D to A chord change
Your ring finger slides along the string; your index finger and middle finger move across to another string on the same fret. Your strumming hand changes too: D starts on the D string, A starts on the A 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
- Moves across, same fretIndex finger (1) moves across from the G string to the D string, staying on the 2nd fret.
- Moves across, same fretMiddle finger (2) moves across from the high e string to the G string, staying on the 2nd fret.
| Finger | On D | On A | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | G string, 2nd fret | D string, 2nd fret | Moves across, same fret |
| Middle finger (2) | high e string, 2nd fret | G string, 2nd fret | Moves across, same fret |
| Ring finger (3) | B string, 3rd fret | B string, 2nd fret | Slides |
How to practise D to A
- Play D and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Keep the ring finger touching the string as you move. Ease the pressure, glide, then press again. Lifting it off loses your place.
- Lead with the middle finger: it has the furthest to go (to the G string, 2nd fret). Aim it first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from D to A and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on D, four on A. 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.
One-minute D to A trainer
Press Start, hold D 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 D to A
These songs in our free song library change between D and A. Each one has a play-along that counts you in and lights up the chord to play.
D to A: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from D to A?
No finger stays in exactly the same place, but your ring finger can slide along the string instead of lifting. Your ring finger slides along the string; your index finger and middle finger move across to another string on the same fret.
How do I change from D to A 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.
How many D to A changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: D to A 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 D and A?
In our free song library, Molly Malone use it. D to A is I to V in the key of D, and IV to I in the key of A.
Is A to D the same as D to A?
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.