Skip to song content

The Beatles - Blackbird Chords

ChordsG, Am, C, C#, D, D#, Em, Cm, A, F, Dm, Bb
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

GAmGG
GBlackbirdAmsingingintheGdeadofGnight
CTaketheseC#brokenDwingsandD#learntoEmflyEm
DAllC#yourClife,GyouwereonlyAwaitingforthisDmomentto Garise
CGADG
Blackbird Gsingingin Amthedeadof GnightG
CTaketheseC#sunkenDeyesandD#learntoEmseeEm
DAllC#yourClife,GyouwereonlyAwaitingforthisDmomenttobeGfree
FBlackCbirdDmflyCC
FBlackCbirdDmflyBbA
IntotheDlightofadarkGblacknight
GAmGGCC#DD#EmEm
DC#CCmGADG
FBlackCbirdDmflyCC
FBlackCbirdDmflyCBbA
IntotheDlightofadarkGblacknight
GAmGGGGGAmGCGAD
GBlackbirdAmsingingintheGdeadofGnight
CTaketheseC#brokenDwingsandD#learntoEmflyEm
DAllC#yourClife,GyouwereonlyAwaitingforthisDmomenttoGarise
CYouwereGonlyAwaitingforthisDmomenttoGarise
CYouwereGonlyAwaitingforthisDmomenttoGarise
AlbumThe Beatles
Year1968
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Blackbird on Guitar (Step-by-step)

The Beatles - Blackbird on guitar requires 12 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.

Blackbird uses these transitions most often: A → D (10), D → G (10), and G → A (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 - Am chord transition.

1. G → Am chord transition

Switching from G to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

G to Am

2. G → C chord transition

To move from G to C:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

G to C

3. C → C# chord transition

To move from C to C#:

  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 B string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on A string fret 4.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

C to C#

4. C# → D chord transition

Switching from C# to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

C# to D

5. D → D# chord transition

Here's how to move from D to D#:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. D# → Em chord transition

To move from D# to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

7. Em → D chord transition

Here's how to move 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 4 times.

8. C → Cm chord transition

Here's how to move from C to Cm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

9. Cm → G chord transition

To move from Cm to G:

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

10. G → A chord transition

Switching from G to A:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

11. A → D chord transition

Switching from A to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

12. 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 verse, played 10 times.

13. G → F chord transition

To move from G to F:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

14. F → C chord transition

Here's how to move from F to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

15. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm:

  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. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

16. C → Bb chord transition

Here's how to move from C to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

17. Dm → Bb chord transition

To move from Dm to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the chorus.

18. Bb → A chord transition

To move from Bb to A:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

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

  • Blackbird includes 113 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Blackbird contains 7 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Blackbird connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%