Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string, x is a string you do not play.
- Index finger on the 2nd fret of the G string (3rd).
- Middle finger on the 2nd fret of the B string (2nd).
- Ring finger on the 2nd fret of the high E string (1st).
- Let the D string ring open.
- Do not play the low E and A strings: start the strum from the D string.
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | not played | — | — | — |
| 5th (A) | not played | — | — | — |
| 4th (D) | open | — | D3 | root |
| 3rd (G) | fret 2 | index | A3 | fifth |
| 2nd (B) | fret 2 | middle | C♯4 | major seventh |
| 1st (high E) | fret 2 | ring | F♯4 | third |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
3 other ways to play Dmaj7
The same 4 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- x57675A barre at the 5th fret and three more fingers
- 10-9-7-7-7-9A barre at the 7th fret and three more fingers
- 10-12-11-11-10-10A barre at the 10th fret and three more fingers
Holding it cleanly
One string rings open next to fretted ones. Arch the fingers so they come down on their tips — a finger lying flat will deaden the open string beside it, and the chord loses a note without sounding obviously wrong.
The 2 lowest strings are left out, because their open notes are not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below them, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in Dmaj7
A major seventh chord is built from the root (1), 3, 5 and 7 of its root’s major scale. From D that gives D – F♯ – A – C♯. A major chord with the note a semitone under its root added: soft, open, and at rest.
The same root, other chords: D major, Dm, D7, Dm7, Dsus2, Dsus4, Ddim, Daug.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Dmaj7 chord?
D major seventh is four notes: D – F♯ – A – C♯ — the root, 3, 5 and 7 of the D major scale. On guitar the shape xx0222 sounds D3, A3, C♯4 and F♯4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play Dmaj7 on guitar?
The usual shape is xx0222 — an open-position shape, with three fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
What is the difference between Dmaj7 and D7?
Dmaj7 has the natural seventh (C♯), a semitone below the root; D7 flattens it another semitone. Dmaj7 is soft and at rest; D7 is restless and leads somewhere. A songbook that says D7 does not mean Dmaj7.