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The Beatles - A Day In The Life Chords

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.

GIreadtheBmnewstodayohEmboyEm
CAboutaCluckymanwhoAmadethegrade
GAndthoughtheBmnewswasratherEmsadEm
CWellIjustFhadtoEmlaughEm
CIsawtheFphotographEmC
GHeblewhisBmmindoutinaEmcarEm
CHedidn’tCnoticethattheAlightshadchanged
GAcrowdofBmpeoplestoodandEmstaredEm
CThey’dseenhisFfacebefore
EmNobodywasreallysure
IfEmhewasfromtheHouseofCLords
GIsawaBmfilmtodayohEmboyEm
CTheEnglishCArmyhadjustAwonthewar
GAcrowdofBmpeopleturnedEmawayEm
CButIjustFhadtoEmlook.
HavingEmreadtheCbook,I’dlovetoturnyouon.
EWokeup,felloutofbed
DraggedacombacrossmyDhead
FoundmyEwaydownstairsandBdrankacup
AndElookingupIBnoticedIwaslateB7(hahaha.)
FoundmyEcoatandgrabbedmyhat
MadethebusinsecondsDflat
FoundmyEwayupstairsandBhadasmoke
AndEsomebodyspokeandIwentBintoadream.
CAaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhEDCD
GIreadtheBmnewstodayohEmboyEm
CFourthousandCholesinBlackburn,ALancashire
GAndthoughtheBmholeswereratherEmsmallEm
CTheyhadtoFcountthemall
EmNowtheyknowhowmanyholes
ItEmtakestofilltheAlbertCHall,I’dlovetoturnyouon.
AlbumSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Year1967
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

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

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

G to Bm

2. Bm → Em chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Bm to Em

3. Em → C chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 13 times.

Em to C

4. C → A chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

C to A

5. A → G chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. C → F chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

7. F → Em chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

9. C → E chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

10. E → D chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

12. B → B7 chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

13. B7 → E chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

14. B → C chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

15. G → D chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

16. D → A chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

17. A → E chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

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.

This transition appears in the verse.

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 (18%).
    • 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%