Most common
Open position
The shape almost everyone learns first. Strum from the open D string down; the two lowest strings stay out of the chord.
NotesD · F# · A
Fret spanFrets 2–3
DifficultyEasy
Best forAll players
D Chord on Guitar
Two ways to play D major: the open triangle every beginner learns first, and the movable A-shape barre that gives you the same chord anywhere on the neck.
Movable shape
Barre at 5th fret
The A shape moved up five frets. The same grip two frets higher gives you E, and five higher gives you G.
NotesD · F# · A
Fret spanFrets 5–7
DifficultyHard
Best forMoving up the neck
Compare all 2 fingerings
Every card below is the printable file itself, at full size on the page. Choose the shape that fits your hand and the chord that comes next, then print or download it on its own.
What notes are in D major?
Chord tones
DF#A
D is the root, F# is the major third, and A is the perfect fifth. Every shape on this page sounds those notes and nothing else; only the order and the octave change.
Common keys
D majorG majorA majorB minor
D belongs to all four of these keys, which is why it turns up so often in songs that never mention it in the title.
About the D chord
D major is a three-finger shape on the top four strings, which is why it turns up in the first week of almost every guitar course. The awkward part is not the grip but the aim: all three fingers land in the same two frets and the low strings have to stay quiet. Anchor the index finger on the third string first and let the other two follow it. Once the open shape is comfortable, the A-shape barre at the fifth fret is worth the effort, because it is the same chord with a movable grip: learning it once also hands you E at the seventh fret and G at the tenth.
Find D in these printable sheets
Practise the chord in context, then take the blank sheets to write down the shapes a teacher shows you.
Guitar Chord Chart 12 essential guitar chords. Print the full chart or save it for later. View chart → Beginner Chord Chart Eight easy open chords, in the order they are worth learning. No barre shapes. View chart → Blank Chord Chart Empty diagrams to fill in by hand, 6, 12 or 24 to a page. View sheet → Power Chords Chart Eight shapes, and the two movable ones that cover the whole neck. View sheet → Printable Chord Chart Every sheet on the site as a PDF, ready for A4 or US Letter. View sheet → Pentatonic Scale Chart The five box shapes in any key, with the frets you actually play. View sheet → Guitar Scales Chart Five scales across the whole neck, roots marked, in any key. View sheet →
Learn these next
The other chords with more than one shape worth knowing.
Frequently asked questions
Which D fingering should a beginner use?
Open position. The shape almost everyone learns first. Strum from the open D string down; the two lowest strings stay out of the chord. Once it lands cleanly every time, the other shapes on this page are worth adding, because each one buys you something different.
Why are there several ways to play the same chord?
They contain the same notes, D, F#, A, but they put your hand in different places. Which one is right depends on the chord you are moving to next and on how much of the neck the song uses, not on which one is "correct".
Which strings do I strum for D?
Leave the low E string and A string out and start the strum from the D string. The X above the nut marks every string that stays silent.
Can I print just one shape?
Yes. Each shape has its own Print button and its own printable card, so you can put a single fingering on the wall instead of the whole page. The PNG download is the same image at 1000 × 1500, sized for a phone or a Pinterest board.