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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.

Ed Sheeran - The City Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, D, C, G, D*
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

EmDC
EmThiscityDneverCsleeps
EmIhearthepeoplewalkbywhenDit’slateC
EmSirensbleedthroughmywindowsill,IDcan’tCclosemyeyes
EmDon’tcontrolwhatI’mDintoC
EmThistowerisDaliveC
EmThelightsthatblindkeepmeDawakeC
EmWithmyhoodupandlaceDuntied,Csleepfillsmymind
EmDon’tcontrolwhatI’mDintoC
CLondon Dcallsmea Emstranger,a Gtraveller
CThisisDnowmyGhome,myhome
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
AndCwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheDcityneversleepsthenthatmakestwo
EmThepavementisDmyCfriend
EmItwilltakemewhereIneedtoDgoC
EmIfindittripsmeDup,andCputsmedown
EmThisisnotwhatI’mDusedCto
EmTheshopacrossDtheroadC
EmFulfillsmyneedsandgivesmeDcompany,CwhenIneedit
EmVoicesspeakthroughmyDwalls,Idon’tCthinkI’mgonnamakeit
EmPastDtomorrowC
CLondon Dcallsmea Emstranger,a Gtraveller
CThisisDnowmyGhome,myhome
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
AndCwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheDcityneversleepsthenthatmakestwo
CAndmylungsDhurt,Andmyearsbled,
EmWiththesoundofthecityGlife,echoedinmyhead
CDoIneedDthis,tokeepmealive
GThetrafficstopsandstartsbutIneedtomovealong
EmI’mfromacitywheretherainwon’tcease
DPollutionintheairmatchesCthatonthestreet
TheEmblacksmokegetsyouheadintoamuddle,like
DWalkingintoCelephantsyringesinthepuddle,like
EmIwasacountryboywhenImovedout
DGrewuptoofastforCmyfamilytofindout
EmNowItrytostopmymusicrunningintonosedives
DCan’tresorttoarrogancewithCwhitelies
EmThiscitywon’teraseme
ButDIcan’thelptoseehowthisCdarkcitychangedme
EmIt’sallthesamescene,musicismylife
DButItrytofightCwhateverIneedtohidefrom
EmNorth,South,East,West,
London’smyDhomenow,kneesweak,Cbutweneverslowdown
EmNowIstarttodomymusicproperly
AndDstayfromalltheCnegativeshitthatwillfollowme
CLondonDcallsmeaEmstranger,aGtraveller
CThisD*isnowmyGhome,myhome
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
AndCwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheDcityneversleepsthenthatmakestwo
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
CAndwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheD*cityneversleepsthenthatmakestwoEm
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.
ArtistEd Sheeran
Album+
GenresPop
Year2011
KeyEm
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play The City on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Ed Sheeran - The City on guitar requires 5 chords and 9 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 City uses these transitions most often: D → C (38), Em → D (37), and C → Em (30). 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 - D chord transition.

1. 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 37 times.

Em to D

2. D → C chord transition

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

Switching from D to C:

  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 A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 38 times.

D to C

3. C → Em chord transition

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

To move from C to Em:

  1. While playing C, 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. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 30 times.

C to Em

4. Em → G chord transition

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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

Em to G

5. G → C chord transition

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 chorus, played 4 times.

6. D → G chord transition

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 chorus, played 3 times.

7. C → D* chord transition

Switching from C to D*:

  1. While playing C, first lift your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

8. D* → G chord transition

Here's how to move from D* to G:

  1. Place index finger on A string fret 2.
  2. Place middle finger on E string fret 3.
  3. Place ring finger on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus.

9. D* → Em chord transition

Here's how to move from D* to Em:

  1. Place middle finger on A string fret 2.
  2. Place ring finger on D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse.

The City chord transition analysis

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

  • The City includes 140 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • The City contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how The City 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 → Em: 8%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 29%
    • D → Em: 17%
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.