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Glen Campbell - Galveston Chords

ChordsD, G, A, D7, Em7, Bm, F, Am, Dm, G7, C, Em, F#m, B
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

DGA
DGalveston,ohGGalveston
IstillhearyourD7seawindsGblowin’Em7
AndIstillDseeherdarkD7eyesGglowin’Em7
ShewasAtwentyBmone,whenGIleft DGalveston.GA
DGalveston,ohGGalveston
IstillhearyourD7seawavesGcrashin’
AndAwhileIDwatchtheD7cannonsGflashingEm7
IAcleanmyBmgun,andGdreamof DGalveston.GA
IFstillseeherstandingGbytheFwaterG
AmStandingthere,lookingouttoFsea
AndissheDmwaitingG7thereforCme?
OntheEmbeachwhereweusedtoDmrunGA
DGalveston,ohGGalveston
Iamso D7afraidofGdyin’Em7
ABeforeIDdrytheD7tearsshe’sGcryin’Em7
ABeforeIBmwatchyourAseabirdsGflyingF#mintheEm7sun
AtGGalveston,atGGalveston.
AlbumGalveston
Year1969
KeyD
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Glen Campbell - Galveston on guitar requires 14 chords and 23 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.

Galveston uses these transitions most often: A → D (8), G → A (7), and D → D7 (6). 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 D - G chord transition.

1. D → G chord transition

Here's how to move 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 6 times.

D to G

2. G → A chord transition

Here's how to move 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 7 times.

G to A

3. A → D chord transition

Here's how to move 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 8 times.

A to D

4. D → D7 chord transition

Switching from D to D7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

D to D7

5. D7 → G chord transition

Switching from D7 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 G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

6. G → Em7 chord transition

To move from G to Em7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

7. Em7 → D chord transition

To move from Em7 to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

8. Em7 → A chord transition

To move from Em7 to A:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

9. A → Bm chord transition

Here's how to move from A to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

10. Bm → G chord transition

Here's how to move from Bm to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

11. A → F chord transition

Switching from A to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

12. F → G chord transition

Switching from F to G:

  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 A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 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 2 times.

13. 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.

14. Am → F chord transition

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.

15. F → Dm chord transition

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.

16. Dm → G7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to G7:

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G 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 1.

This transition appears in the verse.

17. G7 → C chord transition

To move from G7 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 1 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse.

18. C → Em chord transition

Switching from C to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

19. Em → Dm chord transition

To move from Em to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

20. Dm → G chord transition

Switching from Dm to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G 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.

21. G → F#m chord transition

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

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

This transition appears in the verse.

22. F#m → Em7 chord transition

Switching from F#m to Em7:

  1. While playing F#m, first lift your index finger, ring finger, and pinky.
  2. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse.

23. G → B chord transition

To move from G to B:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

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

  • Galveston includes 72 chord transitions, 23 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Galveston contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Galveston 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 → D: 24%
    • G → Am: 13%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 29%
    • D → D7: 1%