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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.

Buck Owens - Rocky Top Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, C, Em, 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 A key to play this song with easier chords.

GWishthatIwasConoldGRockyTop
EmDownintheDTennesseeGhills
Ain’tnosmoggyCsmokeonGRockyTop
EmAin’tnoDtelephoneGbills
GOnceIhadaCgirlonGRockyTop
EmHalfbear,DotherhalfGcat
WildasaminkandCsweetasGsodapop
EmIstillDdreamaboutGthat
EmRockyTop,you’llDalwaysbe
FHomesweethometoCme
GoodoldGRockyTop
GRockyTop,FTennessee,
GRockyTop,FTennessee
GOncetwostrangersCclimbedoldGRockyTop
EmLookingforaDmoonshineGstill
Strangersain’tcomeCdownfromGRockyTop
EmReckontheyDneverGwill
GCornwon’tgrowatCallonGRockyTop
EmDirt’stooDrockybyGfar
ThatwhyalltheCfolksonGRockyTop
EmGettheirDcornfromaGjar
EmRockyTop,you’llDalwaysbe
FHomesweethometoCme
GoodoldGRockyTop
GRockyTop,FTennessee,
GRockyTop,FTennessee
GI’vehadyearsofCcrampedupGcitylife
EmTrappedlikeaDduckinaGpen
AllIknowisit’saCpityGlife
EmCan’tbeDsimple Gagain
EmRockyTop,you’llDalwaysbe
FHomesweethometoCme
GoodoldGRockyTop
GRockyTop,FTennessee,
GRockyTop,FTennessee
GRockyTop, FTennesseeeeeeee
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.
ArtistBuck Owens
AlbumSingle
GenresCountry
Year1967
KeyG
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Rocky Top on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Buck Owens - Rocky Top on guitar requires 5 chords and 7 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.

Rocky Top uses these transitions most often: C → G (14), Em → D (13), and G → Em (13). 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 G - C chord transition.

1. G → C chord transition

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

Switching 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 verse, played 10 times.

G to C

2. G → Em chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

Switching from G to Em:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 13 times.

G to Em

3. Em → D chord transition

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

Switching from Em to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 13 times.

Em to D

4. D → G chord transition

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

Here's how to move from D to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E 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 verse, played 10 times.

D to G

5. D → F chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

6. F → C chord transition

To move from F to C:

  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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

7. G → F chord transition

Switching from G to F:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 7 times.

Rocky Top chord transition analysis

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

  • Rocky Top includes 80 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Rocky Top contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Rocky Top connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → F: 9%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
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.