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E A D G B E

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Chords in D major

D major is built from the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B and C#. Its scale carries 2 sharps. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on D as the I. The chord on the fifth degree is A, a major V, so D major has the leading tone that makes a A-to-D cadence sound final.

Beyond those seven, D major commonly borrows Dm (i), Edim (iiø), F (bIII), Gm (iv) and Am (v) from the parallel minor — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

IDD major, open position, capo 0xx0232iiEmE minor, open position, capo 0022000iiiF#mF# minor, open position, capo 0244222IVGG major, open position, capo 0320003VAA major, open position, capo 0x02220viBmB minor, open position, capo 0x20402viiøC#dimC# diminished, open position, capo 0x45050

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Dmaj7, Em7, F#m7, Gmaj7, A7, Bm7, C#m7b5.

Borrowed chords

iDmD minor, open position, capo 0xx0231iiøEdimE diminished, open position, capo 00120xxbIIIFF major, open position, capo 0133211ivGmG minor, open position, capo 0310033vAmA minor, open position, capo 0x02210bVIBbBb major, open position, capo 0x10331bVIICC major, open position, capo 0x32010
Capo

Capo 7 and play G major shapes to sound D major.

All eight capo positions for D major →

Related keys

Open D major in the explorer →