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Radiohead - Knives Out Chords

ChordsCm, Bb, Ab, Gm, Dm, E, Em, Am, A, D
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

CmBbAbGmDmEE
ICmwantBbyoutoAbknow
He’sGmnotDmcomingEmbackEm
CmLookBbintomyAbeyes
I’mGmnotDmcomingEmbackEm
SoAmknivesAout,DmcatchtheDmouse
GmDon’tlookdown,shoveitDminyourEmmouthEm
IfCmyou’dBbbeenaAbdog
Theywould’veGmdrownedDmyouatEmbirthEm
CmLookBbintomyAbeyes
It’stheGmonlywayyou’llknowI’mDmtellingtheEmtruthEm
SoAmknivesAout,DmcookhimDup
GmSquashhishead,puthimDmintheEmpotEm
CmBbAbGmDmEmEm
ICmwantBbyoutoAbknow
He’sGmnotDmcomingEmbackEm
He’sCmbloatedBbandAbfrozen
GmStillthere’snopointinDmlettingitgotoEmwasteEm
SoAmknivesAout,DmcatchtheDmouse
GmSquashhishead,puthimDmintheEmpotEm
ArtistRadiohead
AlbumAmnesiac
Year2001
KeyCm
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Knives Out on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Radiohead - Knives Out on guitar requires 10 chords and 13 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.

Knives Out uses these transitions most often: Gm → Dm (11), Dm → Em (10), and Ab → Gm (8). 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 Cm - Bb chord transition.

1. Cm → Bb chord transition

Switching from Cm to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Cm to Bb

2. Bb → Ab chord transition

To move from Bb to Ab:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Bb to Ab

3. Ab → Gm chord transition

Switching from Ab to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 8 times.

Ab to Gm

4. Gm → Dm chord transition

To move from Gm to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 11 times.

Gm to Dm

5. Dm → E chord transition

Here's how to move from Dm to E:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

6. E → Cm chord transition

Switching from E to Cm:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

7. Dm → Em chord transition

Switching from Dm to Em:

  1. While playing Dm, lift your index finger from E string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G 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 10 times.

8. Em → Cm chord transition

To move from Em to Cm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

9. Em → Am chord transition

Switching from Em to Am:

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

10. Am → A chord transition

Switching from Am to A:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  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 B string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

11. A → Dm chord transition

Switching from A to Dm:

  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 on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

12. Dm → D chord transition

Switching from Dm to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

13. D → Gm chord transition

Switching from D to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

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

  • Knives Out includes 68 chord transitions, 13 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Knives Out contains 1 of the top 25 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Knives Out connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (18%).
    • Em → Am: 12%
    • Em → Cm: 0%
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → Em: 4%
    • Dm → E: 1%