C to D chord change
Your index finger, middle finger and ring finger lift and move. Your strumming hand changes too: C starts on the A string, D starts on the D string.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o means play the string open, ✕ means don’t play it.
Finger by finger
- Lifts and movesIndex finger (1) lifts and moves from the B string, 1st fret to the G string, 2nd fret.
- Lifts and movesMiddle finger (2) lifts and moves from the D string, 2nd fret to the high e string, 2nd fret.
- Lifts and movesRing finger (3) lifts and moves from the A string, 3rd fret to the B string, 3rd fret.
| Finger | On C | On D | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | B string, 1st fret | G string, 2nd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Middle finger (2) | D string, 2nd fret | high e string, 2nd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Ring finger (3) | A string, 3rd fret | B string, 3rd fret | Lifts and moves |
How to practise C to D
- Play C and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Lead with the middle finger: it has the furthest to go (to the high e string, 2nd fret). Aim it first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from C to D and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on C, four on D. When that is clean, try two strums each, then one.
- Time yourself with the trainer below: one minute, counting every clean change. Do it once a day and watch the number climb.
An easier way to play it
Cadd9 to Dsus4: the ring finger and little finger stay down. This version sounds a little different from C to D, because Cadd9 replaces C. It works well in many songs, but check that it suits the one you are playing.
- Moves across, same fretIndex finger (1) moves across from the D string to the G string, staying on the 2nd fret.
- Lifts offMiddle finger (2) lifts off (it was on the A string, 3rd fret).
- Stays putRing finger (3) stays put on the B string, 3rd fret.
- Stays putLittle finger (4) stays put on the high e string, 3rd fret.
One-minute C to D trainer
Press Start, hold C through the count-in, then change back and forth for one minute. Tap the big button (or press the space bar) every time you land a clean chord. Your best score is kept.
Want other chords? Open the full chord change trainer.
Songs that use C to D
These songs in our free song library change between C and D. Each one has a play-along that counts you in and lights up the chord to play.
C to D: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from C to D?
None stays in exactly the same place with the standard shapes. Your index finger, middle finger and ring finger lift and move. With the easier fingering on this page, ring finger and little finger can stay in contact.
How do I change from C to D faster?
Practise the change on its own, not inside a song. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, land them all at once, and lead with the finger that has the longest trip. Then do one minute of changes a day with a timer and count them. If it still feels slow, try the easier version: Cadd9 to Dsus4.
How many C to D changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: C to D is one, and back again is two. Around 30 in a minute is a solid start and enough for slow songs. At 40 most songs at a relaxed tempo start to flow, and at about 60 (one change a second) the change is ready for almost anything.
What songs use C and D?
In our free song library, House of the Rising Sun, Man of Constant Sorrow, Angels We Have Heard on High and Auld Lang Syne, and 5 more use it. C and D are the IV and V chords in the key of G, so you meet this change on the way back home to G.
Is D to C the same as C to D?
It uses the same moves in reverse. Practise both directions: the trainer counts each switch either way.
More chord changes
Learn the chords in the right order
Fretwork’s lessons teach one chord at a time, with a ring test and a one-minute change check before you move on. The first two stages are free.