Chords in the Key of D
The key of D major contains seven chords: D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm and C#dim. Every F and every C in the key is sharpened, and most songs in D lean on D, G, A and Bm.
The seven chords on guitar
Each chord below opens its own page, with more shapes up the neck, audio for every voicing and a printable chart. Tap the play button on any card to hear it.
The seven chords on piano
The same seven chords on a keyboard, in root position. Each one opens its own page, with every inversion and the finger numbers for both hands.
IDD F♯ A 
the home chord
iiEmE G B 
the gentle step up from home
iiiF#mF♯ A C♯ 
the darkest of the three minors
IVGG B D 
the lift away from home
VAA C♯ E 
the chord that pulls back home
viBmB D F♯ 
the relative minor
vii°C#dimC♯ E G 
the tense one, used sparingly
The seventh chords in D major
Add one more note to each chord and the key gains its seventh chords, which is where most jazz and a good deal of soul begins.
Common progressions in D major
- I - V - vi - IV
D A Bm G
The one barre chord here is Bm. Capo at the second fret and play C, G, Am, F instead if it is fighting you.
- I - IV - V
D G A
Three open shapes, and the reason D is a favourite key for fiddle tunes and bluegrass.
- I - vi - IV - V
D Bm G A
The doo wop turnaround. Slower songs sit on each chord for a full bar.
Why these seven chords
On a stave, D major is written with two sharps, F# and C#, which is how a reader knows the key before playing a note.
D is two steps round the circle of fifths from C, so it carries two sharps. Each step clockwise adds one sharp and keeps everything else, which is why neighbouring keys share so many chords: D and G have six of their seven notes in common.
The majors are D, G and A. The minors are Em, F#m and Bm, and Bm is the relative minor that a song in D drops to when it wants to darken.
On guitar
D suits the guitar well because the open D, G and A shapes cover the three major chords, and Em is open too. Two of the three minors, F#m and Bm, need barres, which is the price of the key.
A very common workaround is a capo at the second fret with C major shapes. The chords sound in D but the hand plays C, Am, Em, F, G and Dm, which trades both barres for open shapes.
On piano
D major has two black keys in its scale, F# and C#. Both sit in the group of two black keys, so the hand learns one shape and repeats it.
The tonic chord D uses one black key in the middle, which many pianists find easier to place accurately than an all white chord like C.
Questions about the key of D
What are the 7 chords in the key of D?
D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm and C#dim. D, G and A are major, Em, F#m and Bm are minor, and C#dim is diminished.
What capo position turns C shapes into the key of D?
The second fret. Playing C, F and G shapes with a capo there sounds as D, G and A.
What is the relative minor of D major?
B minor, which shares the same two sharps and the same seven chords.
What do the numbers next to each chord mean?
They are each chord's place in the key, written as Roman numerals. In D major the I is D, the IV is G and the V is A. The numbering holds in every key, so the V of C is G. That is why progressions get written as numerals like I, V, vi, IV: learn one and you have it in all twelve keys.
Why are some numerals capitals and some lowercase?
The case tells you the chord quality. Capitals are major, which in D major means D, G and A. Lowercase are minor: Em, F#m and Bm. The small circle on vii° means diminished, and here that is C#dim.