The open chord
Frets, low E to high E: x x 0 2 3 2 — notes x x D A D F#. The root is the open D string; the two lowest strings are muted.
| String | Fret | Note | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (high E) | 2 | F# | 3rd |
| 2 (B) | 3 | D | root (octave) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | A | 5th |
| 4 (D) | 0 | D | root |
| 5 (A) | x | — | muted |
| 6 (low E) | x | — | muted |
As a movable shape
Fret the root on the D string at fret N, then place the G–B–high-E "triangle" two, three, and two frets above. Only four strings sound; the 5th and 6th are muted or lightly touched to stay silent.
Example — E major as a D-shape (move up two frets):
| String | Fret | Note | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (high E) | 4 | G# | 3rd |
| 2 (B) | 5 | E | root (octave) |
| 3 (G) | 4 | B | 5th |
| 4 (D) | 2 | E | root |
| 5 (A) | x | — | muted |
| 6 (low E) | x | — | muted |
Shortcut: find the target root on the D string and stack the "D triangle" two, three, and two frets higher on the G, B, and high E strings.
Where it sits on the neck
The D-shape sits between the E-shape (below) and the C-shape (above) for a given chord. After the D-shape, the next shape in the chain is the C-shape of the same chord one octave above where you started — completing the cycle.
Common variants
Dm-shape (minor)
Open Dm is x x 0 2 3 1 — the high E drops one fret from F# to F (the minor 3rd). As a movable shape this becomes a compact upper-neck minor voicing.
D7-shape (dominant 7th)
Open D7 is x x 0 2 1 2 — the B string drops from fret 3 to fret 1, sounding C (the b7 of D). Moved up, this is a common D-form dominant voicing.
Dmaj7-shape
Open Dmaj7 is x x 0 2 2 2 — the B string drops from fret 3 to fret 2, sounding C# (the major 7th). A clean, ringing jazz/pop voicing when moved up.