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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.

Kansas - Carry On My Wayward Son Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, G, F, Dm, C, Bb
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

AmOnceIGroseabovetheFnoiseand Gconfusion
AmJusttoGgetaglimpseFbeyondthis Gillusion
DmIwasCsoaringeverBbhigherBbC
DmButICflewtooGhigh
AmThoughmyGeyescouldseeIFstillwasaGblindman
AmThoughmyGmindcouldthinkFIstillwasGamadman
DmIheartheCvoiceswhenI’mBbdreaming
DmIcanChearthemGsay
AmCarryConmyGwaywardFson
AmThere’llbeCpeacewhenGyouaredone
AmLayyourCwearyGheadtoFrest
AmDon’tyoucrynomore
AmMasqueradingasaFmanwithaGreason
AmMy GcharadeistheFeventoftheGseason
DmAndifICclaimtobeaBbwisemanBbC
DmItsurelyCmeansthatIdon’tGknow
AmOnaGstormyseaofFmoving Gemotion
AmTossedGaboutI’mlikeaFshipontheGocean
DmIsetCsailforwindsofBbfortuneC
DmButIChearthevoicesGsay
AmCarryConmyGwaywardFson
AmThere’llbeCpeacewhenGyouaredone
AmLayyourCwearyGheadtoFrest
AmDon’tyoucrynomore
AmCarryonyouwillCalwaysGremember
AmCarryonnothingCequalstheGsplendor
DmNowyourClife’snolongerBbemptyBbC
DmSurelyCHeavenwaitsforGyou
AmCarryConmyGwaywardFson
AmThere’llbeCpeacewhenGyouaredone
AmLayyourCwearyGheadtoFrest
AmDon’tyoucrynomore
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.
ArtistKansas
AlbumLeftoverture
GenresRock, Classic Rock, Progressive
Year1976
KeyC#m
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Carry On My Wayward Son on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Kansas - Carry On My Wayward Son on guitar requires 6 chords and 9 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.

Carry On My Wayward Son uses these transitions most often: C → G (16), G → F (14), and G → Am (13). 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 - G chord transition.

1. Am → G chord transition

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

Here's how to move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Am to G

2. G → F chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

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 14 times.

G to F

3. G → Dm chord transition

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

Here's how 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 verse, played 5 times.

G to Dm

4. Dm → C chord transition

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

Switching 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 verse, played 10 times.

Dm to C

5. C → Bb chord transition

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 verse, played 5 times.

6. 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 16 times.

7. Bb → Dm chord transition

Switching from Bb to Dm:

  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 E string fret 1.
  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 3.

This transition appears in the verse.

8. Am → C chord transition

Switching 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 11 times.

9. F → Am chord transition

Switching from F to Am:

  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. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

Carry On My Wayward Son chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Carry On My Wayward Son.

  • Carry On My Wayward Son includes 105 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Carry On My Wayward Son contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Carry On My Wayward Son 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 → Am: 13%
    • G → F: 9%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → Dm: 5%
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.