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Key of D

The key of D major has two sharps (F♯, C♯). Its seven notes are D, E, F♯, G, A, B, and C♯. Its relative minor is B Minor, which shares the same notes and key signature. The chords that belong to the key are I D major, ii E minor, iii F♯ minor, IV G major, V A major, vi B minor, vii° C♯ diminished. Its dominant is A major and its subdominant is G major — the keys it most naturally moves toward. Keys built on sharps, like D major, are traditionally described as bright and brilliant.

Key Signature

The notes of the D Major come from D Major, so it carries that key signature: 2 sharps (F♯, C♯).

F♯C♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Relative minor: B Minor scale — same notes, same key signature, different home note.

Chords in the Key of D Major

Every major key is built from seven diatonic chords — one on each note of the scale. In D major they are I D Major, ii E Minor, iii F♯ Minor, IV G Major, V A Major, vi B Minor, and vii° C♯ Diminished. Tap any chord to light it up on the keyboard.

C1C2C3C4DAC5C6C7C8F#
I — D Major (major)

Common chord progressions in D major

  • I – IV – V — D → G → A — the three primary chords
  • I – V – vi – IV — D → A → B → G — the most common pop progression
  • ii – V – I — E → A → D — the backbone of jazz
  • I – vi – IV – V — D → B → G → A — the classic doo-wop turnaround

Everything in the key of D

Every chord, scale, and mode in D — click any link for the full interactive page with piano diagrams, audio, notation, and fingerings.

D Chords

D Major ChordD Minor ChordD Augmented ChordD Diminished ChordD Suspended 2nd ChordD Suspended 4th ChordD Major 6 ChordD Minor 6th ChordD Dominant 7th ChordD Major 7th ChordD Minor 7th ChordD Minor Major 7th ChordD Diminished 7th ChordD Half Diminished ChordD Augmented 7th ChordD Dominant 7th Sharp 11 ChordD Add 9 ChordD Major 9th ChordD Minor 9th ChordD Major 11th ChordD Minor 11th ChordD Major 13th ChordD Minor 13th ChordD Dominant 9th ChordD Dominant 7th ♭5 ChordD Major 6/9 ChordD Power ChordD Dominant 11th ChordD Dominant 13th ChordD Dominant 7th sus4 ChordD Dominant 9th sus4 ChordD Dominant 13th sus4 ChordD Dominant 7th ♭9 ChordD Dominant 7th ♯9 ChordD Dominant 7th ♭13 ChordD Dominant 7th ♯5 ChordD Dominant 9th ♭5 ChordD Dominant 9th ♯5 ChordD Dominant 7th ♭9 ♯11 ChordD Dominant 7th ♯9 ♯11 ChordD Dominant 7th ♭5 ♯9 ChordD Minor 11th ♭5 ChordD Minor 13th ♭5 ChordD Add 4 ChordD Minor Add 9 ChordD Minor Add 11 ChordD Major 7♯5 ChordD Major 7♭5 ChordD Minor 7♯5 ChordD Major 7♯11 ChordD Major 9♯11 ChordD Dominant 9♯11 ChordD Diminished Major 7th Chord

D Scales

D Major ScaleD Minor ScaleD Major Pentatonic ScaleD Minor Pentatonic ScaleD Major Blues ScaleD Minor Blues ScaleD Harmonic Minor ScaleD Melodic Minor ScaleD Chromatic ScaleD Altered ScaleD Phrygian Dominant ScaleD Locrian Sharp 2 ScaleD Lydian Dominant ScaleD Whole Tone ScaleD Whole-Half Diminished ScaleD Half-Whole Diminished ScaleD Major Bebop ScaleD Dominant Bebop ScaleD Minor Bebop ScaleD Harmonic Major ScaleD Double Harmonic ScaleD Hungarian Minor ScaleD Major b6 Pentatonic ScaleD Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale

D Modes

D Ionian1st Mode · = Major ScaleD Dorian2nd Mode of MajorD Phrygian3rd Mode of MajorD Lydian4th Mode of MajorD Mixolydian5th Mode of MajorD Aeolian6th Mode · = Natural MinorD Locrian7th Mode of Major
CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭BC♭