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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.

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, C, G, D, Bm, D7, F, Dm, F#m, A, C#m
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm 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
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram Fingering: x-4-2-1-2-xGuitar C#m | D♭m chord diagram

[Opening]
[Em]If you’re [C]going to [G]San Fran[D]cisco
[Em]Be sure to [C]wear some [G]flowers in your [D]hair
[Em]If you’re [G]going to [C]San Fran[G]cisco
You’re gonna [Bm]meet some [Em]gentle people [D]there [D7]

[verse 2]
[Em]For those who [C]come to [G]San Fran[D]cisco
[Em]Summer[C]time will [G]be a love in [D]there
[Em]In the [G]streets of [C]San Fran[G]cisco
Gentle [Bm]people with [Em]flowers in their [D]hair [D7]

[verse 3]
[F]All across the [Dm]nation
[F]Such a strange vi[Dm]bration
[G]People in motion
[F]There’s a whole gener[Dm]ation
[F]With a new expla[Dm]nation
[G]People in motion, [D]people in [D7]motion

[verse 4]
[Em]For those who [C]come to [G]San Fran[D]cisco
[Em]Be sure to [C]wear some [G]flowers in your [D]hair
[Em]If you [G]come to [C]San Fran[G]cisco
Summer[Bm]time will [Em]be a love in [G]there

[Closing]
[Em] [F#m]If you [A]come to [D]San Fran[A]cisco
Summer [C#m]time [F#m]will be a love in [A]there [D]

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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.
ArtistScott McKenzie
AlbumThe Voice of Scott McKenzie
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock, Classic Rock
Year1967
KeyEm

How to play San Francisco on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco on guitar requires 11 chords and 18 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.

San Francisco uses these transitions most often: C → G (9), G → D (7), and D → Em (6). 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 Em - C chord transition.

1. Em → C chord transition

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

To move from Em to C;

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

2. C → G chord transition

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

To move from C to G;

  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 3.
C to G

3. G → D chord transition

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

To move from G to D;

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

4. D → Em chord transition

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

To move from D to Em;

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

5. Em → G chord transition

To move from Em to G;

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

6. G → Bm chord transition

To move from G to Bm;

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

7. Bm → Em chord transition

To move from Bm to Em;

  1. While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and pinky.
  2. Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.

8. D → D7 chord transition

To move from D to D7;

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 2.

9. D7 → Em chord transition

To move from D7 to Em;

  1. While playing D7, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.

10. D7 → F chord transition

To move from D7 to F;

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

11. F → Dm chord transition

To move from F to Dm;

  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 E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.

12. Dm → G chord transition

To move from Dm to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G 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.

13. G → F chord transition

To move 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.

14. Em → F#m chord transition

To move from Em to F#m;

  1. While playing Em, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 4.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 2.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 4.

15. F#m → A chord transition

To move from F#m to A;

  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 D string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 4 to B string fret 2.
  4. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

16. A → D chord transition

To move 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.

17. A → C#m chord transition

To move 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.

18. C#m → F#m chord transition

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.

San Francisco chord transition analysis

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

  • San Francisco includes 67 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • San Francisco contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how San Francisco 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 → D: 24%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    • Em → G: 18%
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.