Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
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.

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, G, C, D, F, Am7, Em, Dsus2, Cadd9
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • 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
  • 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
  • Guitar Am7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-1-0Guitar Am7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar Dsus2 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-0Guitar Dsus2 chord diagram
  • Guitar Cadd9 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-0-0-3-0Guitar Cadd9 chord diagram

[Opening]
[Am] [G] [C] [D] [F] [G] [Am]
[C] [D] [F] [Am] [C] [G] [D]
[Am]There’s a lady who’s [G]sure
All that [C]glitters is [D]gold
And she’s [F]buying a stairway to [G]hea[Am]ven

[verse 2]
[Am]When she gets there she [G]knows
If the [C]stores are all [D]closed
With a [F]word she can get what she [G]came [Am]for

[verse 3]
[C]Ooh [D]ooh [F]ooh [Am]ooh
And she’s [C]buying a [G]stairway to [D]heaven

[verse 4]
There’s a [C]sign on the [D]wall
But she [F]wants to be [Am]sure
‘Cause you [C]know sometimes [D]words have two [F]meanings

[verse 5]
In a [Am]tree by the [G]brook
There’s a [C]songbird who [D]sings
Sometimes all of her [F]thoughts are [G]mis[Am]given

[interlude]
[Am] [G] [C] [D] [F] [G] [Am]

[verse 6]
[Am7] [D] [D]Oh, it makes me [Am7]wonder [Em] [D] [C] [D]
[Am7]Oh, [D]it [D]makes me wonder [Am7] [Em] [D] [C] [D]

[verse 7]
There’s a [C]feeling I [G]get
When I [Am]look to the west
And my [C]spirit is [G]crying for [F]lea[Am]ving

[verse 8]
In my [C]thoughts I have [G]seen
Rings of [Am]smoke through the trees
And the [C]voices of those who [G]stand [F]look[Am]ing

[verse 9]
[Am7] [D]Oh, and [D]it makes me wonder [Am7] [Em] [D] [C] [D]
[Am7]Oh, [D]it [D]really makes me wonder [Am7] [Em] [D] [C] [D]

[verse 10]
And it’s [C]whispered that [G]soon
If we all [Am]call the tune
And the [C]piper will [G]lead us to [F]rea[Am]son

[verse 11]
And the [C]new day will [G]dawn
For [Am]those who stand long
And the [C]forest will [G]echo with [F]laugh[Am]ter

[verse 12]
(Does anyone remember laughter?)

[interlude]
[C] [G] [Am] [D]

[verse 13]
[Am] [D] [Am] [D]Oh ho ho [Am] [D]

[verse 14]
[C]If there’s a [G]bustle in your [Am]hedgerow,
Don’t be alarmed now
[C]It’s just a [G]spring clean for the [F]May [Am]queen

[verse 15]
[C]Yes, there are [G]two paths you can [Am]go by
But in the long run
[C]There’s still [G]time to change the [F]road you’re [Am]on

[interlude]
[C] [G] [Am] [D]

[verse 16]
And it makes me [Am]wonder [D] [Am] [D]Oh ho ho [Am] [D]

[verse 17]
[C]Your head is [G]humming and it [Am]won’t go
In case you don’t know
[C]The piper’s [G]calling you to [F]join [Am]him

[verse 18]
[C]Dear lady [G]can you hear the [Am]wind blow
And did you know
[C]Your stairway [G]lies in the [F]whispering [Am]wind?

[interlude]
[D] [Dsus2] [D] [D] [D] [Dsus2] [D] [D] [C] [Cadd9] [C]

[verse 19]
[Am]And as we [G]wind on down the [F]road [G]
[Am]Our shadows [G]taller then our [F]soul [G]
[Am]There walks the [G]lady we all [F]know [G]
[Am]Who shines white light and [G]wants to [F]how
[G] [Am]How everything [G]s till turns to [F]gold [G]

[Closing]
[Am]And if you listen [G]very [F]hard [G]
[Am]The truth will come to [G]you at [F]last [G]
[Am]When all are one and [G]one is [F]all [G]
[Am]To be a rock and [G]not to [F]roll [G]
And she’s [F]buying a stairway to [G]hea[Am]ven

Report Error
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.
ArtistLed Zeppelin
AlbumThe Song Remains the Same
GenresHard Rock, Rock, Classic Rock
Year1971
KeyC

How to play Stairway to Heaven on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven on guitar requires 9 chords and 15 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.

Stairway to Heaven uses these transitions most often: G → Am (24), C → G (20), and Am → C (19). 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 - G chord transition.

1. Am → G chord transition

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

To move from Am 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 G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.
Am to G

2. 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

To move 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.
G to C

3. 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

4. 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

5. F → G chord transition

To move from F to G;

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

6. Am → C chord transition

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.

7. F → Am chord transition

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.

8. G → D chord transition

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.

9. 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.

10. Am → Am7 chord transition

To move from Am to Am7;

  1. While playing Am, lift your ring finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.

11. Am7 → D chord transition

To move from Am7 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. Place ring finger on B string fret 3.

12. Am7 → Em chord transition

To move from Am7 to Em;

  1. While playing Am7, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on D string fret 2.

13. Em → D chord transition

To move 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.

14. D → Dsus2 chord transition

To move from D to Dsus2;

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on B string fret 3.

15. C → Cadd9 chord transition

To move from C to Cadd9;

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

Stairway to Heaven chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Stairway to Heaven.

  • Stairway to Heaven includes 204 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.05% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Stairway to Heaven contains 7 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Stairway to Heaven 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 Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → G: 21%
    • 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.