D major scale
The D major scale is D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D. It has 2 sharps (F♯ and C♯), its relative minor is B minor, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left hand.
D major scale notes
The D major scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D. Two of the seven are black keys on the piano (F♯ and C♯); the other five are white keys.
The step pattern is W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between F♯ and G and C♯ and D.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | D | do | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | E | re | White |
| 3 | Mediant | F♯ | mi | Black |
| 4 | Subdominant | G | fa | White |
| 5 | Dominant | A | sol | White |
| 6 | Submediant | B | la | White |
| 7 | Leading tone | C♯ | ti | Black |
D major key signature
The D major key signature has 2 sharps: F♯ and C♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. B minor shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharps sit F♯ on the fifth line from the bottom and C♯ in the third space from the bottom.
Shortcut: the last sharp, C♯, is one half step below the major tonic (D).
D major scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: F♯ (finger 3) to G (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: A (finger 1) to B (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in D major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of D major. The primary chords are D (I), G (IV) and A (V).
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | D | D F♯ A | Dmaj7 | D F♯ A C♯ |
| ii | Em | E G B | Em7 | E G B D |
| iii | F♯m | F♯ A C♯ | F♯m7 | F♯ A C♯ E |
| IV | G | G B D | Gmaj7 | G B D F♯ |
| V | A | A C♯ E | A7 | A C♯ E G |
| vi | Bm | B D F♯ | Bm7 | B D F♯ A |
| vii° | C♯° | C♯ E G | C♯m7♭5 | C♯ E G B |
One of the most common progressions in pop music, I V vi IV, is D, A, Bm, G in D major. A ii V I cadence is Em7, A7, Dmaj7.
Reading D major on the staff
D major is one of the most common keys for string players, because D and A are open strings on the violin, viola and cello. Pianists meet it constantly in accompaniments and in early classical pieces.
On the treble staff, D4 to D5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, D3 to D4 needs 1 ledger line above the staff.
The reading trap in D major is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯ and C♯), then check every F and C on the page.
How to practise the D major scale
- Say the notes before you play them: D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: D (D F♯ A), G (G B D) and A (A C♯ E).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills major scales, triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to D major
- B minor scale: relative minor, same key signature
- D minor scale: parallel minor, same tonic
- A major scale: a fifth above, 3 sharps
- G major scale: a fifth below, 1 sharp
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the D major scale?
The D major scale is D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D, then D again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in D major?
D major has 2 sharps: F♯ and C♯.
What is the relative minor of D major?
B minor. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on B.
What chords are in D major?
D (I), Em (ii), F♯m (iii), G (IV), A (V), Bm (vi), C♯° (vii°).
What is the fingering for the D major scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from D; left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.