Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
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.

Christina Perri - A Thousand Years Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, G, Em, D, Em7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

CHeartbeatsfast,colorsandGpromises
HowtobeEmbrave,
HowcanIDlovewhenI’mCafraidCtofall
ButwatchingyouGstandalone,allofmyEmdoubt
SuddenlyDgoesawayCsomehow,onestepEmcloser
GIhavediedeverydayGwaitingforyou.
EmDarlin’don’tbeafraid,Em7Ihavelovedyoufora.
CThousandyears,CI’llloveyouforaDthousandmore.
CTimestandsstillbeautyinGallsheis
IwillbeEmbrave,IwillnotDletanything
CTakeaway,what’sstandinginGfrontofme
EveryEmbreath,everyDhourhascometoCthis
OnestepEmcloser
GIhavediedeverydayGwaitingforyou.
EmDarlin’don’tbeafraid,Em7Ihavelovedyoufora.
CThousandyears,CI’llloveyouforaDthousandmore.
AndGallalongIbelieved,IGwouldfindyou.
EmTimehasbroughtEmyourhearttome.
Em7IhavelovedyouforaCthousandyears
CI’llloveyouforaDthousandmore
COnestepEmcloser
COnestepEmcloser
GIhavediedeveryday,Gwaitingforyou
EmDarlin’don’tbeafraid,Em7Ihavelovedyoufora
CThousandyears,CI’llloveyoufora
DThousandmore,andGallalongIbelieved
IGwouldfindyouEmtimehasbrought
EmYourhearttome,Em7Ihavelovedyoufora
CThousandyears,CI’llloveyoufora
DThousandmoreG
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.
ArtistChristina Perri
AlbumThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1: The Score
GenresPop
Year2011
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play A Thousand Years on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Christina Perri - A Thousand Years on guitar requires 5 chords and 8 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 Thousand Years uses these transitions most often: G → Em (9), Em → D (8), and D → C (7). 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 C - G chord transition.

1. C → G chord transition

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

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.

C to G

2. G → Em chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

Switching from G to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 9 times.

G to Em

3. Em → D chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

Switching from Em to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Em to D

4. D → C chord transition

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

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, played 7 times.

D to C

5. C → Em chord transition

To move from C to Em:

  1. While playing C, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D 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 4 times.

6. D → G chord transition

Switching from D to G:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

7. Em → Em7 chord transition

To move from Em to Em7:

  1. While playing Em, lift your ring finger from D string fret 2.
  2. Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

8. Em7 → C chord transition

Switching from Em7 to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

A Thousand Years chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in A Thousand Years.

  • A Thousand Years includes 53 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • A Thousand Years contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how A Thousand Years connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → D: 11%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → Em: 9%
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.