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Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication Chords

ChordsAm, F, C, G, Dm, Fmaj7, F#m, D, Bm, A, E
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

AmPsychicspiesfromChina
TrytoFstealyourmind'selation
AmLittlegirlsfromSweden
DreamofFsilverscreenquotations
AndCifyouwanttheseGkindofdreams
It'sFCalifornication
|Am|F|Am|F|
It's Amtheedgeoftheworld
AndallofFwesterncivilization
TheAmsunmayriseintheEast
AtleastitFsettledinafinallocation
It'sCunderstoodthatGHollywood
sellsFCalifornication
|Am|Fmaj7|Am|Fmaj7|
AmPayyoursurgeonverywell
ToFmaj7breakthespellofaging
AmCelebrityskin,isthisyourchin?
OrFmaj7isthatwaryou'rewaging?
AmFirstborn Fmaj7unicorn
AmHardcoresoft Fmaj7porn
CDreamof GCalifornicationAm
CDreamof GCalifornication
CDreamof GCalifornicationAm
CDreamof GCalifornication
|Am|F|Am|F|
AmMarrymegirl,bemyfairytotheworld
BemyFveryownconstellation
AAmteenagebridewithababyinside
GettingFhighoninformation
AndCbuymeastarontheGboulevard
It'sFCalifornication
|Am|F|Am|F|
AmSpacemaybethefinalfrontier
Butit'sFmadeinaHollywoodbasement
AndAmCobaincanyouhearthespheres
SingingFsongsoffstationtostation?
AndCAlderaan'snotGfaraway
It'sFCalifornication
AmOoooo-Fmaj7oooohAmOooo-Fmaj7ooooh
AmBornandraisedbythosewhopraise
Fmaj7Controlofpopulation
AmEverybody'sbeenthereand
I Fmaj7don'tmeanonvacation
AmFirstborn Fmaj7unicorn
AmHardcoresoft Fmaj7porn
CDreamof GCalifornicationAm
CDreamof GCalifornication
CDreamof GCalifornicationAm
CDreamof GCalifornication
|F#m|D|F#m|D|
|Bm|D|A|E|
|F#m|D|Bm|D|
|Bm|D|A|E|
|Am|F|Am|F|
AmDestructionleadstoaveryroughroad
ButitFalsobreedscreation
AndAmearthquakesaretoagirl'sguitar
They'reFjustanothergoodvibration
AndCtidalwavescouldn'tGsavetheworld
FromFCalifornication
AmOoooo-Fmaj7oooohAmOooo-Fmaj7ooooh
AmPayyoursurgeonverywell
ToFmaj7breakthespellofaging
AmSickerthantherest,thereisnotest
ButFmaj7thisiswhatyou'recraving
AmFirstborn Fmaj7unicorn
AmHardcoresoft Fmaj7porn
CDreamof GCalifornicationAm
CDreamof GCalifornication
CDreamof GCalifornicationAm
CDreamof GCalifornication
AlbumSingle
GenresRock
Year2002
KeyAm
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication on guitar requires 11 chords and 19 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.

Californication uses these transitions most often: Am → F (18), Am → Fmaj7 (18), and C → G (17). 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 Am - F chord transition.

1. Am → F chord transition

Here's how to move from Am 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. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 18 times.

Am to F

2. 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 verse, played 5 times.

F to C

3. 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 17 times.

C to G

4. 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 verse, played 5 times.

G to F

5. F → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from F to Dm:

  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 E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

6. Dm → Am chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to Am:

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

This transition appears in the interlude, played 12 times.

7. Am → Fmaj7 chord transition

To move from Am to Fmaj7:

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

This transition appears in the interlude, played 18 times.

8. Fmaj7 → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Fmaj7 to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

9. G → Dm chord transition

To move from G to Dm:

  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 B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 12 times.

10. Am → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Am to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

11. Dm → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to C:

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G 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 chorus, played 3 times.

12. Dm → F#m chord transition

Switching from Dm to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the interlude.

13. F#m → D chord transition

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

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 4 to B string fret 3.
  4. Place middle finger on E string fret 2.

This transition appears in the interlude, played 4 times.

14. D → Bm chord transition

Switching from D to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the interlude, played 2 times.

15. 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 interlude, played 4 times.

16. 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 interlude, played 4 times.

17. E → F#m chord transition

To move from E to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the interlude.

18. E → Bm chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the interlude, played 2 times.

19. E → Am chord transition

Switching from E to Am:

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

This transition appears in the interlude.

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

  • Californication includes 157 chord transitions, 19 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Californication contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Californication connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → F: 26%
    • Am → C: 16%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → Am: 11%