D major scale

The D major scale is D, E, F♯, G, A, B and C♯, with two sharps. From D, the steps go whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

  1. D1
  2. whole
  3. E2
  4. whole
  5. F♯3
  6. half
  7. G4
  8. whole
  9. A5
  10. whole
  11. B6
  12. whole
  13. C♯7
  14. half
  15. D8
D1E2G1A2B3D5F♯3C♯4

D major on the staff, piano and guitar

On the staff

♯♯DEF♯GABC♯D♯♯DEF♯GABC♯D

On piano

Right hand 1 2 3, then the thumb passes under to G: 1 2 3 4 5.

D5E4G2A1B3D1F♯3C♯2

Left hand 5 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to B: 3 2 1.

Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

On guitar

45678EBGDAEABC♯DEF♯GABC♯DEF♯GAB

Every note of D major between the 4th and 8th fret. The root, D, has a heavy ring.

How to play the D major scale on piano

  1. Find D, the white key between the two black keys of a group of two.
  2. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to E.
  3. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to F♯, a black key.
  4. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to G.
  5. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to A.
  6. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to B.
  7. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to C♯, a black key.
  8. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to D, an octave above where you started.

Practice the D major scale

Play the D major scale one note a beat, up and back down: D E F♯ G A B C♯ D C♯ B A G F♯ E D. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.

D
  1. D
  2. E
  3. F♯
  4. G
  5. A
  6. B
  7. C♯
  8. D
  9. C♯
  10. B
  11. A
  12. G
  13. F♯
  14. E
  15. D

The key of D major

Follow the major pattern from D and two notes need a sharp: F♯ and C♯. Those two sharps are the key signature.

Relative minor
B minor
Parallel minor
D minor
Neighbors on the circle of fifths
G major and A major
♯♯CAmGIVEmiiDIBmviAVF♯miiiEC♯mBC♭G♯mA♭mF♯G♭D♯mE♭mD♭C♯B♭mA♯mA♭FmE♭CmB♭GmFDmD major
D major on the circle of fifths, with the chords of its key marked.

The name of each note in the key

  1. 1Dtonic
  2. 2Esupertonic
  3. 3F♯mediant
  4. 4Gsubdominant
  5. 5Adominant
  6. 6Bsubmediant
  7. 7C♯leading tone

Chords in D major

Build a chord on each note of the scale, using only the scale's notes, and you get the seven chords of the key. The numeral is the chord's place in the key: capitals for major, small letters for minor.

  1. ID
  2. iiEm
  3. iiiF♯m
  4. IVG
  5. VA
  6. viBm
  7. vii°C♯dim

Modes on the same notes

Start the D major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: D ionian, E dorian, F♯ phrygian, G lydian, A mixolydian, B aeolian, C♯ locrian.

Practice notes for the D major scale

D major has two sharps, F♯ and C♯: D E F♯ G A B C♯ D. In the right hand both black keys are played by long fingers, F♯ by 3 and C♯ by 4, and the thumb plays only D and G.

Where it goes wrong. The thumb passing under from F♯ to G. Finger 3 sits on a black key, further into the keyboard, so the thumb has a shorter way to travel than it does in C major. The slip is the opposite one: crossing too early and clipping F♯ short. Hold F♯ for its full length before G sounds.

How to practice it. Play it in two groups first: D E F♯ with 1 2 3, then G A B C♯ D with 1 2 3 4 5. When each group is even, join them. In the left hand the fingers are 5 4 3 2 1 from D, then 3 crosses over to B, so C♯ falls to finger 2. Hands separately, then together, slowly.

What to listen for. Both raised notes sit a half step below a scale note: F♯ under G, C♯ under D. C♯ to D is the step that brings the scale home. If either black key is played softer than its neighbors, the scale will sound lopsided; aim for one level all the way up.

What to learn next. A major, which adds G♯, and G major again, to feel how the hand changes when one sharp is taken away.

Questions

What are the notes of the D major scale?

D, E, F♯, G, A, B and C♯, then D again an octave up.

What chords are in the key of D major?

D, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm and C♯dim: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii°.

Why does D major have two sharps?

Follow the major pattern from D and two notes need a sharp: F♯ and C♯. Those two sharps are the key signature.

What is the relative minor of D major?

B minor. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on B.