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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.

Shawn Mendes - Honest Chords

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

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

  • 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
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

[Opening]
[G] [D] [Em] [C] [G]
[G]Hey, [D]how’s it [Em]going
Can you [C]meet down on Adelaide [G]street
Can you [G]talk [D]for a [Em]moment
There’s no [C]way to say this that [G]easily
Everything I [G]said, I [D]swear I [Em]meant it
I need to [C]tell you that this isn’t your [G]fault
And I [G]know [D]that I’ll [Em]probably regret it
And it [C]kills me ’cause the worst part [D]of all

[chorus]
Is [Em]that I [C]hate I hurt you, but I [G]gotta be [D]honest
[Em]I can’t give [C]you what you [G]need [D]
[Em]You [C]deserve more than [G]I can [D]promise
And [Am]I’m just tryna, [G]I’m just [C]tryna
Baby, I’m just t[D]ryna be [G]honest [D] [Em]
I’m tryna be [C]honest with [G]you
You know that I’m [G] [D]sorry [Em]
But I’m tryna be [C]honest with [G]you

[verse 2]
[G]Hey, [D]can you [Em]listen?
I swear to [C]God to you, there’s nobody [G]else
You’re gonna [G]say [D]that I’m [Em]lying’
When I [C]tell you every feeling I [G]felt
Was [G]honest [D]and sincere, and that you [Em]were different
And when we [C]kissed I felt like that kid in [G]love, yeah
And I [G]know that I’ll [D]probably [Em]regret it
And I [C]wish I never said this at [D]all

[chorus]
Oh I hate I [Em]hurt [C]you , but I [G]gotta be [D]honest
[Em]I can’t give [C]you what you [G]need [D]
[Em]You [C]deserve more than [G]I can [D]promise
And [Am]I’m just tryna, [G]I’m just [C]tryna
Baby, I’m just [D]tryna be [G]honest [D] [Em]
I’m tryna be [C]honest with [G]you
You know that I’m [G] [D]sorry [Em]
But I’m tryna be [C]honest with [G]you

[Closing]
[C]Oh, [D]oh, [Em]oh, [G]I don’t wanna see you [C]cry
[C]Oh, [D]oh, [Em]oh, swear that [G]I don’t wanna see you [C]cry

[chorus]
‘Cause I [Em]hate to [C]hurt you, but I [G]gotta be [D]honest
[Em]I can’t give [C]you what you [G]need [D]
[Em]You [C]deserve more than [G]I can [D]promise
And [Am]I’m just tryna, [G]I’m just [C]tryna
baby I’m just tryna be honest

[chorus]
I [Em]hate I [C]hurt you, but I [G]gotta be [D]honest
[Em]I can’t give [C]you what you [G]need [D]
[Em]You [C]deserve more than [G]I can [D]promise
And [Am]I’m just tryna, [G]I’m just [C]tryna
Baby I’m just tryna be honest

[outro]
[G] [D] [Em] [C] [G]

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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.
ArtistShawn Mendes
AlbumIlluminate
GenresPop
Year2016
KeyG

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

Shawn Mendes - Honest 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.

Honest uses these transitions most often: D → Em (26), Em → C (26), and G → D (26). 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 G - D chord transition.

1. 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

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.
G to D

2. D → Em chord transition

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

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.
D to Em

3. Em → C chord transition

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

To move from Em to C;

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

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.
C to G

5. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D;

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

6. D → Am chord transition

To move from D to Am;

  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 G string fret 2.

7. Am → G chord transition

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.

8. Em → G chord transition

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.

Honest chord transition analysis

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

  • Honest includes 130 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Honest contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Honest 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 → C: 25%
    • G → D: 24%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → D: 11%
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.