D Major Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Open C tuning — fretboard diagram
D Major in Open C — Notes and Intervals
The D Major scale is the fundamental pillar of Western music, also known as the Ionian mode. On Guitar, it contains the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#. It is characterized by a bright, stable, and triumphant sound, making it the primary choice for expressing joy and clarity. It is the essential framework for building major triads and functional harmony in pop, classical, and folk music. The diatonic chords of D Major are Dmaj7, Em7, F#m7, Gmaj7, A7, Bm7, C#m7b5. Commonly used in Pop, Classical, Country, Folk, Rock. Notable players include The Beatles, Taylor Swift, John Mayer. Use over major triads, Maj7, Maj9, and any diatonic chord within the key. The default choice for major-key songwriting.
Notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Formula: W-W-H-W-W-W-H
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)
Also known as: ionian
Diatonic Chords
Dmaj7 — Em7 — F♯m7 — Gmaj7 — A7 — Bm7 — C♯m7♭5