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Carpenters - This Masquerade Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, Em7, A, D, B, Fm, C, Dm, G, F#, F#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 Em7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-0-0-0Guitar Em7 chord diagram
  • Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
  • Guitar B chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-4-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar B chord diagram
  • Guitar Fm chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-1-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar Fm chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar F# | G♭ chord diagram Fingering: 2-4-4-3-2-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar F# | G♭ 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

[Opening]
[Em]Are we really happy here in this [Em7]lonely [A]game we [Em]play
[Em]Looking for [D]right words to [B]say
[Em]Searching but not finding under [Fm]stan[A]ding any [Em]where
We’re [C]lost in a [B]masquerade[Em]

[verse 2]
[Dm]Both afraid to [G]say we’re just to [C]far away
From [Dm]being close to[G]gether from the [C]start
We [Dm]tried to talk it [F#]over but the [B]words got in the way
Were [F#m]lost in[F#]side this [B]lonely game we [F#]play

[Closing]
[Em]Thoughts of leaving disappear every [Em7]time I [A]see your [Em]smile
[Em]No matter how [D]hard I [B]try
To [Em]understand the reasons that we [Em7]carry on this [A]way
We’re [C]lost in a [B]masquerade [Em]

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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.
ArtistCarpenters
AlbumNow & Then
GenresPop
Year1975
KeyEm

How to play This Masquerade on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Carpenters - This Masquerade on guitar requires 11 chords and 20 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 Masquerade uses these transitions most often: B → Em (4), A → Em (3), and Em → Em7 (3). 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 - Em7 chord transition.

1. Em → Em7 chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar Em7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-0-0-0Guitar Em7 chord diagram

To move from Em to Em7;

  1. While playing Em, lift your ring finger from D string fret 2.
  2. Keep middle finger on A string fret 2.
Em to Em7

2. Em7 → A chord transition

Guitar Em7 chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-0-0-0-0Guitar Em7 chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

To move from Em7 to A;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on B string fret 2.
Em7 to A

3. A → Em chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from A to Em;

  1. While playing A, lift your index finger from D string fret 2.
  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 2 to D string fret 2.
A to Em

4. 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

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.
Em to D

5. D → B chord transition

To move from D to B;

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

6. B → Em chord transition

To move from B to Em;

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

7. Em → Fm chord transition

To move from Em to Fm;

  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 3.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

8. Fm → A chord transition

To move from Fm to A;

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

9. Em → C chord transition

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.

10. C → B chord transition

To move from C to B;

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

11. Em → Dm chord transition

To move from Em to Dm;

  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 B string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on E string fret 1.

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 → C chord transition

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.

14. C → Dm chord transition

To move 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.

15. Dm → F# chord transition

To move from Dm to F#;

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

16. F# → B chord transition

To move from F# to B;

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

17. B → F#m chord transition

To move from B to F#m;

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

18. F#m → F# chord transition

To move from F#m to F#;

  1. Keep index finger on E string fret 2.
  2. Keep ring finger on A string fret 4.
  3. Keep pinky on D string fret 4.
  4. Place middle finger on G string fret 3.

19. F# → Em chord transition

To move from F# to Em;

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

20. A → C chord transition

To move from A to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 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 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

This Masquerade chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in This Masquerade.

  • This Masquerade includes 37 chord transitions, 20 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • This Masquerade contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how This Masquerade connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (17%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    • Em → D: 17%
    After B, the most likely next chords across Chordier are E (21%), Em (16%), and A (16%).
    • B → Em: 16%
    • B → F#: 7%
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.