Chord 8 min·absolute beginner
The D Major Chord
A bright, ringing chord that gives you instant access to a huge body of pop, folk and rock songs.
D — a triangle of fingers on strings 1–3.
Don’t strum the 6th string — D’s lowest note is the open 4th (D). String 5 is optional but a clean D is most often played from string 4 down.
Ring finger up to fret 3
Many beginners under-bend the ring finger. Aim its tip at fret 3 of string 2 — not fret 2 — and sit just behind the metal fret.
Drill
- String-by-string check: pluck strings 4-3-2-1. Each must ring clean.
- Strum 8 times, mute, repeat. 3 sets.
Self-check
Did you complete the drill above and feel confident with this lesson?
Sources & attribution
- Wikibooks · Guitar / Chords · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lesson copy © Free Chord Book. Content adapted from sources marked CC BY-SA 4.0 is itself shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.