Key · major

The key of D Major

D Major has 2 sharps (F♯ C♯). Its scale is D E F♯ G A B C♯. The seven chords built on those degrees are I D, ii Em, iii F♯m, IV G, V A, vi Bm and vii° C♯dim; the dominant is A and the subdominant G. Its relative minor is B Minor and its parallel minor is D Minor.

Key signature
2 sharps · F♯ C♯
Scale
D E F♯ G A B C♯
Relative minor
B Minor
Parallel minor
D Minor

The scale on the keyboard

The D Major scale on the piano keyboard: D E F♯ G A B C♯12312345DEF♯GABC♯D

Fingering for both hands, the step pattern and the other forms are on the D Major scale page.

Scale degrees

DegreeNoteNameInterval from the tonic
1DTonicUnison
2ESupertonicMajor 2nd
3F♯MediantMajor 3rd
4GSubdominantPerfect 4th
5ADominantPerfect 5th
6BSubmediantMajor 6th
7C♯Leading ToneMajor 7th

Chords in D Major

One chord on each degree of the scale. The dominant is A and the subdominant G.

NumeralTriadQualitySeventh
IDMajorDmaj7
iiEmMinorEm7
iiiF♯mMinorF♯m7
IVGMajorGmaj7
VAMajorA7
viBmMinorBm7
vii°C♯dimDiminishedC♯m7♭5

Chord functions

FunctionChords
TonicI · iii · vi
Subdominantii · IV
DominantV · vii°

Common progressions in D Major

ProgressionChordsLevel
I – IV – VD – G – AEasy
I – IV – V – ID – G – A – DEasy
I – V – vi – IVD – A – Bm – GEasy
I – vi – IV – VD – Bm – G – AEasy
I – IV – I – VD – G – D – AEasy
I – V – IV – ID – A – G – DEasy
I – IV – V – IVD – G – A – GEasy
I – ii – IV – VD – Em – G – AEasy
vi – IV – I – VBm – G – D – AMedium
I – vi – ii – VD – Bm – Em – AMedium
I – IV – vi – VD – G – Bm – AMedium
I – iii – IV – VD – F♯m – G – AMedium
I – iii – vi – IVD – F♯m – Bm – GMedium
IV – I – V – viG – D – A – BmMedium
I – V – vi – iii – IV – I – IV – VD – A – Bm – F♯m – G – D – G – AMedium
I – IV – vii° – iii – vi – ii – V – ID – G – C♯dim – F♯m – Bm – Em – A – DHard
ii – V – IEm – A – DMedium
iim7 – V7 – Imaj7Em7 – A7 – Dmaj7Hard
ii – V – I – viEm – A – D – BmHard
I – VI – ii – VD – B – Em – AHard
I – II – V – ID – E – A – DHard
I – bVII – IV – ID – C – G – DMedium
I – bIII – IVD – F – GMedium
I – V – bVII – IVD – A – C – GMedium
I – bVI – bVII – ID – B♭ – C – DHard
I – IV – iv – ID – G – Gm – DHard
12-Bar Blues (I7 – IV7 – V7)D7 – D7 – D7 – D7 – G7 – G7 – D7 – D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7Medium
Quick-Change BluesD7 – G7 – D7 – D7 – G7 – G7 – D7 – D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7Medium

The other keys

C MajorG MajorA MajorE MajorB MajorF♯ MajorD♭ MajorA♭ MajorE♭ MajorB♭ MajorF MajorA MinorE MinorB MinorF♯ MinorC♯ MinorG♯ MinorE♭ MinorB♭ MinorF MinorC MinorG MinorD Minor

Part of the key reference. See also the chords and the scales.