Dmaj7 chord on ukulele
Dmaj7 is D, F♯, A and C♯. The usual shape is 2-2-2-4. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.
2-2-2-4 · movable · medium
- Notes
- D · F♯ · A · C♯
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5 · 7
- First shape
- 2-2-2-4
How to play Dmaj7 on ukulele
Shape 1, 2-2-2-4, reading from the G string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:
- Index finger: G string, 2nd fret (A).
- Middle finger: C string, 2nd fret (D).
- Ring finger: E string, 2nd fret (F♯).
- Pinky: A string, 4th fret (C♯).
- This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.
- Strum with the pad of your index finger or thumb, all four strings, across the spot where the neck meets the body.
Other ways to play Dmaj7
- 6-6-5-5: movable shape at the 5th fret, medium. Same notes, stacked differently, so it sounds a little different.
Capo shortcuts for Dmaj7
A capo turns an open chord into Dmaj7: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open Cmaj7 shape (0-0-0-2), capo on the 5th fret and play the open Amaj7 shape (1-1-0-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open Gmaj7 shape (0-2-2-2). Handy when the rest of the song's chords also have open shapes in that position.
Changing from Dmaj7 to the chords around it
The chords Dmaj7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.
- Gmaj7 (IV in D major): Dmaj7 (2-2-2-4) to Gmaj7 (0-2-2-2): the index finger slides across to the C string at the same fret, the middle finger slides across to the E string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the A string at the same fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. Shared notes: D and F♯. Gmaj7 on ukulele
- A7 (V in D major): Dmaj7 (2-2-2-4) to A7 (0-1-0-0): your index finger lands on the C string, 1st fret. Shared notes: A and C♯. A7 on ukulele
- Bm7 (vi in D major): Dmaj7 (2-2-2-4) to Bm7 (2-2-2-2): your index, middle and ring fingers stay put, move the pinky finger to the A string, 2nd fret. That makes it one of the quickest changes from this chord. Shared notes: D, F♯ and A. Bm7 on ukulele
Dmaj7 is a major seventh chord: a major triad with the note a half step below the octave added. All 4 notes of Dmaj7 fit on the ukulele's four strings. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.
A short Dmaj7 drill
Arpeggiate 2-2-2-4 from the lowest string: A, D, F♯, C♯. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Finish by moving between 2-2-2-4 and 6-6-5-5 to learn two positions of the same chord.
Keys and progressions with Dmaj7
In D major, ii–V–I on ukulele is Em7 (0-2-0-2), A7 (0-1-0-0) and Dmaj7 (2-2-2-4). About the jazz cadence.
Dmaj7 on guitar and piano
Switching instruments? Try Dmaj7 on piano or Dmaj7 on guitar, or compare them on the Dmaj7 chord page.
Next to try on ukulele
Other major seventh chords
Dmaj7 on ukulele: questions
What notes are in Dmaj7 on ukulele?
D, F♯, A and C♯. In the 2-2-2-4 shape the strings play A (G string), D (C string), F♯ (E string) and C♯ (A string).
What's the easiest way to play Dmaj7 on ukulele?
No open-string Dmaj7 exists in standard tuning; 2-2-2-4 is the place to start. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and in many songs a capo can take over part of the work.
Is Dmaj7 a barre chord on ukulele?
Not the usual shape: 2-2-2-4 needs no barre.
Which string does Dmaj7 start on?
In the 2-2-2-4 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 2nd fret, which is A, the perfect fifth.
Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside Dmaj7. Updated September 2026.