If you’re trying to learn how to play the guitar, then I am going to teach you how to play the D chord, which is one of the 5 Must-Know Open chords used in thousands of popular songs. Plus, I’m going to provide you with 5 Great Tips for Mastering the D chord or any other chord for that matter.

In fact, I’ve taught these chords to hundreds of my students ranging between five and seventy-five years old, and they went on to quickly master these chords and use them to play their favorite songs on the guitar in no time.

So it doesn’t matter if your an elementary school student or a perennial, this guitar lesson can help you.

And if you stick around to the end of the video, I have a free bonus for you.

What is a D Chord?

The D chord is a three-note chord made up of the notes D, F#, & A.
Those notes don’t have to be in that order.

In fact, the d chord in the open position uses the notes D, A, D, & F#, but it’s still a D chord.

To finger the D chord, place your pointer finger on the second fret of the G string.

Place your middle finger on the second fret of the high E string.
Place your ring finger on the third fret of the B string.

Then, strum the D, G, B, and High E-Strings like this.

When you’re playing the D chord, be careful to avoid strumming the E & A strings.

Why is the D Chord so hard? 

The D chord on guitar is hard for two reasons:

1. You must avoid playing two of the strings: E & A

1. You create a “triangle” shape with your fingers, meaning your fingers are spread out over two frets across three strings forming a triangle.

Is there any easier way to play the d chord?

Yes, it’s called the D power chord, and it rocks! 

To play the D power chord, place your pointer finger on the second fret of the G string.

Now, strum the D string and the G string together and viola: you’re now playing the mighty, mighty D power chord.

5 Tips for Mastering the D Chord on Guitar

1. Go slow: When it comes to learning how to play the guitar, fast is slow, and slow is fast. So take your time, go slow, and focus on playing as cleanly and as articulately as possible.
2. Soundcheck: Pick each individual note one string at a time to make sure there is no string buzz.
3. Avoid Learning Too Many Chords at Once: Instead, focus on learning one or two chords at a time.
4. Connect it with chords you already know. If you can play the A chord easily, then combine it with the D chord and practice switching between the two.

5. Leverage Your Preferred Learning Style. What style do you learn best in? If you’re like me, you probably learn best from reading. In that case, I recommend using a chord chart.

If you’re a kinesthetic learner, then you learn best by doing. You should pay attention to how the chord feels.

If you’re an auditory learner, then you’re in luck because you learn best by hearing. In that case, you should listen to what the chords sound like. You could also listen to your favorite songs and try to pick out the chords by ear.

FREE BONUS

Make sure you click on the link below to get your free guitar course for kids. But if you’re not a kid and want to work on your guitar basics, this course is also for you.  In it, you’ll learn how to hold the guitar, parts of the guitar, open strings, power chords, and so much more! Just click on the link below to sign up for the free course.

COMMENTS

If you have a question about the guitar, leave it in the comments section, and I’ll make sure to answer it in a future video.

And remember, every guitar master was once a beginner, the more you practice, the better you will become. ROCK!