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Shawn Mendes - Honest Chords

ChordsG, D, Em, C, Am
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

GDEmCG
GHey,Dhow’sitEmgoing
CanyouCmeetdownonAdelaideGstreet
CanyouGtalkDforaEmmoment
There’snoCwaytosaythisthatGeasily
EverythingIGsaid,IDswearIEmmeantit
IneedtoCtellyouthatthisisn’tyourGfault
AndIGknowDthatI’llEmprobablyregretit
AnditCkillsme’causetheworstpartDofall
IsEmthatIChateIhurtyou,butIGgottabeDhonest
EmIcan’tgiveCyouwhatyouGneedD
EmYouCdeservemorethanGIcanDpromise
AndAmI’mjusttryna,GI’mjustCtryna
Baby,I’mjust DtrynabeGhonestDEm
I’mtrynabeChonestwithGyou
YouknowthatI’mGsorryDEm
ButI’mtrynabeChonestwithGyou
GHey,DcanyouEmlisten?
IsweartoCGodtoyou,there’snobodyGelse
You’regonnaGsayDthatI’mEmlying’
WhenICtellyoueveryfeelingIGfelt
WasGhonestDandsincere,andthatyouEmweredifferent
AndwhenweCkissedIfeltlikethatkidinGlove,yeah
AndIGknowthatI’llDprobablyEmregretit
AndICwishIneversaidthisatDall
OhIhateIEmhurtCyou,butIGgottabeDhonest
EmIcan’tgiveCyouwhatyouGneedD
EmYouCdeservemorethanGIcanDpromise
AndAmI’mjusttryna,GI’mjustCtryna
Baby,I’mjustDtrynabeGhonestDEm
I’mtrynabeChonestwithGyou
YouknowthatI’mGsorryDEm
ButI’mtrynabeChonestwithGyou
COh,Doh,Emoh,GIdon’twannaseeyouCcry
COh,Doh,Emoh,swearthatGIdon’twannaseeyouCcry
‘CauseIEmhatetoChurtyou,butIGgottabeDhonest
EmIcan’tgiveCyouwhatyouGneedD
EmYouCdeservemorethanGIcanDpromise
AndAmI’mjusttryna,GI’mjustCtryna
babyI’mjusttrynabehonest
IEmhateIChurtyou,butIGgottabeDhonest
EmIcan’tgiveCyouwhatyouGneedD
EmYouCdeservemorethanGIcanDpromise
AndAmI’mjusttryna,GI’mjustCtryna
BabyI’mjusttrynabehonest
GDEmCG
AlbumIlluminate
GenresPop
Year2016
KeyG
DifficultyEasy

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

Switching 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 26 times.

G to D

2. D → Em chord transition

Switching 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 26 times.

D to Em

3. Em → C chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 26 times.

Em to C

4. 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 25 times.

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

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.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

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.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

8. Em → G chord transition

Switching 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 2 times.

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%