Fig. 1 · D major

key signature

D major

D1E2F♯3G4A5B6C♯7

2 sharps, written F♯ C♯

relative: B minorparallel: D minorthe scale

The chords that live in it

Ddegree 1 · majorEmdegree 2 · minorF♯mdegree 3 · minorGdegree 4 · majorAdegree 5 · majorBmdegree 6 · minorC♯dimdegree 7 · diminished

Built by stacking thirds inside the scale and asking what quality comes out, rather than from a table of roman numerals.

What is true of it

D major has 2 sharps.

They are written in this order, always: F♯ C♯.

Its notes are D, E, F♯, G, A, B and C♯.

Relative: B minor has the same 2 sharps. Parallel: D minor has 1 flat, which is why changing mode changes the signature by three.

Every key

C♭ majorG♭ majorD♭ majorA♭ majorE♭ majorB♭ majorF majorC majorG majorA majorE majorB majorF♯ majorC♯ majorA♭ minorE♭ minorB♭ minorF minorC minorG minorD minorA minorE minorB minorF♯ minorC♯ minorG♯ minorD♯ minorA♯ minor