The D Major CAGED Shape

The D Major Shape is built from the D (4th) string root, and uses the same strings and frets as the major chord. The white dots on the D major shape below are the root notes, and each of these chords is moved up and down the guitar neck

**The D Major open chord (left) and the D Movable CAGED shape (right).**

How to Play Barre Chords With The E-Shape

Find the Root: use the root diagram below to find the correct root note on the 4th string.

**The Root note locations on the D (4th) string. Use this diagram to find the location of the barre for the D-Shape CAGED system chord.**

Place the chord shape: Using your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers, place the D major chord fingering two frets in front of the fret with the root note. For example, if your root note is on the 6th fret (Ab), place the chord on the 7th and 8th frets.
Play the root with your index finger: There is no barre necessary for the D major shape as it only contains the top four strings.

D Major Shape Barre Chord Exercises

Practice locating and playing D Major shape barre chords by playing the exercises below. No strumming pattern is required, but it is important to be able to learn to move each shape up and down the fretboard to play different chords using the D major shape.