Foo Fighters - The Pretender Chords
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.
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
To move from Am to C:
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
This transition appears in the verse, played 18 times.
2. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D:
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
This transition appears in the verse, played 14 times.
3. D → F chord transition
To move from D to F:
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
This transition appears in the verse, played 18 times.
4. F → Am chord transition
To move from F to Am:
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
This transition appears in the verse, played 12 times.
5. C → F chord transition
Here's how to move from C to F:
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
This transition appears in the verse.
6. D → Am chord transition
Switching from D to Am:
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.
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%