D7 chord on ukulele

D7 is D, F♯, A and C. The usual shape is 2-2-2-3. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.

2-2-2-3 · movable · medium

Notes: D · F♯ · A · C
Formula: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7
First shape: 2-2-2-3

How to play D7 on ukulele

Shape 1, 2-2-2-3, reading from the G string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:

Index finger: G string, 2nd fret (A).
Middle finger: C string, 2nd fret (D).
Ring finger: E string, 2nd fret (F♯).
Pinky: A string, 3rd fret (C).

Your little finger has a job in this shape; it gets stronger in a week or two of short daily practice.
On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play D7

5-6-5-5: movable shape at the 5th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
11-12-10-12: movable shape at the 10th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Playing D7 with a capo

A capo turns an open chord into D7: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open C7 shape (0-0-0-1), capo on the 3rd fret and play the open B7 shape (2-3-2-0), capo on the 5th fret and play the open A7 shape (0-1-0-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open G7 shape (0-2-1-2). Handy when the rest of the song's chords also have open shapes in that position.

D7 chord changes

The chords D7 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

G (the V7 pulls home a fifth below): D7 (2-2-2-3) to G (0-2-3-2): the index finger slides across to the C string at the same fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the E string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share D, which is why the change sounds smooth. G on ukulele
Gmaj7 (I in G major): D7 (2-2-2-3) to Gmaj7 (0-2-2-2): the index finger slides across to the C string at the same fret, the middle finger slides across to the E string at the same fret, the ring finger slides across to the A string at the same fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Shared notes: D and F♯. Gmaj7 on ukulele
Em7 (vi in G major): D7 (2-2-2-3) to Em7 (0-2-0-2): the index finger slides across to the C string at the same fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 2nd fret. D carries over from one chord to the other. Em7 on ukulele

D7 is a dominant seventh chord: a major triad with a flattened seventh on top. All 4 notes of D7 fit on the ukulele's four strings. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

A short D7 drill

Arpeggiate 2-2-2-3 from the lowest string: A, D, F♯, C. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Finish by moving between 2-2-2-3 and 5-6-5-5 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Where D7 shows up

In D major, I7–IV7–V7 (12 bars) on ukulele is D7 (2-2-2-3), G7 (0-2-1-2) and A7 (0-1-0-0). About the 12-bar blues.

In G major, ii–V–I on ukulele is Am7 (0-0-0-0), D7 (2-2-2-3) and Gmaj7 (0-2-2-2). About the jazz cadence.

D7 on guitar and piano

Switching instruments? Try D7 on piano or D7 on guitar, or compare them on the D7 chord page.

Related D chords on ukulele

Other dominant seventh chords

D7 on ukulele: questions

What notes are in D7 on ukulele?

D, F♯, A and C. In the 2-2-2-3 shape the strings play A (G string), D (C string), F♯ (E string) and C (A string).

What's the easiest way to play D7 on ukulele?

No open-string D7 exists in standard tuning; 2-2-2-3 is the place to start. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and in many songs a capo can take over part of the work.

Is D7 a barre chord on ukulele?

Not the usual shape: 2-2-2-3 needs no barre.

Which string does D7 start on?

In the 2-2-2-3 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 2nd fret, which is A, the perfect fifth.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes D, F♯, A and C and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.