Which strings do I strum for D major?

4 strings, from the D string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E and A strings.

What notes are in a D major chord?

D, F#, A. The D is the root, the note the chord is named after. The F# makes it major.

What chords go with D?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, G and A, and its relative minor, Bm. Songs move between these because they share notes.

major chord

D major chord on guitar

A small triangle on the three thin strings. Bright, easy to hold, easy to change from.

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Where the fingers go

1
index finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
2
ring finger, B string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
3
middle finger, thin e string, fret 2
The thinnest string, nearest the floor.
4
Leave the D string open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
5
Strum 4 strings, from the D string down
Skip the thick E and A. They would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in D

A chord is three or four notes played together. D major is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
D	root	D string, open; B string, fret 3
F#	major third	thin e string, fret 2
A	fifth	G string, fret 2

The root, D, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds bright and settled.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

G and A are D’s neighbours. Most songs in D use one or both.
Bm is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

The thick strings get strummed

D uses four strings. Start the strum on the D string, or the chord turns muddy.

Tip

One finger to D minor

Move the index finger from fret 2 to fret 1 on the thin e string and you have D minor.

Songs that use it

Songs in D and G. It sits between G and A in a thousand progressions.

England, 17th century
Scarborough Fair
Am, Em, D, Em7 · 104 beats per minute

In those songs, D is followed by Am . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for D major?: 4 strings, from the D string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E and A strings.
What notes are in a D major chord?: D, F#, A. The D is the root, the note the chord is named after. The F# makes it major.
What chords go with D?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, G and A, and its relative minor, Bm. Songs move between these because they share notes.