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John Denver - This Old Guitar Chords

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

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

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

[Opening]
[C]This old [G]guitar taught me to [Am]sing a [Em]love song,
[F]it showed me how to [G]laugh and how to [C]cry. [Em] [Am] [C]
It in[F]troduced me to some [G]friends of mine,
and [C]brightened [Am]up my [C]days,
[F]it helped me make it [G]thru some lonely [C]nights. [Em] [Am] [C]
[F]What a friend to have on a [G]cold and lonely [C]night.

[interlude]
[Em] [Am] [C] [F] [G]

[verse 2]
[C]This old [G]guitar gave me my [Am]lovely [Em]lady,
[F]it opened up her [G]eyes and ears to [C]me. [Em] [Am] [C]
[F]It brought us close to[G]gether,
and I [C]guess it [Am]broke her [C]heart,
[F]it opened up the [G]space for us to [C]be. [G] [Am] [G]
[F]What a lovely place and a [G]lovely space to [C]be.

[interlude]
[Em] [Am] [C] [F] [G]

[verse 3]
[C]This old [G]guitar gave me my [Am]life, my [Em]living,
[F]and all the things you [G]know I love to [C]do. [Em] [Am] [C]
[F]To serenade the [G]stars that shine
from a [C]sunny [G]mountain-[C]side,
[F]and most of all to [G]sing my songs for [C]you. [Em] [Am] [C]
[F]I love to [G]sing my songs for [C]you. [Em]Yes I [Am]do, [C]you know
[F]and I love to [G]sing my songs for [C]you. [Em] [Am] [C] [F]mm [G]mm

[Closing]
[C]Mmm [Em] [Am] [C]hu h[F]u [G]you [C]you [Em]you. [Am] [C] [F] [G]

[outro]
[C] [Em] [Am] [C] [F] [G] [C]

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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.
ArtistJohn Denver
AlbumBack Home Again
GenresFolk, Pop
Year1974
KeyC

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

John Denver - This Old Guitar on guitar requires 5 chords and 8 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 Old Guitar uses these transitions most often: G → C (20), F → G (19), and C → F (15). 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

To move 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.
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

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.
G to Am

3. Am → Em chord transition

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

To move from Am to Em;

  1. While playing Am, 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 G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
Am to Em

4. Em → F chord transition

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

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.
Em to F

5. F → G chord transition

To move 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.

6. C → Em chord transition

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.

7. 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.

8. 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 Old Guitar chord transition analysis

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

  • This Old Guitar includes 111 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • This Old Guitar contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how This Old Guitar 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 → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%
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.