D Major
D major has 2 sharps. Its relative minor is Bm and its parallel key is Dm. This page lists the signature, scale notes, diatonic chords, and go-to progressions, with tools that play the sound.
Key signature
Sharps: 2 (Notes: F#, C#)
Scale notes
The notes that make up this scale, shown with their degrees.
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# |
Diatonic chords
The chords that belong to this key, color-coded by role: T (tonic), SD (subdominant), D (dominant).
Triads
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⅰ | D | D F# A | T |
| Ⅱm | Em | E G B | SD |
| Ⅲm | F#m | F# A C# | T |
| Ⅳ | G | G B D | SD |
| Ⅴ | A | A C# E | D |
| Ⅵm | Bm | B D F# | T |
| Ⅶdim | C#dim | C# E G | D |
Seventh chords
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ⅰmaj7 | Dmaj7 | D F# A C# | T |
| Ⅱm7 | Em7 | E G B D | SD |
| Ⅲm7 | F#m7 | F# A C# E | T |
| Ⅳmaj7 | Gmaj7 | G B D F# | SD |
| Ⅴ7 | A7 | A C# E G | D |
| Ⅵm7 | Bm7 | B D F# A | T |
| Ⅶm7b5 | C#m7b5 | C# E G B | D |
Related keys
Go-to progressions in this key
Common progressions written out with the real chord names for this key. Play them in the progression player to hear them.
| Progression | Chords | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Road Progression | G - A - F#m - Bm | ▶ Play in player |
| Canon Progression | D - A - Bm - F#m - G - D - G - A | ▶ Play in player |
| Komuro Progression | Bm - G - A - D | ▶ Play in player |
Hear it with the tools
Links that open each tool preset to this key.
Related articles
Articles for anyone who wants to understand keys and signatures more deeply.