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Ariana Grande - Borderline Chords

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ChordsF#m, A, E, Bm
Strumming↓-↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to E,A keys to play this song with easier chords.

  • Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram

[chorus]
Let’s go! [F#m]Baby, I just want you [A]to be [E]mine [Bm]
[F#m]Won’t you give me a [A]bit of your time? [E]Oh, [Bm]whoa
[F#m]Chasing you, no, I [A]won’t stop [E]trying [Bm]
[F#m]Just meet me at the [A] [E]borderline [Bm]

[Opening]
[F#m]You play [A]hard to [E]get [Bm] [F#m]but I know you want [A]me, [E]too [Bm]
[F#m]Ain’t out here looking for [A]other [E]dudes [Bm] [F#m]so I’ma keep it [A]tight for [E]you [Bm]

[verse 2]
[F#m]You know I’m the [A]wifey type, [E] [Bm]babe
[F#m]You know I be [A]one of a kind, [E]oh [Bm]whoa
[F#m]Once you tasting [A]my ice cream, [E]I bet you won’t [Bm]ever leave
[A]I know it’s hard to believe, boy, you got me all on my knees
[F#m](Light it up, [A]though, light it [E]up, though) [Bm]Quit playing too hard for me
[F#m](Light it up, [A]though, light it [E]up, though) [Bm]Stop playing, too hard for me

[chorus]
[F#m]Baby, I just want you [A]to be [E]mine [Bm]
[F#m]Won’t you give me a [A]bit of your time? [E]Oh, [Bm]whoa
[F#m]Chasing you, no, I [A]won’t stop [E]trying [Bm]
[F#m]Just meet me at the [A] [E]borderline [Bm]

[verse 3]
[F#m]Seems like I’m [A]coming on [E]strong [Bm] [F#m]but I don’t want this [A]time to [E]pass [Bm]
[F#m]I know you got a [A]lot of chicks hollering at [E] [Bm]you, [F#m]but I bet they [A]cannot [E]last [Bm]

[verse 4]
[F#m]You know I’m the [A]wifey type, [E] [Bm]babe, [F#m]you know I be [A]one of a kind, [E]oh [Bm]whoa
[F#m]Once you tasting [A]my ice cream, [E]I bet you won’t [Bm]ever leave, [A]I know it’s hard to believe

[verse 5]
Boy, you got me all on my knees
[F#m](Light it up, [A]though, light it [E]up, though) [Bm]Quit playing too hard for me
[F#m](Light it up, [A]though, light it [E]up, though) [Bm]Stop playing, too hard for me

[chorus]
[F#m]Baby, I just want you [A]to be [E]mine [Bm]
[F#m]Won’t you give me a [A]bit of your time? [E]Oh, [Bm]whoa
[F#m]Chasing you, no, I [A]won’t stop [E]trying [Bm]
[F#m]Just meet me at the [A] [E]borderline [Bm]

[Closing]
[F#m]Uh, I’m like, you got [A]me so on a [E]chase [Bm] [F#m]got me feeling [A]so out of [E]place [Bm]
[F#m]Think ’bout you [A]all of my [E]days [Bm] [F#m]wish you’d chew on me [A]like fresh [E]grapes [Bm]
[F#m]Not tryna cuff you or [A]crowd your [E]space [Bm] [F#m]I’m tryna find you words [A]just to [E]say [Bm]
[F#m]”Dang, you fine, and [A]look at that [E]face” [Bm] [F#m]at the borderline, beside [A]me, you [E]lay [Bm]

[chorus]
[F#m]Baby, I just want you [A]to be [E]mine [Bm]
[F#m]Won’t you give me a [A]bit of your time? [E]Oh, [Bm]whoa
[F#m]Chasing you, no, I [A]won’t stop [E]trying [Bm]
[F#m]Just meet me at the [A] [E]borderline [Bm]

[outro]
[F#m] [A] [E] [Bm] [F#m] [A] [E] [Bm] [F#m]

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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.
ArtistAriana Grande
AlbumSweetener
GenresPop, R&B
Year2018
KeyF#m

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

Ariana Grande - Borderline on guitar requires 4 chords and 5 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.

Borderline uses these transitions most often: A → E (44), E → Bm (44), and F#m → A (44). 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 F#m - A chord transition.

1. F#m → A chord transition

Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from F#m to A;

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

2. A → E chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

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.
A to E

3. E → Bm chord transition

Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram

To move from E to Bm;

  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 B string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 2 to fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.
E to Bm

4. Bm → F#m chord transition

Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram

To move from Bm to F#m;

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

5. Bm → A chord transition

To move from Bm to A;

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

Borderline chord transition analysis

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

  • Borderline includes 178 chord transitions, 5 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.05% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Borderline contains 2 of the top 25 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Borderline connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After A, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
    • A → E: 12%
    • A → F#m: 6%
    After F#m, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (22%), A (19%), and E (14%).
    • F#m → A: 19%
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.