D
D Major
1 3 5

Notes in D

DR
F♯3
A5

The D chord contains 3 notes: D, F♯, A

Intervals

IntervalSemitonesNoteFunction
R0DRoot
34F♯Major 3rd
57APerfect 5th

About D Major Chords

Major chords are built from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th degrees of the major scale. They produce a bright, happy, and resolved sound. Major chords are the foundation of Western harmony and appear in virtually every genre of music.

Compatible Scales & Modes

These scales contain all the notes of D and can be used for soloing, improvising, and writing melodies over this chord.

D Ionian (Major Scale)
The natural home of any major chord — all chord tones fall within this scale.
D Mixolydian
Works over major chords in a dominant context — common in blues, rock, and funk.
D Lydian
Adds a dreamy, floating quality — the ♯4 creates an uplifting tension over major chords.
D Major Pentatonic
The go-to for country, pop, and rock soloing over major chords. Five notes, zero wrong notes.

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