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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.

Sam Smith - Lay Me Down Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsE, A, F#m, C#m, B, D
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

EYesIdo,Ibelieve
EThatonedayIwillbe,whereIwas
Rightthere,rightnexttoAyou
AAndit’shard,thedaysjustseemsodark
AThemoon,thestars,arenothingwithoutyou
YourEtouch,yourskin,wheredoIbegin?
Nowordscanexplain,thewayI’mmissingAyou
AThenight,thisemptiness,thisholethatI’minside
AThesetears,theytelltheirownstory
YouF#mtoldmenottoAcrywhenyouwereC#mgoneB
ButtheF#mfeelingsAoverwhelming,it’smuchtooEstrong
CanEIlaybyyourC#mside,nexttoF#myou,Ayou
AndEmakesureyou’reC#malright
I’lltakecareofF#myou,
AndIAdon’twanttobehereifAIcan’tbewithyouEtonight
I’mEreachingouttoyou,canyouhearmyAcall?
ThisEhurtthatI’vebeenthrough
I’mmissingyou,missingyoulikeAcrazy
YouF#mtoldmenottoAcrywhenyouwereC#mgoneB
ButtheF#mfeelingsAoverwhelming,it’smuchtooEstrongA
CanEIlaybyByourC#mside,nexttoF#myou,Ayou
AndEmakesureyou’reC#malright
I’lltakecareofF#myou,
AndIAdon’twanttobehereifAIcan’tbewithyouF#mtonight
F#mADB
F#mLaymeAdownDtonight
F#mlaymeAbyyourDside
F#mLaymeAdownDtonight
F#mlaymeAbyyourDside
CanEIlaybyyourC#mside,nextF#mtoyou,AyouE
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.
ArtistSam Smith
AlbumIn the Lonely Hour
GenresPop, Soul
Year2014
KeyE
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Lay Me Down on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Sam Smith - Lay Me Down on guitar requires 6 chords and 10 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.

Lay Me Down uses these transitions most often: F#m → A (14), A → E (10), and B → F#m (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 E - A chord transition.

1. E → A chord transition

Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from E to A:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

E to A

2. A → F#m chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-2-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F#m | G♭m chord diagram

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

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

A to F#m

3. A → C#m chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram

Here's how to move from A to C#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

A to C#m

4. C#m → B chord transition

Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram
Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram

To move from C#m to B:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

C#m to B

5. B → F#m chord transition

To move from B to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

6. E → C#m chord transition

To move from E to C#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

7. C#m → F#m chord transition

Switching from C#m to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 5 times.

8. E → B chord transition

Switching from E to B:

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

This transition appears in the chorus.

9. 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 5 times.

10. D → B chord transition

To move from D to B:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 4.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B 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, played 5 times.

Lay Me Down chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Lay Me Down.

  • Lay Me Down includes 65 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Lay Me Down contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Lay Me Down connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After A, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (29%), G (13%), and E (12%).
    • A → D: 29%
    • A → E: 12%
    After F#m, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (21%), A (18%), and E (14%).
    • F#m → A: 18%
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.