Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
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 - Palace Chords

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

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

ADAF#mEF#m
MyAheadisDfilledwithAruins
MostofF#mthemareEbuiltwithF#myou
NowtheDdustnoElongerF#mmoves
Don’tDdisturbtheEghostofF#myou
DAEF#m
TheyAareDempty,theyAareworn
TellmeF#mwhatweEbuiltthisF#mfor
OnmyDwayto EsomethingF#mmore
You’rethatDoneIEcan’tF#mignore
DAC#mF#m
DI’mEgonnaC#missF#myou
DIEstillF#mcareE
DSometimesIEwishweC#neverbuiltthisF#mpalace
ButDrealloveisneverawasteofAtimeA
F#mEF#m
YeahIAknowjustDwhatyou’reAsaying
AndIF#mregretEever F#mcomplaining
AboutthisDheartandEallitsF#mbreaking
ItwasDbeautyEwewereF#mmaking
DAEF#m
AndIAknowwe’llDbothmoveAon
You’llF#mforgivewhatEIdidF#mwrong
TheywillDlovetheEbetterF#myou
ButIstillDowntheEghostofF#myou
DAEF#m
DI’mEgonnaC#missF#myou
DIEstillF#mcareE
DSometimesIEwishweC#neverbuiltthisF#mpalace
ButDrealloveisneverawasteofAtimeA
F#mEF#mDEF#mDEF#m
DI’mEgonnaC#missF#myou
DIEstillF#mcareE
DSometimesIEwishweC#neverbuiltthisF#mpalace
ButDrealloveisneverawasteofAtime
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
AlbumSingle
GenresPop, R&B, Soul
Year2017
KeyA
DifficultyIntermediate

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

Sam Smith - Palace 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.

Palace uses these transitions most often: F#m → D (23), E → F#m (20), and D → E (19). 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 A - D chord transition.

1. A → D chord transition

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

Switching 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 7 times.

A to D

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

Switching 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 verse, played 7 times.

A to F#m

3. F#m → E chord transition

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

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

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

F#m to E

4. F#m → D chord transition

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

Switching from F#m to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 23 times.

F#m to D

5. D → E chord transition

Here's how to move from D to E:

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E 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, played 19 times.

6. A → E chord transition

Here's how to move from A to E:

  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 A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

7. A → C#m chord transition

Switching 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.

8. C#m → F#m chord transition

Here's how to move 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.

9. E → C# chord transition

Here's how to move from E to C#:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 9 times.

10. C# → F#m chord transition

Switching from C# to F#m:

  1. While playing C#, lift your middle finger from B 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 D string fret 3 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 9 times.

Palace chord transition analysis

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

  • Palace includes 130 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Palace contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Palace connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After F#m, the most likely next chords across Chordier are D (21%), A (18%), and E (14%).
    • F#m → D: 21%
    • F#m → A: 18%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → A: 17%
    • D → E: 3%
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.