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Carpenters - This Masquerade Chords

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.

EmArewereallyhappyhereinthisEm7lonelyAgameweEmplay
EmLookingforDrightwordstoBsay
EmSearchingbutnotfindingunderFmstandinganyEmwhere
We’reClostinaBmasquerade
DmBothafraidtoGsaywe’rejusttoCfaraway
FromDmbeingclose GtogetherfromtheCstart
WeDmtriedtotalkitF#overbuttheBwordsgotintheway
WereF#mlost F#insidethisBlonelygameweF#play
EmThoughtsofleavingdisappeareveryEm7timeIAseeyourEmsmile
EmNomatterhowDhardIBtry
ToEmunderstandthereasonsthatweEm7carryonthisAway
We’reClostinaBmasqueradeEm
AlbumNow & Then
GenresPop
Year1975
KeyEm
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

Em to Em7

2. Em7 → A chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

Em7 to A

3. A → Em chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

A to Em

4. 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

Em to D

5. D → B chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

6. B → Em chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

7. Em → Fm chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

8. Fm → A chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

9. Em → C chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

10. C → B chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

11. Em → Dm chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

12. Dm → G chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

14. 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 verse, played 2 times.

15. Dm → F# chord transition

Switching 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

17. B → F#m chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

18. F#m → F# chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

19. F# → Em chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

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 transition appears in the verse.

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 (18%).
    • Em → C: 26%
    • Em → D: 18%
    After B, the most likely next chords across Chordier are E (21%), Em (16%), and A (16%).
    • B → Em: 16%
    • B → F#: 7%