Open Chords D Shapes

Major Shape

The picture above shows the open D major chord
The open notes on the E and A strings can and often are added if the
player is using an arpeggio playing style. If the whole chord is being strummed,
then only the top four strings tend to be used.
The two root notes can be found on the open D string and at the 3rd fret on the B string.
He two chord notes found at the the 2nd frets on the G and E strings are
the A and F# notes respectively.


Minor Shape

The picture above shows the D Minor chord.
It differs from the D major by having the F# note on the E string 2nd fret
dropped to the F note on the E string 1st fret.
All remaining notes are exactly the same.
The sound produced has a more haunting quality that
lacks the fuller crisper sound of the major shape.