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Katie Melua - Nine Million Bicycles Chords

ChordsC, Em, Dm, F, G, Fm, Am, G7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

ThereareCninemillionbicyclesin EmBeijing
That’saDmfact,
It’saFthingwecan’tdeny
LiketheDmfactthatIwillGloveyoutillICdie.
WeareCtwelvebillionlightyearsfromtheEmedge,
That’sDmaguess,
NoonecanFeversayit’strue
ButIDmknowthatIwillGalwaysbewithCyou.
I’mFmwarmedbytheCfireofyourGloveeveryAmday
SoFmdon’tcallmeaCliar,
JustDmbelieveeveryFthingthatIGsay
ThereareCsixbillionpeopleintheEmworld
MoreorDmless
anditFmakesmefeelquitesmall
ButDmyou’retheoneIGlovethemostofCall
G7CG7C
We’reFmhighontheCwire
WiththeGworldinourAmsight
AndFmI’llneverCtire,
OftheDmlovethatyouFgivemeeveryGnight
ThereareCninemillionbicyclesin EmBeijing
That’saDmfact,
It’saFthingwecan’tdeny
LiketheDmfactthatIwillGloveyoutillICdie.
G7Am
AndthereareDmninemillionGbicyclesinCBeijing
G7Am
AndyouDmknowthatIwillGloveyoutillICdie!
G7C
AlbumPiece by Piece
GenresBlues, Folk, Jazz
Year2005
KeyC
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Nine Million Bicycles on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Katie Melua - Nine Million Bicycles on guitar requires 8 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.

Nine Million Bicycles uses these transitions most often: G → C (8), Dm → F (6), and Dm → G (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 C - Em chord transition.

1. C → Em chord transition

Switching 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 chorus, played 4 times.

C to Em

2. Em → Dm chord transition

Switching from Em to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

Em to Dm

3. Dm → F chord transition

To move from Dm to F:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

Dm to F

4. Dm → G chord transition

Switching from Dm to G:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

Dm to G

5. G → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G to C:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 8 times.

6. C → Fm chord transition

Here's how to move from C to Fm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

7. G → Am chord transition

Switching from G to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

8. Am → Fm chord transition

Here's how to move from Am to Fm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

9. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm:

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

10. F → G chord transition

Here's how to move from F to G:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

11. C → G7 chord transition

To move from C to G7:

  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 1.

This transition appears in the interlude, played 5 times.

12. G7 → Am chord transition

To move from G7 to Am:

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

This transition appears in the interlude, played 2 times.

13. Am → Dm chord transition

To move from Am to Dm:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  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 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Nine Million Bicycles.

  • Nine Million Bicycles includes 60 chord transitions, 13 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Nine Million Bicycles contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Nine Million Bicycles connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → Em: 8%
    After Dm, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (18%), G (16%), and Am (14%).
    • Dm → G: 16%
    • Dm → F: 14%