Dmaj7
Open PositionThe classic open Dmaj7 — the open D chord with the B string lowered from fret 3 to fret 2, giving you the C# (major 7th). Play it as a small barre at fret 2 across G, B, and high e. Strum from the D string only; the low E and A are not played.
Dmaj7
5th FretA-shape barre chord rooted on D at the 5th fret. Mute the low E; barre fret 5 with your index, then add ring on D fret 7, middle on G fret 6, and pinky on B fret 7. A classic moveable maj7 voicing.
Dmaj7
10th FretA compact 4-string maj7 voicing with the root on the low E string at fret 10. Index on low E fret 10 (root), middle on B fret 10 (5th), ring on D fret 11 (maj7), pinky on G fret 11 (3rd). Mute the A and high e strings. No barre required.
Dmaj7
12th FretD-shape voicing with the root on the D string at fret 12 — the open Dmaj7 shape one octave up. A compact, focused voicing — strum the top four strings only.
Dmaj7
9th FretA Drop 2 voicing on the top four strings — root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th stacked in order. A go-to jazz comping shape with a clear, sparkling sound.
Tips for Playing the Dmaj7 Chord
Use a small barre
In the open Dmaj7, lay your index finger flat across G, B, and high e at fret 2. It is often easier than placing three separate fingers.
Skip the low strings
The open Dmaj7 sounds best when you strum from the D string. The low E and A do not contain chord tones and can muddy the sound.
Hear the maj7
The C# on the B string is what makes this chord a maj7. Move it to fret 3 and you are back to a regular D chord — try toggling between them to train your ear.
Use it in place of D
Dmaj7 sounds great as a substitute for D in folk, ballads, bossa nova, and soft pop. Try it anywhere a plain D feels too bright.
Move the barre shapes
The A-shape at fret 5 and E-shape at fret 10 are fully moveable — slide them up or down to play any major 7th chord.
Bossa nova staple
Dmaj7 → Gmaj7 → Em7 → A7 is one of the most-used progressions in Brazilian jazz. Try fingerpicking the top four strings of each chord.
About the Dmaj7 Chord on Guitar
The Dmaj7 chord is built from four notes: D, F#, A, and C#. It is the D major triad with an added major 7th, giving the chord a warm, dreamy, slightly bittersweet quality. Dmaj7 appears constantly in jazz, bossa nova, soft rock, and pop ballads — anywhere a richer, more colourful version of D is wanted. This page covers five voicings, from the easy open shape (which can be played as a small barre across one fret) all the way to advanced barre and Drop 2 jazz voicings. Every diagram is interactive and playable with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 Dmaj7 chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open position, barre, D-shape, and Drop 2 jazz voicings
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 4 notes that form the D Major 7th chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.