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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.

Shawn Mendes - This Is What It Takes Chords

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

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

YouCkeeponGtellingmeI’mwaistingAmtime
ButtoFcallitwastingGtime,ohthatsaCcrime
AndyouCthinkit’sGcrazywhatI’mtryingtoAmdo
WellFbabyI’maGfoolforCyou.
CauseFunderneaththeGdarkness,theresaClightsthats
TryingsoGhardthattryingtobeAmseen
‘CauseIFknowthiscauseIGnoticed
You’reCtryingsoGhardtoAmsee
CAndIfDmThisiswhatAmittakes
ThenGletmebetheConetoDmbeartheAmpainG
OhifCthisisDmwhatitAmtakes
I’llbreakCdownthesesDmwallthatareEminourFway
IfGthisiswhatitCtakesGAmFGC
YouCkeepontellingGmeI’mwaistingAmtime
ButtoFcallitwastingGtime,ohthat’saCcrime
andyouCthinkitsGcrazywhatI’mtryingtoAmdo
WellFbabyI’maGfoolforCyou.
‘CauseFunderneaththeGdarkness,theresaClightsthats
TryingsoGhardthattryingtobeAmseen
AndIFknowthisbecauseI’veGnoticed
AClittlebitGshiningthroughtheAmschemes
CAndIfDmThisiswhatAmittakes
Then GletmebetheConetoDmbeartheAmpainG
OhifCthisisDmwhatitAmtakes
I’llbreakCdownthesesDmwallthatareEminourFway
IfGthisiswhatitCtakesGAmFGC
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.
ArtistShawn Mendes
AlbumHandwritten
GenresPop
Year2015
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play This Is What It Takes on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Shawn Mendes - This Is What It Takes on guitar requires 6 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.

This Is What It Takes uses these transitions most often: G → C (16), F → G (12), and C → G (10). 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 - G chord transition.

1. 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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

C to G

2. G → Am chord transition

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

Here's how to move from G to Am:

  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 G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

G to Am

3. 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 8 times.

Am to F

4. F → G chord transition

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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 12 times.

F to G

5. C → F chord transition

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 2 times.

6. Am → C chord transition

Switching 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 chorus, played 4 times.

7. C → Dm chord transition

Switching from C 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 A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 8 times.

8. Dm → Am chord transition

To move from Dm to Am:

  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 G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

9. Dm → Em chord transition

Switching from Dm to Em:

  1. While playing Dm, lift your index finger from E 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 B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

10. Em → F chord transition

Here's how to move from Em to F:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

This Is What It Takes chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in This Is What It Takes.

  • This Is What It Takes includes 84 chord transitions, 10 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • This Is What It Takes contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how This Is What It Takes 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 → Am: 13%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → F: 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.