PorchtoneQuick answer: the seven chords in D major are D, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm, C♯°. The strongest are D, G and A (the I, IV and V); most songs in D lean on those.
The chords
| DID F♯ A | EmiiE G B | F♯miiiF♯ A C♯ | GIVG B D | AVA C♯ E | BmviB D F♯ | C♯°vii°C♯ E G |
Progressions that sound good in D
- Pop anthemD – A – Bm – G (I V vi IV)
Big, hopeful, singable. One of the most used progressions in pop.
- SensitiveBm – G – D – A (vi IV I V)
The same four chords starting on the minor: wistful, then lifting.
- FiftiesD – Bm – G – A (I vi IV V)
Doo-wop and slow-dance warmth.
- LiftG – D – A – Bm (IV I V vi)
Starts away from home, so it feels like it is always reaching.
- Slow burnD – F♯m – G – A (I iii IV V)
Tender, with a gentle ache on the iii chord.
- HymnD – G – D – A (I IV I V)
Plain and honest; leaves room for the words.
- Three chordsD – G – A (I IV V)
The backbone of folk, country and rock and roll.
- HighwayD – C – G – D (I bVII IV I)
Open-road rock: the borrowed ♭VII gives it swagger.
- HeartlandD – C – G – G (I bVII IV IV)
Jangly, wide-open guitar rock.
- 12-bar bluesD7 – D7 – D7 – D7 – G7 – G7 – D7 – D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7 (I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 V7)
Twelve bars that most of rock and roll grew out of.
- Two-five-oneEm7 – A7 – Dmaj7 (ii7 V7 Imaj7)
The basic cadence of jazz standards.
Playing in D with a capo
If the barre chords in D are a stretch, put a capo on and play easier open shapes. The song still sounds in D.
| Capo | Play these shapes |
|---|---|
| Fret 2 | C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am (shapes from C) |
| Fret 5 | A, Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m (shapes from A) |
| Fret 7 | G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em (shapes from G) |
Related keys
D major shares all its chords with its relative minor, B minor. Its closest neighbours are A major and G major, which share six of its seven notes and make easy key changes.