Want to learn how to play the D# guitar chord? You’re in the right place.
In this free guitar lesson you will learn:
- 4 awesome ways to play a D# guitar chord.
- The no1 secret to learning guitar chords quickly.
- 3 guitar hacks which will boost your guitar progress.
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What is a D# guitar chord?
A D# guitar chord is a ‘D# major chord’.
If you see the word ‘minor’ or a small ‘m’ in a chord, this means that the chord is minor.
If there is nothing written after the chord, this ALWAYS means that the chord is major.
Here are a few examples of how you may see a major chord written, for this example we’ve used the key of D#.
- D# Major Chord
- D# Chord
- D# Guitar Chord
For today’s lesson we’re going to refer to the D# major chord as a ‘D# Guitar Chord’.
How do I play a D# Guitar Chord?
The two most common ways to play a D# guitar chord are:
- D# Guitar Chord (E Shape Barre Chord)
- D# Guitar Chord (A Shape Barre Chord)
To play these chords you must know how to barre chords. To learn how to do this, watch this video:
D# Guitar Chord (E Shape Barre Chord)
The reason we refer to this chord as the ‘E shape’ is because the core of this chord is based on a E major chord shape.
To learn a open E chord, go here: How To Play An E Chord
Barre chords are tricky, so don’t worry if you can’t play this chord straight away.
(If you don't understand the above image please read our article "How To Read Guitar Chordboxes In 60 Seconds". It will make everything clear!)
- Barre your 1st finger across the 11th fret.
- Place your 3rd finger on the 13th fret of the A string. (5th string.)
- Place your 4th finger on the 13th fret of the D string. (4th string.)
- Place your 2nd finger on the 12th fret of the G string. (3rd string.)
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D# Guitar Chord (A Shape Barre Chord)
This D# chord is often referred to as the ‘A shape’ because this chord is based on a standard A major chord.
To learn an A major chord, go here: How To Play An A Chord
- Fret your 1st finger on the 6th fret of the A string (5th string) to the high E string (1st string.)
- Place your 2nd finger on the 8th fret on the D string. (4th string.)
- Place your 3rd finger on the 8th fret on the G string. (3rd string.)
- Place your 4th finger on the 8th fret on the B string. (2nd string.)
These chords are diffcult, so don’t worry if you can’t play these straight away. We’re going to show you 4 easy ways to play the D# chord.
D# Guitar Chord Easy Version 1
The first D# chord we’re going to learn is perfect for beginners, here’s why:
- It uses 3 fingers.
- It’s easy to move around the fret board.
- This chords sounds pretty, perfect for adding texture to a song.
- Place your 3rd finger on the 8th fret of the G string. (3rd string.)
- Place your 4th finger on the 8th fret of the B string. (2nd string.)
- Place your 1st finger on the 6th fret of the high E string. (1st string.)
The hardest part about strumming this chord, is skipping the lower strings. To learn how to skip strings whilst strumming, go here: How To Skip Strings Whilst Strumming
D# Guitar Chord Easy Version 2
This D# chord has a top end sparkle like no other. Let’s learn it.
This chord is the EXACT same shape as a D chord. If you already know how to play a D chord, move it up to the 3rd fret.
To learn how to play a D chord, go here: Easy Ways To Play The D Chord
- Place your 1st finger on the 3rd fret of the G string. (3rd string.)
- Place your 2nd finger on the 3rd fret of the high E string. (1st string.)
- Place your 3rd finger on the 4th fret of the B string. (2nd string.)
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