The chords in a major key
A visual relationship

Chords in relationship the I chord on the 5th string

Next we are going to take a look at how the chords would relate to each other if the I chord was on the 5th string. This time we will use the key of D. For this visual relationship that you are learning, some keys work better in relationship to the I chord being on the 6th string, and some work better relating to the 5th string. It is just a matter of trying to keep all of the chords in the middle of the neck, rather than playing barre chords up at the 14th fret.

Below are the chords in the key of D.

Here is a D major scale in the area if the D note on the 5th string. The D note is highlighted in red.

|------|--4---|------|--5---|------|--6---|------|------|-1st
|------|------|------|--2---|------|--3---|------|------|
|------|------|--6---|------|--7---|--1---|------|------|
|------|------|--3---|--4---|------|--5---|------|------|
|------|------|--7---|--1---|------|--2---|------|------|
|------|--4---|------|--5---|------|--6---|------|------|-6th
          |             |             |             |
         3rd fret      5th fret      7th fret      9th fret

Here are all of the chords functions in the key of D, and how they relate to the I chord with the root on the 5th string.

|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|-1st
|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
|-VIm--|------|-VII^o-|--I---|------|--IIm-|------|-IIIm-|
|-IIIm-|--IV--|------|--V---|------|--VIm-|------|-VII^o-|-6th
          |             |             |             |
         3rd fret      5th fret      7th fret      9th fret

I	IIm	IIIm	IV	V	VIm	VIIo

Here are the same few chord progressions that you used to test you skills with the key of A. Now try them with the key of D.

I IV V I

I VIm IIm V I

IIIm VIm IIm V I

Page 3, A visual relationship of the chords in a major key, I chord on the 6th string

Page 5, Other possible chords within the key