The 7 chords
D · Em · F#m · G · A · Bm · C#dim
Every major key follows the same pattern: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished.
Chord chart
D Major chord chart
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | D | D – F# – A | Dmaj7 | Tonic |
| 2 | ii | Em | E – G – B | Em7 | Supertonic |
| 3 | iii | F#m | F# – A – C# | F#m7 | Mediant |
| 4 | IV | G | G – B – D | Gmaj7 | Subdominant |
| 5 | V | A | A – C# – E | A7 | Dominant |
| 6 | vi | Bm | B – D – F# | Bm7 | Submediant |
| 7 | vii° | C#dim | C# – E – G | C#m7b5 | Leading tone |
D major scale: D – E – F# – G – A – B – C#. Key signature: 2 sharps (F♯, C♯).
Progressions
Common chord progressions in D Major
The pop progression
I – V – vi – IV
- ID
- VA
- viBm
- IVG
The four-chord loop behind a huge share of modern pop, rock and worship songs.
Three-chord progression
I – IV – V – I
- ID
- IVG
- VA
- ID
The three primary chords, I, IV and V — the backbone of blues, folk, country and early rock and roll.
Minor-start loop
vi – IV – I – V
- viBm
- IVG
- ID
- VA
The pop progression started on the vi. Same four chords, but opening on the minor chord makes the loop sound darker.
50s progression
I – vi – IV – V
- ID
- viBm
- IVG
- VA
The doo-wop progression of 1950s ballads, and still one of the most common loops in songwriting.
ii – V – I
ii7 – V7 – Imaj7
- ii7Em7
- V7A7
- Imaj7Dmaj7
The jazz cadence, played with 7th chords as it almost always is. The single most common move in jazz standards.
Canon progression
I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – V
- ID
- VA
- viBm
- iiiF#m
- IVG
- ID
- IVG
- VA
The eight-chord sequence of Pachelbel's Canon, borrowed by countless pop songs since.
Want more? Generate a progression in D Major by style, or build your own in the Chord Progression Player.
7th chords
7th chords in the key of D Major
Add the next note of the scale on top of each chord and you get its diatonic 7th chord — the sound of jazz, soul and R&B in D major.
On guitar
Playing in D Major on guitar
4 of the 7 chords are open chords (D, Em, G, A); F#m, Bm, C#dim need a barre or a moveable shape.
Scales for soloing in D Major
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
The key of D major has seven chords: D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm and C#dim. Each is built from the notes of the D major scale (D E F# G A B C#), so all seven share one key signature: 2 sharps (F♯, C♯).
D, G and A — the I, IV and V chords. Those three contain every note of the D major scale between them, which is why so many songs in D major use little else.
B minor. It uses the same seven chords and the same key signature as D major; the difference is which chord feels like home. A song that keeps returning to Bm is in B minor; one that settles on D is in D major.
2 sharps (F♯, C♯). D major shares its key signature with its relative minor, B minor.
A, the V chord. Its 7th chord, A7, is the only dominant 7th in the key, and A7 → D is the strongest way to end a song in D major.
Dmaj7, Em7, F#m7, Gmaj7, A7, Bm7 and C#m7b5. Each adds the next note of the scale on top of the triad, which gives two major 7ths, three minor 7ths, one dominant 7th and one half-diminished (m7♭5).
Stacking the scale notes on C# gives C#, E, G: a minor 3rd and then another minor 3rd, so the 5th is flattened. It is the least-used chord in the key — songs often skip it, or use A7 where it would go.
Yes. 4 of its 7 chords are open chords — D, Em, G and A — so most songs in D major can be played without a barre; only F#m, Bm and C#dim need one or a moveable shape.
Related Tools
Circle of FifthsSee every key, its relative minor and its neighbours on one wheelKey FinderPaste a progression and detect its key with Roman numeral analysisChord Progression GeneratorPick a key and style to generate a diatonic progressionCapo CalculatorFind the capo position to play any key with open shapes