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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.

Ron Hynes - The St. John’s Waltz Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, F, Em, Am7, D, G, G7, Am, D7, E7, A7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

OhtheCharbourClightsareCgleaming,andtheFevening’sstillandCdark
AndtheCseagullsEmareallAm7dreamingseagullDdreamsonAmherstGrock
AndtheCmistisG7slowlyCdrifting
astheFstorefrontlightsgoAmdim
AndtheCmoonisEmgentlyAm7lifting
AstheDlastship’scomingGinalltheFsailorsgotaGstory,
SomeareAm7trueCsomeareFfalseAm7
Butthey’reD7alwaysGwreckedandthey’reE7upontheA7deck
DDancingtheGSt.John’sCWaltz
Ohwe’veChadourCshareofChistory,
We’veseenFnationscomeandCgo
We’veseenEmbattlesrageoverAm7landandstage
TwoDhundredyearsandGmore
ForCgloryorG7forCfreedom,
ForFcountryorforAmking,
OrforCmoneyorEmfamebutthereAm7arenonames
OntheDgraveswheremenlieGsleeping;
AlltheFnine-to-fivessurvivetheGdaywithaAm7sighandaCdoseofFsalts
AndAm7they’reD7parkingtheirGcars
AndE7packin’theA7bars,DDancingtheGSt.John’sCWaltz
FD7GE7A7DGC
OhmyCheartisContheChighwayandI’mFsoldongoingtoCsea
AlltheEmplanesfilltheAm7skywayandtheDtrainsrunswiftandGfree;
SoleavetheCwaywardG7freetoCwander,leavetheFrestlessfreetoAmroam
IfitsCrocksintheEmbay,it’sanAm7oldcliché,you’llDfindyourwaybackGhome
Sodon’tFquestionorGinquire,what’sbeenAm7gained,what’sCbeenFlost,
InaAm7worldofD7romance,Gdon’tmissE7outontheA7chance
TobeDDancingtheGSt.John’sCWaltz
FD7GE7A7DGC
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.
ArtistRon Hynes
AlbumFace To The Gale
GenresCountry, Folk
Year1997
KeyF
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play The St. John's Waltz on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Ron Hynes - The St. John's Waltz on guitar requires 11 chords and 19 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 St. John's Waltz uses these transitions most often: C → F (11), D → G (11), and G → C (8). 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 - F chord transition.

1. C → F chord transition

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

To move from C 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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 11 times.

C to F

2. 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

Switching 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 6 times.

C to Em

3. Em → Am7 chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar Am7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-1-0Guitar Am7 chord diagram

Here's how to move from Em to Am7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

Em to Am7

4. Am7 → D chord transition

Guitar Am7 chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-0-1-0Guitar Am7 chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

Am7 to D

5. 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 verse, played 11 times.

6. 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 verse, played 8 times.

7. C → G7 chord transition

To move 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 3 times.

8. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

9. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

10. 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 verse, played 3 times.

11. G → Am7 chord transition

To move from G to Am7:

  1. While playing G, lift your ring finger from E string fret 3.
  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 D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

12. Am7 → C chord transition

Here's how to move from Am7 to C:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

13. F → Am7 chord transition

Here's how to move from F to Am7:

  1. While playing F, first lift your ring finger and pinky.
  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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

14. Am7 → D7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Am7 to D7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

15. D7 → G chord transition

Switching from D7 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 G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

16. G → E7 chord transition

Here's how to move from G to E7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

17. E7 → A7 chord transition

Switching from E7 to A7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

18. A7 → D chord transition

Switching from A7 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 B string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

19. F → D7 chord transition

To move from F to D7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

The St. John's Waltz chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in The St. John's Waltz.

  • The St. John's Waltz includes 103 chord transitions, 19 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • The St. John's Waltz contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how The St. John's Waltz 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 → F: 16%
    • C → Em: 8%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → F: 9%
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.