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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

The Beatles - A Day In The Life Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, Bm, Em, C, A, F, E, D, B, B7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar B7 chord diagram Fingering: x-2-1-2-0-2Guitar B7 chord diagram

[Opening]
[G]I read the [Bm]news today oh [Em]boy [Em]

[verse 2]
[C]About a [C]lucky man who [A]made the grade
[G]And though the [Bm]news was rather [Em]sad [Em]
[C]Well I just [F]had to [Em]laugh [Em]
[C]I saw the [F] [Em]photograph [C]

[verse 3]
[G]He blew his [Bm]mind out in a [Em]car [Em]
[C]He didn’t [C]notice that the [A]lights had changed
[G]A crowd of [Bm]people stood and [Em]stared [Em]
[C]They’d seen his [F]face before
[Em]Nobody was really sure
If [Em]he was from the House of [C]Lords

[verse 4]
[G]I saw a [Bm]film today oh [Em]boy [Em]
[C]The English [C]Army had just [A]won the war
[G]A crowd of [Bm]people turned [Em]away [Em]
[C]But I just [F]had to [Em]look.
Having [Em]read the [C]book, I’d love to turn you on.

[verse 5]
[E]Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my [D]head
Found my [E]way downstairs and [B]drank a cup
And [E]looking up I [B]noticed I was late [B7](ha ha ha.)
Found my [E]coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds [D]flat
Found my [E]way upstairs and [B]had a smoke
And [E]somebody spoke and I went [B]into a dream.

[verse 6]
[C]A[G]aaa[D]aaa[A]hhh[E]hhhh[C]hhh[G]hhhh[D]hhh[A]hhh [E] [D] [C] [D]

[Closing]
[G]I read the [Bm]news today oh [Em]boy [Em]
[C]Four thousand [C]holes in Blackburn, [A]Lancashire
[G]And though the [Bm]holes were rather [Em]small [Em]
[C]They had to [F]count them all
[Em]Now they know how many holes
It [Em]takes to fill the Albert [C]Hall, I’d love to turn you on.

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistThe Beatles
AlbumSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
GenresPsychedelic Rock, Rock
Year1967
KeyG

How to play A Day In The Life on Guitar (Step-by-step)

The Beatles - A Day In The Life on guitar requires 10 chords and 18 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

A Day In The Life uses these transitions most often: Em → C (13), Bm → Em (8), and G → Bm (8). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with G - Bm chord transition.

1. G → Bm chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram

To move from G to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.
G to Bm

2. Bm → Em chord transition

Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from Bm to Em;

  1. While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
Bm to Em

3. Em → C chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from Em to C;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to C

4. C → A chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from C to A;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 2.
C to A

5. A → G chord transition

To move from A to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

6. C → F chord transition

To move from C to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

7. F → Em chord transition

To move from F to Em;

  1. While playing F, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

8. C → G chord transition

To move from C to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

9. C → E chord transition

To move from C to E;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.

10. E → D chord transition

To move from E to D;

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.

11. E → B chord transition

To move from E to B;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to D string fret 4.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 4.

12. B → B7 chord transition

To move from B to B7;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 4 to A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on G string from fret 4 to fret 2.
  4. Slide your pinky from B string fret 4 to E string fret 2.

13. B7 → E chord transition

To move from B7 to E;

  1. While playing B7, lift your pinky from E string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.

14. B → C chord transition

To move from B to C;

  1. While playing B, lift your pinky from B string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.

15. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

16. D → A chord transition

To move from D to A;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 3 to fret 2.

17. A → E chord transition

To move from A to E;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.

18. D → C chord transition

To move from D to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.

A Day In The Life chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in A Day In The Life.

  • A Day In The Life includes 76 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • A Day In The Life contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how A Day In The Life connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.