D♯ Major

How to play D♯ major on the piano

Playing the D♯ major chord starts with finding its root: D♯. To find the root, look for the black keys in groups of two. The black key on the right is D♯.

D♯ major contains notes with double sharps and is difficult to read. It’s easier to read and write these pitches in the key of E♭ major, since E♭ is the same key as D♯ on the piano.

Different names for the same pitch are known as enharmonic equivalents — E♭ is the enharmonic equivalent of D♯. It's still useful to understand how chords work in theory, so keep reading to learn more about D♯ major!

The D♯ major chord has three notes: D♯, F𝄪 and A♯. You might more easily recognize F𝄪 as G on the piano. With your right hand, you would play the chord with the following fingers:

A♯ - Fifth finger (5)
F𝄪 - Third finger (3)
D♯ - First finger (1)

Read: Everything you need to know about major and minor chords.

To play the chord with your left hand, use the following fingers:

A♯ - First finger (1)
F𝄪 - Third finger (3)
D♯ - Fifth finger (5)

In some pieces of music, you might find it easier to play the chord with different fingers. To get a sense of how the chord sounds and looks, watch our video above.

What are the inversions of D♯ major?

By rearranging the notes of the root position of D♯ major, you can play its two inversions. Learn how to play the first and second inversions by following the directions below.

How to play the first inversion of D♯ major

Place F𝄪 as the lowest note in the chord to play the first inversion of D♯ major. With your right hand, play the chord using the following fingers:

D♯ - Fifth finger (5)
A♯ - Second finger (2)
F𝄪 - First finger (1)

Read: Everything you need to know about chord inversions.

How to play the second inversion of D♯ major

To play the second inversion of D♯ major, place A♯ as the lowest note in the chord. Play the chord with the following fingers on your right hand:

F𝄪 - Fifth finger (5)
D♯ - Third finger (3)
A♯ - First finger (1)