D E F♯ G A B C♯ — every note of the D major scale, drawn on the tenor banjo (tuned G D A E, Irish tuning). Tap any note to hear it.
The D major scale has 7 notes: D E F♯ G A B C♯, then D again an octave up. Its key signature has 2 sharps (F♯, C♯).
D major is the busiest key in an Irish session — reels, jigs and polkas by the hundred — so it is usually the first scale a tenor banjo player learns.
The D major scale in first position on the tenor banjo, highest string at the top. Fret numbers under each note; the root, D, in red.
| E string | EopenF♯2G3A5B7 |
|---|---|
| A string | AopenB2C♯4D5E7 |
| D string | DopenE2F♯4G5A7 |
| G string | GopenA2B4C♯6D7 |
New to the banjo? Start with Beginner Banjo →Open it in the full Scales page →Chords for tenor banjo →Learn the notes on the neck: What Note? (banjo) →Play session tunes in this key: Melody Trainer →