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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.

Rod Stewart - Sailing Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, Am, F, D, Dm, G7, Dm7
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

IamCsailing,IamAmsailing
home Fagain‘crosstheCsea
IamDsailingstormyAmwaters,
tobeDmnearyou,tobeCfreeG7
IamCflying,IamAmflying
likeaFbird‘crosstheCsky
IamDflying,passingAmhighclouds,
tobeDmnearyou,tobeCfreeG7
CanyaChearme,canyaAmhearme,
thrutheFdarknightfar Caway?
IamDdying,foreverAmtrying
tobeDmwithyou;whocanCsay?G7
CanyaChearme,canyaAmhearme,
thrutheFdarknightfar Caway?
IamDdying,foreverAmtrying
tobeDmwithyou;whocanCsay?G7
IamCsailing,IamAmsailing
home Fagain‘crosstheCsea
IamDsailingstormyAmwaters,
tobeDmnearyou,tobeCfree
G7OhLord,tobeDm7nearyou,tobeCfree.
G7OhLord,tobeDm7nearyou,tobeCfree.
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.
ArtistRod Stewart
AlbumAtlantic Crossing
GenresBlues, Rock, Blues Rock
Year1975
KeyC
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Rod Stewart - Sailing on guitar requires 7 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.

Sailing uses these transitions most often: C → G7 (6), Am → Dm (5), and Am → F (5). 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 - Am chord transition.

1. C → Am chord transition

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

Switching from C to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

C to Am

2. Am → F chord transition

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

Switching from Am 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. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

Am to F

3. F → C chord transition

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

Here's how 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 verse, played 5 times.

F to C

4. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

C to D

5. D → Am chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

6. Am → Dm chord transition

Here's how 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 5 times.

7. Dm → C chord transition

Switching from Dm to C:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

8. C → G7 chord transition

Switching 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 verse, played 6 times.

9. G7 → Dm7 chord transition

Switching from G7 to Dm7:

  1. While playing G7, lift your ring finger from E string fret 1.
  2. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

10. Dm7 → C chord transition

Switching from Dm7 to C:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

Sailing chord transition analysis

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

  • Sailing includes 49 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Sailing contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Sailing 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 → D: 11%
    • C → Am: 10%
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → F: 26%
    • Am → Dm: 7%
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.