How to Play a D Major Chord on the Guitar

Co-authored by Nate Savage

Last Updated: September 17, 2022 References

There are several ways to play the D major chord. The "open" D major is one of the most common chords, and it may be the simplest for beginners. If you are a bit more advanced, then there are two ways to play D major as a barre chord.^{[1]
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Research source} Take care with your fingering, and practice often!

Steps

1
Learn the open strings on the guitar. Make sure that you understand the guitar as an intersection of strings and frets. Each string is tuned to a particular note, but you can create a different by holding down the string at any given point along the fretboard. There are six strings, and in standard tuning they are tuned to E, A, D, G, B, and E.^{[2]
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- high E: the first, thinnest, and highest-pitched string. It is tuned two octaves above low E.
- B: the second string, directly above high E
- G: the third string, directly above B
- D: the fourth string, directly above G
- A: the fifth string and the second-thickest string, directly above D
- low E: the sixth, thickest, and lowest-pitched string. It is tuned two octaves below the high E string.
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Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Playing an Open D Major

There are several ways to play a D major chord on the guitar, but this version is the simplest. Learn the fingering, and then practice your strumming until you can play the chord clearly. Press the strings firmly, but try not to tense up!^{[3]
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2
Practice the fingering. Put your index finger on the second fret of the third (G) string. Place your middle finger on the second fret of the first (high E) string. Then, place your ring finger on the third fret of the second (B) string. Leave the top three strings open.^{[4]
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- The index finger is forming an A note. The middle finger is making the F# note. The ring finger is creating D. Together, these three notes make up the D major chord.^{[5]
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- If you are playing a regular guitar, you will finger the chord with your left hand. You will use your right hand for strumming.
Once your fingers are in place, use your right hand to strum downward from the D (4th) string. Only play the highest four strings: D, G, B, and high E. Do not touch the low E or the A string.^{[6]
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Research source} Keep practicing the chord until you can generate a clear, crisp-sounding chord.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Playing a Barred D Major

1
Play a barre chord from the 5th fret. First, use your index finger to cover every string on the 5th fret, save the low E. Then, place your middle finger on the 7th fret of the 4th (D) string; your ring finger on the 7th fret of the 3rd (G) string; and your pinkie finger on the 7th fret of the 2nd (B) string. Make sure that you are holding each string down firmly. Then, strum slowly down from the 5th string to the 1st string.
- Make sure to leave the top (low E) string untouched. If you play the 6th string, here, then it won't be a D major chord.^{[7]
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First, use your index finger to hold down every string on the 10th fret. Then, place your middle finger on the 11th fret of the 3rd (G) string. Put your ring finger on the 12th fret of the 5th (A) string, and put your pinkie finger on the 12th fret of the 4th (D) string. Strum the chord in a single sweep, from the 6th (low E) string to the 1st (high E).^{[8]
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3
Practice barre chords. The barre chords are more technically complex than the open D major, and they require much more finger strength. Work on pressing your index finger against the fretboard. Make sure that you can hold down all of the strings firmly enough that you create a crisp, clear-sounding chord.
- If the chord comes out twangy or muted, then you are not holding the strings down firmly enough. Pluck each string individually while you hold the barre chord shape. If a particular note doesn't sound clear, shift your finger around until you can play it crisply. Make sure that your fingers are as centered as possible between the frets, and that none of your fingers are accidentally muting other strings.
- If you move these barre chord shapes up and down the fretboard, you can play any chord. Two frets higher, for instance, makes a C major chord. Two steps lower makes an E major chord.
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Community Q&A

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Question

Why would I play only 4 strings on open D major chord, and not the 5th string?

Community Answer

Because the open fourth string is a D, so that D as the bass note of the chord helps reinforce the tonality of the chord - in other words, it sounds very clearly like a D chord. Yes, there is an A note in the D chord - if you play the A string you would call it a D/A chord (meaning D with an A note in the bass). You can also use your thumb to play the F# note on the second fret of the low E string - this would give you the same note as the high E string, but a couple of octaves lower. This would be a D/F# chord. There is no reason why you can't play any chord with a different root note - ask yourself how it sounds to you. Do you like it? Then that's the answer.

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Question

How are the strings numbered on a guitar?

Community Answer

From top to bottom (assuming you are right-handed and using a right-handed guitar), they are E, A, D, G, B, and then E again.

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Why am I holding the e string down on the D cord if I'm not going to even strum it?

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It helps to press just hard enough on the strings that are not supposed to be played to mute them, then it doesn't matter how you strum the strings because the muted strings wont be heard over the other strings.

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Tips

Experiment with variations. When you play an open D major, try placing your pinkie finger on the fourth fret of the fourth (D) string to add an extra F# note to the mix.^{[9]
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Try using a mnemonic to remember the open strings (EADGBE). EAD are the three lowest strings, like the word (R)EAD with the R removed. GB are the next two strings, like "GIRL" and "BOY". E is the highest string and is tuned 2 octaves above the lowest string. Alternately, try making the tuning into a phonetic "phrase": "ee-ad geebee."

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Try playing a D minor chord. A subtle shift of the fingers can render a very different sound!

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