Chords in the key of D Major
The seven chords of D Major and the 7th chord on each, with the key signature and the keys closest to it.
Short answer
The key of D Major contains seven diatonic chords: D, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm, C♯°. They're built on each degree of the D Major scale.
- Tonic
- D
- Key signature
- 2 sharps
- Scale
- D E F♯ G A B C♯
- Relative key
- B Natural Minor
- Dominant
- A
- Parallel key
- D Natural Minor
Diatonic chords in D Major
Build a triad on each note of the D Major scale and you get these seven chords. Add one more scale note on top and you get the 7th chord beside it.
Key signature of D Major
D Major has 2 sharps: F♯, C♯. The signature at the start of each staff line makes those notes sharp all the way through, unless an accidental says otherwise.
Practise reading key signaturesD Major on the piano
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Common progressions in D Major
The most popular chord progressions written in this key. Click any progression to hear it.
Questions people ask
- What chords are in the key of D Major?
- The key of D Major contains seven diatonic chords: D, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm, C♯°. They're built on each degree of the D Major scale.
- How many sharps or flats are in D Major?
- D Major has 2 sharps: F♯, C♯. The signature at the start of each staff line makes those notes sharp all the way through, unless an accidental says otherwise.
- What are the 7th chords in D Major?
- Adding a seventh to each chord of D Major gives Dmaj7, Em7, F♯m7, Gmaj7, A7, Bm7, C♯m7♭5.
- What is the relative key of D Major?
- It's B Natural Minor. It uses exactly the same notes and key signature as D Major, but its music centres on B.
- What are the most common progressions in D Major?
- Pop and rock songs in D Major usually rely on I-V-vi-IV, I-IV-V and ii-V-I. Each appears in our progression library with audio.
- Why do these chords sound good together?
- Every chord in D Major is built using only notes from the D Major scale, so they share the same tonal center and naturally resolve to the I chord.
- How do I transpose a song to D Major?
- Use our free Chord Transposer, paste the original chords and shift them to D Major. The tool keeps the relationships between chords intact.