D chord on bass (D major)

Also called or written D, Dmaj, DM or D chord

D major contains the notes D, F♯, and A. This intermediate shape stretches the fretting hand across four frets, making clean note separation the main challenge.

Positions on the neck1 of 5

Practice D major chord

How it is built

DRootF♯Major thirdAPerfect fifth

Formula 1, 3, 5

Inversions

Root positionD–F♯–AD10-12-12-11
First inversionF♯–A–DD/F♯2-0-0-2
Second inversionA–D–F♯D/A5-5-4-×

How do you play a D major chord on bass?

D major is played at the 10th fret as 10 12 12 11: index finger on the E string at fret 10, ring finger on the A string at fret 12, pinky finger on the D string at fret 12 and middle finger on the G string at fret 11.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	10	1	D (1)
3 (A)	12	3	A (5)
2 (D)	12	4	D (1)
1 (G)	11	2	F♯ (3)

IntermediateThe stretch from the index finger on the 10th fret to the pinky on the 12th fret requires wide finger independence.

D/F♯ inversion · open position

D major is played in open position as 2 0 0 2: index finger on the E string at fret 2 and middle finger on the G string at fret 2. The A and D strings ring open.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	2	1	F♯ (3)
3 (A)	open	—	A (5)
2 (D)	open	—	D (1)
1 (G)	2	2	A (5)

D/F♯ inversion · fret 12

D major is played at the 12th fret as 14 12 12 14: ring finger on the E string at fret 14, index finger on the A string at fret 12, middle finger on the D string at fret 12 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 14.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	14	3	F♯ (3)
3 (A)	12	1	A (5)
2 (D)	12	2	D (1)
1 (G)	14	4	A (5)

D/A inversion · fret 4

D major is played at the 4th fret as 5 5 4 ×: middle finger on the E string at fret 5, ring finger on the A string at fret 5 and index finger on the D string at fret 4. The G string stays muted.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	5	2	A (5)
3 (A)	5	3	D (1)
2 (D)	4	1	F♯ (3)
1 (G)	muted	—	—

D/A inversion · fret 11

D major is played at the 11th fret as × 12 12 11: middle finger on the A string at fret 12, ring finger on the D string at fret 12 and index finger on the G string at fret 11. The E string stays muted.

Full note and interval breakdown

String	Fret	Finger	Note
4 (E)	muted	—	—
3 (A)	12	2	A (5)
2 (D)	12	3	D (1)
1 (G)	11	1	F♯ (3)

Why it sounds like that

D major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5: root D, major third F♯, and perfect fifth A. The major third, four semitones above the root, gives the chord its bright, stable quality. Lower that third by one semitone to F and you get D minor, the parallel minor with a darker sound.

What goes wrong with D major?

Letting the ring finger flatten onto the 2nd string, causing a buzz.
Not pressing the pinky firmly enough on the 2nd string, producing a muted note.

When to use it

D major appears as the I chord in the I–IV–V–I progression D–G–A–D in D major. It also works as the IV chord in A major and the V chord in G major. Use D major for bright rock, country, and pop bass lines that need a strong root.

Changing to and from D major

Sliding the shape down two frets to the 8th fret gives C major.
Sliding the shape down one fret to the 9th fret gives C♯ major.

Which voicing to use

The 10th fret voicing puts the root D in the bass, giving a solid, grounded sound. For a lighter feel, use the D/F♯ inversion, which places the third in the bass and adds forward motion. The D/A inversion with the fifth in the bass works well when you want a less assertive low end.

Other D chords

Common questions

How is D major written in chord charts?

D major is written as D, Dmaj, or DM. There is no enharmonic spelling for D major.

What is the difference between D major and D minor?

D major has a major third (F♯), while D minor has a minor third (F). This single note changes the chord from bright to dark. The fifth, A, is the same in both chords.

Can I play D major in a lower register?

Yes, the D/F♯ inversion at the 2nd fret on the 4th string and open 3rd and 2nd strings omits the high G string. This voicing sits lower and works well when the bass needs to stay out of the guitar's range.