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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.

Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl Chords

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

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

SheEmplayedthefiddleinGanIrishband
ButsheDfellinlovewithCanEnglishman
CKissedherontheneckandGthenItookherbythehand
SaidDbabyIjustwanttodance
ImetheronEmGraftonstreetGrightoutsideofthebar
ShesharedaDcigarettewithmewhileCherbrotherplayedtheguitar
SheaskedmeEmwhatdoesitmeantheGGaelicinkonyourarm?
SaiditwasDoneofmyfriend’ssongsdoyouwanttodrinkCon?
ShetookEmJamieasaGchaser,Jackforthefun
ShegotDArthuronthetable,CwithJohnnyridingashotgun
AmChattedsomemore,Gonemoredrinkatthebar
DThenputVanonthejukebox,gotuptodance,youknow
SheCplayedthefiddleGinanIrishband
ButsheDfellinloveCwithanEnglishman
CKissedherontheneckandGthenItookherbythehand
SaidDbabyIjustwanttodance
WithmyprettylittleCGalwayGGirlDEm
You’remyprettylittleCGalwayGGirlDEm
YouknowsheEmbeatmeatdartsandGthenshebeatmeatpool
AndthensheDkissedmeliketherewasCnobodyelseintheroom
AslastEmorderswerecalledGwaswhenshestoodonthestool
AfterDdancingtoCeilisingingtotradGtunes
IneverEmheardCarrickfergusGeversungsosweet
ADcappellainthebarCusingherfeetforthebeat
Oh,IcouldAmhavethatvoiceGplayingonrepeatforaweek
AndinthisDpackedoutroomswearshewassingingtome
SheCplayedthefiddleGinanIrishband
ButsheDfellinloveCwithanEnglishman
CKissedherontheneckandGthenItookherbythehand
SaidDbabyIjustwanttodance
WithmyprettylittleCGalwayGGirl
DMy,my,my,my,Emmy,my,myCGalwayGGirl
DMy,my,my,my,Emmy,my,myCGalwayGGirl
DMy,my,my,my,Emmy,my,myCGalwayGGirlDEm
Nowwe’veEmoutstayedourGwelcomeandit’sclosingtime
IwasDholdingherhand,herhandCwasholdingmine
OurEmcoatsbothsmellGofsmoke,whiskyandwine
AsweDfillupourlungswiththecoldairofthenight
IEmwalkedherhomeGthenshetookmeinside
FinishDsomeDoritosandCanotherbottleofwine
IEmswearI’mgoingtoputyouGinasongthatIwrite
AboutaDGalwayGirlandaperfectnight
SheCplayedthefiddleGinanIrishband
ButsheDfellinloveCwithanEnglishman
CKissedherontheneckandGthenItookherbythehand
SaidDbabyIjustwanttodance
WithmyprettylittleCGalwayGGirl
DMy,my,my,my,Emmy,my,myCGalwayGGirl
DMy,my,my,my,Emmy,my,myCGalwayGGirl
DMy,my,my,my,Emmy,my,myCGalwayGGirlDEm
CGDEmCGDEm
CGDEmCGDEm
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
Album÷
GenresFolk, Pop
Year2017
KeyEm
DifficultyEasy

How to play Galway Girl on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl 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.

Galway Girl uses these transitions most often: G → D (34), C → G (21), and D → C (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 Em - G chord transition.

1. Em → G chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from Em to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 11 times.

Em to G

2. G → D chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

Here's how to move from G to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E 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 34 times.

G to D

3. D → C chord transition

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

Switching from D to C:

  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 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 17 times.

D to C

4. C → G chord transition

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

Switching 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 21 times.

C to G

5. D → Em chord transition

To move from D to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 16 times.

6. C → Em chord transition

Here's how to move 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, played 5 times.

7. C → Am chord transition

Switching from C to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

8. Am → G chord transition

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 2 times.

Galway Girl chord transition analysis

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

  • Galway Girl includes 121 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Galway Girl contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Galway Girl 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 → Em: 9%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 29%
    • D → Em: 17%
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.