Banjo D chord (Double C)D major on the 5-string banjo: 2 2 2 4, and 2 more shapes

D chord chart for 5-string banjo in Double C tuning: 2 2 2 4, first position, with the short 5th string marked
D (D major) on the 5-string banjo, Double C: 2 2 2 4, string 4 to string 1. Fingers are numbered on the dots; copper marks the root; the green ring on the left is the 5th string, solid when it’s in the chord.

Frets, string 4 to string 1: 2 2 2 4 (first position)

  1. String 4 (C): 2nd fret, index finger (barre), D
  2. String 3 (G): 2nd fret, index finger (barre), A
  3. String 2 (C): 2nd fret, index finger (barre), D
  4. String 1 (D): 4th fret, ring finger, F♯
  5. String 5, the short g: open, G, not in the chord

Sounds: D A D F♯  ·  D is D, F♯, A (1 · 3 · 5)

Found in: G major (V), A major (IV), D major (I), A mixolydian (IV), D mixolydian (I), A dorian (IV)

The 5th string: the short g rubs against the F♯ in this shape, a semitone away: some players let it ring, some skip it.

With a capo: on the 2nd fret it’s 0 0 0 2 (frets counted from the capo), an open C shape. Spike the 5th string at the 7th fret to keep it in tune with the capo.

Double C tuning: gCGCD, the short 5th string first, then strings 4 to 1.

Hear it in the app ›

The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts in open G. Choose Double C once in its Settings and it remembers.

More D shapes

  1. 6fr1213gF♯DF♯A6 7 6 7
    6fr
  2. 9fr131gAF♯AD9 11 9 0
    9fr

Other D chords in Double C

DDmD7Dm7Dmaj7D6Dsus4Dsus2DdimDaug

Other major chords

GADCBEFB♭E♭F♯C♯A♭

D in other tunings

Open GSawmillOpen DC Tuning

All Double C banjo chords · Printable chart (PDF) · How to tune · The app