bright, cheerful open chord played on the top four strings. D Major is a staple of folk, country, and pop music.
Also known as
- D
- DM
- D M
- Dmaj
- D maj
- Dmajor
- D major
How to Play This Chord
Position your fingers on the fretboard as shown in the diagram. The vertical lines represent the strings, from low E (left) to high E (right), and the horizontal lines are the frets. Numbers inside the dots indicate which finger to use: 1 (index), 2 (middle), 3 (ring), 4 (pinky). An X means don't play that string; an O means play it open. A bar spanning multiple strings means one finger presses across all of them at once — this is known as a barre chord.
Tips & Tricks
The open D major is a staple beginner chord, but many players struggle to keep the low E and A strings from ringing. Use the thumb on your fretting hand to lightly mute the low E, and let the tip of your third finger gently touch the A string to deaden it.