D-shape Major Chord

The D major shape is the open D chord turned into a movable grip. It tends to sound thinner than the other CAGED shapes, because its lowest root is on the fourth string. It's never going to resonate like a chord with a bass root on the fifth or sixth string, so it's usually not a chord we want to linger on. But as the only shape with a fourth-string root, it's often in a convenient place for transitioning between other chords.

The core D major shape

This is the full D major shape, with the root on the fourth string (and again on the second string). The conventional grip is xx1243, with the first finger also leaning back to mute the fifth string. In practice this grip is rarely comfortable, and most players reach for one of the reduced grips below instead.

It's also common to reach the first finger over to the fifth string for the perfect fifth there, as an alternating bass note.

Alternate D major grips

Treble triad

One common way to grip this shape is as a treble triad, leaving out the awkward bass note: xxx121 or xxx132.

Root and fifth

To keep the root note in the bass, there are two comfortable grips, depending on which note we want as the highest pitch.

The grip xx134x has the root note at the top and bottom. This is really just a power chord, with the root and fifth but no third, which sounds a bit vague because it's neither major nor minor. But for use in passing, on the way to another chord shape, this grip is often perfect.

Full triad with a root bass

The grip xx13x4 is a full triad chord with the third as the highest pitch and the root in the bass.

The Joe Pass grip

One interesting voicing for this chord, favored by guitar virtuoso Joe Pass, is 2x134x. It's a little unusual, with the third in the bass, and sometimes it just does not sound right. But sometimes it sounds amazing, especially when leading to another chord with a nearby bass note, as when playing a D-shape V chord leading to a G-shape I chord.

Study and practice

First, learn the chord grips

Use the exercises described in How to Master New Chord Grips to get comfortable with the D major shape.

Play primary chords along the neck

Practice improvising with the D major shape, changing between the three major primary chords (I, IV and V). It's challenging to change chords across so much distance, but practice slowly and accurately and it will gradually become automatic.

Play the major pentatonic over the D chord

Practice playing the major pentatonic over the D major chord shape, alternating between playing a few notes and strumming the chord. Mix things up to keep it musical and interesting, but focus on landing on the chord tones on downbeats.

See the D-shape major pentatonic lesson for more about playing this scale over the D major chord.