Guitar chord
D Major Open Chord
A common open D major chord shape in standard tuning.
- Symbol
- D
- Chord tones
- D, F#, A
- Formula
- 1 3 5
- Tuning
- Standard
- Frets, low to high
- X X 0 2 3 2
- Fingers, low to high
- - - - 1 3 2
Chord fingering diagram
Read the chart vertically with the nut at the top. X means mute the string, markers above the nut are played open, and numbered markers show fretting-hand fingers.
How to play D
Fretting hand
Place finger 1 on the 3rd string at fret 2, finger 3 on the 2nd string at fret 3, and finger 2 on the 1st string at fret 2. Fret each note close behind the fret wire without resting directly on it.
Clean sound check
Let the 4th string ring open. Keep the 6th string and 5th string muted. Arch the fretting fingers so their sides do not silence neighboring strings, then pick every sounding string separately.
Sound and use
D has a stable major-triad sound. Use it as a tonic, subdominant, or dominant chord according to the key, and compare it with the available same-root chord colors below.
Chord tone reference
Use the matching arpeggio page to study the same notes across the full fretboard, or open those chord tones directly in the interactive tool.
More D chords
Keep the root fixed and compare how the third, seventh, suspended tones, or added tones change the sound.
More Major chord shapes
Practice the same chord quality from other roots to reinforce its interval sound and common fingering patterns.