D Major Chord on Bass
The D Major Chord (D, F#, A) shown across the full 4-string bass fretboard. Tap any note to hear it, or open it in BassMapper to play along with a MIDI file. Free, no account needed.
About the Major Chord
A major chord is the root, major 3rd, and 5th: the bright, resolved sound of harmonic 'home'. On bass you rarely play all three at once; you outline the chord with the root, fifth, and octave, or arpeggiate it to spell the harmony under the band.
The fretboard above shows the D Major Chord in every position at once. Open it in BassMapper and drop in a MIDI file to watch the chord light up on the neck in real time as a song plays.
questions
What notes are in the D Major Chord?
The D Major Chord contains D, F#, A.
What does the Major Chord sound like?
Bright, stable and complete: the sound of resolution and 'home' in a progression.
How do I play the Major Chord on bass?
Root-fifth-octave is the reliable bass move; add the major 3rd when you want to make the 'major' quality obvious.