The D chord is one of the smallest open chords on guitar — just four strings. But that compact shape leaves your fingers room to explore, and there are some surprisingly cool things you can do with it.
This lesson covers a handful of simple modifications to the open D chord that you can start using right away. Nothing complicated — just small finger changes that give you different sounds from a chord you already know.
The Standard Open D
Quick refresher: open fourth string (D), index finger on the second fret of the third string (A), ring finger on the third fret of the second string (D), middle finger on the second fret of the first string (F#). Skip the fifth and sixth strings — they don’t belong to this chord.
Lift the Middle Finger
Take your middle finger off the first string and let the open E ring out. That changes the F# to an open E, creating a Dsus2 sound — slightly open, slightly unresolved. It’s a beautiful voicing on its own, and it sounds great when you alternate between the Dsus2 and the regular D.
Add the Pinky
Drop your pinky onto the third fret of the first string. This adds a G note, turning your D into a Dsus4. That suspended fourth has a natural tension that wants to resolve back to the regular D. Play Dsus4 ? D and you’ll recognize the sound immediately — it’s all over rock and folk music.
Even better: strum the Dsus4, then pull off your pinky to get back to D while you’re still strumming. That pull-off creates a smooth, natural-sounding embellishment — the same kind of movement we cover in chord embellishments for G, C, and D.
The Stretch
If your fingers are flexible enough, try reaching your pinky up to the fourth or fifth fret while holding the D shape. It takes some stretching, but the notes you find up there create interesting extensions — you’ll hear jazzy or folk-flavored sounds that are a long way from a plain D chord.
Three-Finger Simplified D
Drop the pinky entirely and play the D with just three fingers — move your middle finger to where your ring finger was (third fret, second string) and keep the index on the second fret of the third string. The first string rings open. This frees up two fingers for embellishments instead of one, and the open E on top gives the chord an airy quality.
Using These in Songs
Any time a song sits on a D chord for more than a beat or two, you’ve got an opportunity. Strum the regular D, hammer on the pinky for a Dsus4, pull off back to D. Or start with the Dsus2 (finger off) and resolve to the full D. These little movements make a big difference in how musical your playing sounds.
The same principle applies to every open chord — try 13 ways to modify a G chord or explore alternate E minor voicings to keep expanding your vocabulary.
good lesson on things to do with a open D chord. But can use a little clarificatin on chord nomenclature. Understand – putting lttle finger on G makes the chord a Dsus4. Therefore by my reaoning lifting the middle finger and playing the E string open makes it a Dsus2 and reachng the A with the little finger makes it a Dsus5. Is this correct?
Thanks
PS use I-IV-V nd Scale Patterns often: Thank you
Hi Gary,
Right.. so a suspended chord is one in which the third is omitted. Of course the third in question here is the F# on the second fret, first string. So we take that off, and if you play the E open, you’re adding a II note to the chord, so yes, it would be Dsus2. In the same way as you’ve mentioned, adding the G (IV) makes it a Dsus4 and adding the A (V) at the fifth fret would make it a Dsus5. So you’re absolutely right.
Hi Jonathan:
That sounds so neat and it’s so easy.
I just have to tell you, your little tips keep my practice sessions so much more interesting. Before, I would just play the same ole G, C D, and repeat (or whatever chords were in the key in which I was playing.
Now, thanks to your previous tip on adding in a couple extra bass notes, adding in the E chord, and now adding the G in the D chord, I have a whole little ditty that I can play during practice that sounds really neat. Gonna try it in a couple other keys.
I’m leaving tomorrow to visit my son in Denver for a few days. He has just recently started guitar lessons (he plays the drums) and I can’t wait to show him and also introduce him to you and your site.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Donna
A Happy 2011 to you Johnathan – gosh you make everything look so easy – think you are a great teacher so down to earth – thanks for that will give it a go but it never sounds like what yours does
kind regards
margaret
Hey man you’er just like the mailman, no matter how many times I tell you no deliverey, reluctantly, my mail box is is situated weather I’m coming or going,(“computerize, to put it mildly.”)Learning how to play the Guiter is a life long dream that materialize from a real Dream I had as a child long ago.pds