Chords in the key of D major
The key of D major has seven diatonic chords: D, EmEmEmEm, F#mF#mF#mF#m, G, A, BmBmBmBm and C#°. As sevenths: Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7, Em7Em7Em7Em7, F#m7F#m7F#m7F#m7, Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7, A7A7A7A7, Bm7Bm7Bm7Bm7 and C#m7b5. They come from the D major scale, D, E, F#, G, A, B and C#, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: D – E – F# – G – A – B – C#| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | DDDD | Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7 | tonic |
| ii | EmEmEmEm | Em7Em7Em7Em7 | subdominant |
| iii | F#mF#mF#mF#m | F#m7F#m7F#m7F#m7 | tonic |
| IV | GGGG | Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7 | subdominant |
| V | AAAA | A7A7A7A7 | dominant |
| vi | BmBmBmBm | Bm7Bm7Bm7Bm7 | tonic |
| vii° | C#° | C#m7b5 | dominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.