Learn › D Major Chord Inversions (D, D/F#, D/A)
New Released in April 2026
D Major Chord Inversions (D, D/F#, D/A)
D major chord inversions: root position D (D F# A), 1st inversion D/F# (F# A D) and 2nd inversion D/A (A D F#). Same three notes, a different note in the bass. Learn to spot each inversion by its shape, then use them to move between chords without jumps.
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- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
D major chord: root position, 1st and 2nd inversion
Root position starts on D, the 1st inversion on F#, the 2nd on A.
Root position: D F# A
1st inversion: F# A D
2nd inversion: A D F#
- Root position: starts on D, a white key; black keys: F#
- 1st inversion: starts on F#, a black key; black keys: F#
- 2nd inversion: starts on A, a white key; black keys: F#
Inversions in a progression: D → G/D → A/C# → D
This is the reason pianists learn inversions: D → G/D → A/C# → D keeps the hand still while the chords change. The common note D stays under the same finger.
- From D to G/D: D stays, F# → G, A → B.
- From G/D to A/C#: D → C#, G → E, B → A.
- From A/C# to D: C# → D, E → F#, A stays.
How to tell the D inversions apart
Two thirds stacked = root position. A fourth anywhere = an inversion, and the root is its top note.
| Position | Bass | Name | Figured bass | Shape (bottom to top) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | D | D | 5/3 | major 3rd + minor 3rd |
| 1st inversion | F# | D/F# | 6 (6/3) | minor 3rd + perfect 4th |
| 2nd inversion | A | D/A | 6/4 | perfect 4th + major 3rd |
Fingering for each D inversion
| Position | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|
| Root position (D F# A) | 1-3-5 | 5-3-1 |
| 1st inversion (F# A D) | 1-2-5 | 5-3-1 |
| 2nd inversion (A D F#) | 1-3-5 | 5-2-1 |
Keep the thumb on the lowest note in the right hand and the little finger on the lowest note in the left.
Practise D in every position
ChordRunner accepts every voicing, so you can drill D/F# and D/A at speed between other chords. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
Play the demoCommon questions
What notes are in the D chord 1st inversion?
F# A D, from the bottom up. It is still D; the slash name D/F# tells you that F# is the lowest note.
How do I recognise D/A on the piano?
Look at the lowest interval. In D/A it is a perfect fourth, A to D; the top note of that fourth, D, is the root.
Which fingers play D/F# and D/A?
D/F#: right hand 1-2-5 (the fourth A-D sits on top), left hand 5-3-1. D/A: right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-2-1 because the fourth is now at the bottom.
Why learn D inversions?
They let you change chords without moving the hand. D → G/D → A/C# → D uses inversions so most notes stay where they are and the others move by a step.
Can I practise D/F# and D/A with a MIDI keyboard?
Yes. ChordRunner detects a USB MIDI keyboard automatically and also listens through the microphone to an acoustic piano. Every inversion of D is accepted, so you can drill them in any order.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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