Dmaj7 Chord on Guitar
Dmaj7 D F♯ A C♯ 3 shapes Open chord
Chord diagrams
How to play Dmaj7 on guitar
The Dmaj7 chord (Dmaj7) is made of D, F♯, A, C♯ - 1 3 5 7. On a guitar in standard tuning the easiest way to play it is the open shape xx0222, with no barre. Below are 3 shapes in all, from the lowest on the neck to the highest; the same chord sounds brighter the higher you play it.
A-shape barre, fret 5 x57675
E-shape, fret 10 (10)x(11)(11)(10)x
Strings from the low E (left) to the high E (right). Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little. x = do not play the string, o = open string, a bar = one finger across several strings.
Notes
What notes are in Dmaj7?
The Dmaj7 chord has 4 different notes: D, F♯, A, C♯. The major triad plus a major seventh (11 half steps above D), one fret under the octave: soft and open. A guitar chord rarely has as many strings as notes, so shapes double some of them: every shape here leaves at least one string unplayed - watch the x marks. Mute the strings marked x with the side of a fretting finger, so that only the chord rings.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| D | Root | 0 |
| F♯ | Major 3rd | 4 |
| A | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| C♯ | Major 7th | 11 |
Chords that go with it
Chords in the key of D major
The seven chords built on the D major scale, with the easiest shape of each. I, IV and V are the three major chords that carry most songs in this key; vi is its relative minor.
A progression to strum
- I - V - vi - IVD - A - Bm - G
Questions
Frequently asked
How do you play Dmaj7 on guitar?
The open shape xx0222: G string fret 2 (finger 1), B string fret 2 (finger 2), high E string fret 2 (finger 3); let D ring open, do not play low E and A.
What notes are in the Dmaj7 chord?
The Dmaj7 chord (Dmaj7) is made of D, F♯, A, C♯. Its formula is 1 3 5 7. On the guitar, some of those notes are played twice on different strings.
Is there a barre version of Dmaj7?
Yes: a-shape barre, fret 5 (x57675). Barre shapes have no open strings, so you can cut the sound short with your fretting hand.
Keep playing
Strum Dmaj7, then build a song around it
The guitar on this page is free, with no account. GOONS Studio adds the rest of the band in the browser - a sampled piano with chord pads, drum machines, a bass synth and a sequencer - with a 7-day free trial, no card required.