D Piano Chord

D major is the D piano chord. It has three notes: D, F sharp and A. The middle note is a black key, which makes it the first major chord most people meet that is not all white.

1D3F♯5AC4C5

D at the bottom, then F♯ and A. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black key is F♯.

How to play D on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the D above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): D
  3. Middle finger (3): F♯
  4. Little finger (5): A
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just D on its own as a bass note.

The black key in the middle actually helps. Sitting the middle finger slightly further into the keyboard, where F sharp is, gives the hand a natural shape that feels better than the flat all white chords.

Inversions of D

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are D; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionF♯ A D
D piano chord diagram, first inversion, F♯ A D
Lighter than root position and less final. The third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it so often sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionA D F♯
D piano chord diagram, second inversion, A D F♯
Open and a little unresolved. A fifth in the bass sounds like the chord is on its way somewhere, which is exactly how it is used: as the step between two chords whose roots are further apart.

If it sounds wrong

The chord sounds sad
You are on F instead of F sharp. F natural makes D minor. The middle note has to be the black key just to the right of F.
The middle finger keeps slipping off the black key
Move the whole hand about an inch further into the keyboard so the middle finger sits comfortably on the black key rather than reaching for its front edge.
The outer notes are uneven
With one finger deeper than the others, the hand tilts. Keep the wrist level and let the thumb and little finger stay near the front edge of their white keys.

What makes it a D

D · F♯ · A 1 3 5

D major is the first, third and fifth notes of the D major scale: D, F sharp and A. F sharp is what makes it major rather than minor, and it is the reason the key of D has a sharp in its key signature.

It is the I chord of D major, the IV of A and the V of G. On piano it is also the point where most players first have to place a finger on a black key inside a chord, which changes how the hand sits.

D vs Dm

The middle note moves one key. D major is D, F sharp and A; D minor is D, F and A. Because F sharp is black and F is white, the two chords feel quite different under the hand even though only one note changes.

That is worth practising as a single movement: hold the thumb and little finger still and rock the middle finger between the black key and the white one below it.

Questions about D

Which notes are in a D chord on piano?

D, F sharp and A. F sharp is the black key immediately to the right of F. The other two are white keys.

What fingers do you use for a D chord?

Right hand: thumb on D, middle finger on F sharp, little finger on A. Left hand: little finger on D, middle on F sharp, thumb on A.

Why is it F sharp and not F?

The third of a major chord is four half steps above the root. Four half steps up from D lands on F sharp. Using F would give you three half steps, which is a minor chord.

Is the D chord hard?

It is only slightly harder than an all white chord. The one black key in the middle asks the hand to sit a little further into the keyboard, which most players find comfortable within a few minutes.

Where is the D chord used?

As the I chord in D, the IV in A and the V in G. It is very common in guitar led music, since D is one of the easiest keys on that instrument.

Chords to learn next

Other D chords