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Foo Fighters - The Pretender Chords

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

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to E key to play this song with easier chords.

  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

[Opening]
[Am]Keep you in the [C]dark
You know they [D]all pre[F]tend
[Am]Keep you in the [C]dark
And so it [D]all be[F]gan
[Am]Send in your skeletons
[C]Sing as their bones go marching [D]in, a[F]gain
[Am]The need you buried deep
[C]The secrets that you keep are [D]ever ready
[F]Are you ready?
[Am]I’m finished making sense
[C]Done pleading ignorance
That [D]whole de[F]fense
[Am]Spinning infinity, boy
[C]The wheel is spinning me
It’s [C]never-ending, [F]never-ending
[D]Same old story

[chorus]
[Am]What if I say I’m not like the others?
[C]What if I say I’m not just another [D]one of your plays?
[D]You’re the pretender
[F]What if I say that I’ll never surrender?
[Am]What if I say I’m not like the others?
[C]What if I say I’m not just another [D]one of your plays?
[D]You’re the pretender
[F]What if I say that I’ll never surrender?

[verse 2]
[Am]In time or so I’m told
[C]I’m just another soul for [D]sale, oh, [F]well
[Am]The page is out of print
[C]We are not permanent
[D]We’re temporary, [F]temporary
[D]Same old story

[chorus]
[Am]What if I say I’m not like the others?
[C]What if I say I’m not just another [D]one of your plays?
[D]You’re the pretender
[F]What if I say that I’ll never surrender?

[chorus]
[Am]What if I say I’m not like the others?
[C]What if I say I’m not just another [D]one of your plays?
[D]You’re the pretender
[F]What if I say that I’ll never surrender? [D]

[verse 3]
[Am]I’m the voice inside your head
[C]You refuse to hear
[Am]I’m the face that you have to face
[C]Mirrored in your stare
[Am]I’m what’s left, I’m what’s right
[C]I’m the enemy
[Am]I’m the hand that will take you down
[C]Bring you to your knees
[D]So who are you?
[F]Yeah, who are you?
[D]Yeah, who are you?
[F]Yeah, who are you?
[Am]Keep you in the [C]dark
You know they [D]all pre[F]tend

[chorus]
[Am]What if I say I’m not like the others?
[C]What if I say I’m not just another [D]one of your plays?
[D]You’re the pretender
[F]What if I say that I’ll never surrender?

[Closing]
[D]So who are [F]you?
[D]Yeah, who are [F]you?
[D]Yeah, who are [F]you? [Am]

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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.
ArtistFoo Fighters
AlbumEchoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
GenresRock
Year2007
KeyAm

How to play The Pretender on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Foo Fighters - The Pretender on guitar requires 4 chords and 6 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.

The Pretender uses these transitions most often: Am → C (18), D → F (18), and C → D (14). 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 Am - C chord transition.

1. Am → C chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from Am to C;

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

2. C → D chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

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.
C to D

3. D → F chord transition

Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from D to F;

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

4. F → Am chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from F to Am;

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

5. C → F chord transition

To move from C to F;

  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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

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.

The Pretender chord transition analysis

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

  • The Pretender includes 76 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • The Pretender contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how The Pretender connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → Am: 4%
    • D → F: 2%
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → C: 16%
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.