Chord
D major chord on piano
The D major chord is made of three notes: D, F#, A. Counting up from the root, that is four semitones then three. Play it with your right thumb on D, middle finger on F# and little finger on A. The same shape gives you any major chord from any starting note.
D · F# · A
How do you play D major on the piano?
Put your right thumb on D, your middle finger on F# and your little finger on A, then press all three together. Fingers 1, 3 and 5. Keep the hand relaxed and let the arm carry the weight rather than pushing with the fingers.
What is the difference between D major and D minor?
One note. The middle note moves by a single semitone. In D major the middle note is F#; in D minor it drops one semitone. That single semitone is the whole difference between the bright sound and the sad one.
Try it in the chord finder, which draws any chord on a keyboard and plays it.
Related
Other chords worth learning
C · E · G Open → ♪ G major
G · B · D Open → ♪ A major
A · C# · E Open → ♪ E major
E · G# · B Open → ♪ F major
F · A · C Open →
Chords are built from scales, so the scale pages are the natural next step, and reading the stave makes both easier.