D major seventh chord (Dmaj7)

D major seventh is a 4-note major seventh chord: D – F♯ – A – C♯. It sounds soft, open and dreamy. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio.

NotesD – F♯ – A – C♯
Formula1 – 3 – 5 – 7
SymbolDmaj7 · DΔ7 · DM7 · D7M
TypeMajor seventh chord

D major seventh on guitar

Open position
Barre at fret 5 (A shape)
Fret 10 (E shape)

How to place your fingers (open position)

Finger 1 (index) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G).
Finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 2nd string (B).
Finger 3 (ring) on fret 2 of the 1st string (E).
Play the 4th string open.
Don't play the 6th or 5th strings: strum from the 4th string.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (D). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

D major seventh on piano

In root position, play D – F♯ – A – C♯ from bottom to top with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 of your right hand. With your left hand you usually play just the root (D) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: F♯ – A – C♯ – D
Second inversion: A – C♯ – D – F♯
Third inversion: C♯ – D – F♯ – A

D major seventh on ukulele

From fret 2
From fret 5

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of D major seventh

D1 · root
F♯3 · major third
A5 · perfect fifth
C♯7 · major seventh

Widely used in bossa nova, jazz, ballads and pop: it adds color to the tonic or the fourth degree without creating strong tension.

Progressions with Dmaj7

Turnaround: Imaj7 – vi7 – ii7 – V7

A four-chord turnaround widely used in jazz, bossa nova and ballads, in D major.

A colorful fourth degree: Imaj7 – IVmaj7

Two major seventh chords that alternate to create a mellow mood.

Which keys contain D major seventh?

Dmaj7 belongs to 4 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
D major	Imaj7
A major	IVmaj7
F♯ natural minor	VImaj7
B natural minor	IIImaj7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D major seventh chord?

D major seventh (Dmaj7) has 4 notes: D (root), F♯ (major third), A (perfect fifth), C♯ (major seventh).

How do you play D major seventh on guitar?

The easiest shape is in open position: x x 0 2 2 2 (from the 6th to the 1st string). Finger 1 (index) on fret 2 of the 3rd string (G). Finger 2 (middle) on fret 2 of the 2nd string (B). Finger 3 (ring) on fret 2 of the 1st string (E). The 4th string is played open. Do not play the 6th and 5th strings: strum from the 4th.

How do you write D major seventh in chord notation?

It is written Dmaj7; you may also see DΔ7, DM7, or D7M. Letter notation uses C, D, E, F, G, A, and B for the notes.

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