Guitar Capo Chart — Key of D
All capo positions and open chord shapes that produce D Major chords.
Ways to play D with a capo
Capo fret
—
Play shape
D
(open, no capo needed)
Capo fret
2
Play shape
C
Capo fret
5
Play shape
A
Capo fret
7
Play shape
G
Reference shapes: C, D, E, G, A, Am, Em, Dm. Switch to “Capo → Chords” mode to see the full equivalency chart for any position.
Playing in the Key of D Major with a Capo
To play in the key of D Major, you can use a capo to shift common open chord shapes up the neck. The easiest options are capo fret 2 with a C shape, capo fret 5 with a A shape, capo fret 7 with a G shape. Each capo position gives you a different set of fingerings while sounding the same pitches, so you can choose the position that feels most comfortable or produces the tone you want.
Capo Positions for D Major
The table below shows every combination of capo fret and open chord shape that produces a D chord — the tonic (I chord) of the key of D Major.
| Capo Fret | Open Shape | Sounds Like |
|---|---|---|
| No capo | D | D |
| Fret 2 | C | D |
| Fret 5 | A | D |
| Fret 7 | G | D |
Chords in the Key of D Major
The key of D Major uses seven diatonic chords. Once you find your preferred capo position for D, use the same position shift to play all the other chords in the key — the relative shapes between them stay constant regardless of capo position.
See our chords in the key of D Major reference for Roman numeral analysis and common progressions.
Writing a song in D Major? Build the full chord sheet in Chordly — add capo notes and share it with your band.
Drag and drop chords directly onto your lyrics, build guitar tabs, and practice hands-free with autoscroll Play Mode. All in your browser — no download needed.