D major chords, relative minor and Camelot code (10B)
D major has 2 sharps (F♯, C♯). Its chords are D, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm and C♯°. The relative minor is B minor and the Camelot code is 10B, so it mixes cleanly with 9B, 11B and 10A.
Notes in the D major scale
D major has 2 sharps (F♯, C♯).
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | E | F♯ | G | A | B | C♯ |
Chords in D major
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | D | D · F♯ · A |
| ii | Em | E · G · B |
| iii | F♯m | F♯ · A · C♯ |
| IV | G | G · B · D |
| V | A | A · C♯ · E |
| vi | Bm | B · D · F♯ |
| vii° | C♯° | C♯ · E · G |
Common progressions in D major
- D – A – Bm – G (I–V–vi–IV): the most used pop progression of the last forty years.
- D – Bm – G – A (I–vi–IV–V): the 1950s doo-wop turnaround.
- Em – A – D (ii–V–I): the jazz cadence.
- Bm – G – D – A (vi–IV–I–V): the same four chords as I–V–vi–IV, started on the minor chord for a darker feel.
Keys that mix with D major
D major is 10B on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 9B | G major | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 11B | A major | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 10A | B minor | The relative minor: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative minor, B minor, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel minor, D minor, keeps D as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in D major?
D (I), Em (ii), F♯m (iii), G (IV), A (V), Bm (vi) and C♯° (vii°).
What is the relative minor of D major?
B minor. It uses the same 7 notes, D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, but centres on B instead of D.
What is the Camelot code for D major?
10B. In Open Key notation it is 3d.
What keys mix well with D major?
G major (9B), A major (11B) and B minor (10A). They sit next to 10B on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does D major have?
2 sharps (F♯, C♯).