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Ed Sheeran - Friends Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsA, E7, B, C#m, F#m
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m 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

[Opening]
We’re not, no we’re not [A] [E7]friends nor have we ever been
We just [B]try to [C#m]keep those secrets in a lie
And if they [A]find out, will it [E7]all go wrong
And heaven [B]knows, no one wants [A]it to [E7]

[chorus]
So I could take the [C#m]back road
But your eyes will lead me [A]straight back [B]home
And if you [A]know me like I [E7]know you
You should [B]love me, you should know

[chorus]
That [E7]friends just sleep in another [F#m]bed
And [A]friends don’t [B]treat me like you [E7]do
Well [C#m]I know that there’s [A]a limit to [E7]everything
But my [A]friends [B]won’t love me like [E7]you
No my [A]friends [B]won’t love me like [E7]you

[verse 2]
We’re not [A]friends [E7]we could be anything
If we [B]try to [C#m]keep those secrets safe
No one will [A]find out if it [E7]all went wrong

[chorus]
So I could take the [C#m]back road
But your eyes will lead me [A]straight back [B]home
And if you [A]know me like I [E7]know you
You should [B]love me, you should know

[chorus]
That [E7]friends just sleep in another [F#m]bed
And [A]friends don’t [B]treat me like you [E7]do
Well [C#m]I know that there’s [A]a limit to [E7]everything
But my [A]friends [B]won’t love me like [E7]you
No my [A]friends [B]won’t love me like [E7]you

[verse 3]
But then [A]again, if we’re not friends
Someone [C#m]else might love you, [B]too
And then [A]again, if we’re not friends
There’d be [C#m]nothing I could [B]do

[Closing]
And that’s why [E7]friends should sleep in other [F#m]beds
And [A]friends shouldn’t [B]kiss me like you [E7]do
And [C#m]I know that there’s a [A]limit to [E7]everything
But my [A]friends [B]won’t love me like [E7]you
No my [A]friends won’t [B]love me like you [E7]do
No my [A]friends will never [B]love me like [E7]you

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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.
ArtistEd Sheeran
Albumx
GenresPop
Year2014
KeyA

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

Ed Sheeran - Friends 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.

Friends uses these transitions most often: B → E7 (13), A → B (12), and A → E7 (10). 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 A - E7 chord transition.

1. A → E7 chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram

To move from A to E7;

  1. While playing A, lift your ring finger from B string fret 2.
  2. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
A to E7

2. E7 → B chord transition

Guitar E7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-1-0-0Guitar E7 chord diagram
Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram

To move from E7 to B;

  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 D string fret 4.
  3. Place ring finger on G string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 4.
E7 to B

3. B → C#m chord transition

Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram

To move from B to C#m;

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

4. C#m → A chord transition

Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from C#m to A;

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

5. B → A chord transition

To move from B to A;

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

6. E7 → C#m chord transition

To move from E7 to C#m;

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

7. E7 → F#m chord transition

To move from E7 to F#m;

  1. While playing E7, 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. Place ring finger on A string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

8. F#m → A chord transition

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.

Friends chord transition analysis

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

  • Friends includes 77 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Friends 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 → E7: 4%
    • A → B: 4%
    After E7, the most likely next chords across Chordier are A (31%), Am (28%), and A7 (7%).
    • E7 → A: 31%
    • E7 → B: 3%
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.