Michael Jackson - Thriller Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar E chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar Dm chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Am7 chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Gm chord diagram
[Opening]
[Am] [D] [E] [Am] [C] [C] [D] [Am]
[Am] [D] [Am] [D]
It’s close to [Am]midnight, and something evil’s, lurking in the [D]dark.
Under the [Am]moonlight, you see a sight, that almost stops your heart.
You try to [D]scream, but terror takes the sound, before [Am]you make it.
You start to [D]freeze, as horror looks you right between [Am]the eyes;
You’re [Em]paralyzed.
[verse 2]
‘Cause this is; [Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
And [D]no one’s gonna save you from [Dm]the beast about to strike.
You know it’s; [Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
You’re [D]fighting for your life, inside [F]a [D]killer, Thriller, [Am7]tonight.
[verse 3]
You hear the [Am]door slam, and realise there’s nowhere left to [D]run.
You feel the [Am]cold hand, and wonder if you’ll ever see the sun.
You close your [D]eyes, and hope that this is just [Am]imagination.
But all the [D]while, you hear the creature creeping up [Am]behind;
You’re out of [Em]time.
[verse 4]
‘Cause this is; [Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
There [D]ain’t no second chance to kill [Dm]the thing with forty eyes, girl.
[Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
You’re [D]fighting for your life, inside a [F]killer,[D]Thriller, [Am]tonight.
[verse 5]
[D]Night creatures call and the dead start to walk in [F]their [G]masquerade.
[Am]There’s no escaping the jaws of the alien, [Gm]this time;
[F]This is the end of your [E]life.
[verse 6]
[Am]They’re out to get you; there’s demons closing in on every [D]side.
They will [Am]possess you; unless you change the number on your dial.
Now is the [D]time, for you and I to cuddle close [Am]together.
All through the [D]night, I’ll save you from the terror on [Am]the screen;
I’ll make you [Em]see…
[verse 7]
That this is; [Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
‘Cause [D]I can thrill you more than [Dm]any ghost would dare try.
[Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
So [D]let me hold you tight, and share [F]a killer,
[D]Diller, [F]chiller, [Am]Thriller here [C]tonight.
[verse 8]
That this is; [Am]Thril[C]ler, Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
‘Cause [D]I can thrill you more than [Dm]any ghost would dare try.
[Am]Thril[C]ler, [C]Thril[D]ler [Am]Night;
So [D]let me hold you tight, and share a [F]killer, [D]thriller, [Am7]ow!
[verse 9]
[Am]I’m gonna thrill you tonight.
[Am]Darkness [F]falls across the land, [G]the midnight hour is [D]close at hand.
[Am]Creatures crawl in [F]search of blood, [G]to terrorise your [D]neighbourhood.
[Am]And whosoever shall be [F]found, without the [G]soul for getting [D]down,
Must [Am]stand and face the Hounds of Hell [F]and rot [G]inside a corpse’s [D]shell.
[Closing]
[Am] [F] [G] [D] [x3] [Am] [F]
The foulest [G]stench is in the air; the [D]funk of forty [Am]thousand years,
And grizzy [F]ghouls from every [G]tomb, are closing in to [D]seal your doom.
[Am]And though you fight [F]to stay alive; [G]your body starts to [D]shiver,
For [Am]no mere mortal [F]can resist, the [G]evil of The [D]Thriller
How to play Thriller on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Michael Jackson - Thriller on guitar requires 10 chords and 18 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.
Thriller uses these transitions most often: D → Am (29), Am → D (21), and Am → C (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 Am - D chord transition.
1. Am → D chord transition
To move from Am to D;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.
2. D → E chord transition
To move from D to E;
- Slide your index finger on G string from fret 2 to fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.
3. E → Am chord transition
To move from E to Am;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
4. Am → C chord transition
To move from Am to C;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
5. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
6. Am → Em chord transition
To move from Am to Em;
- While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
- Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
7. D → Dm chord transition
To move from D to Dm;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on B string fret 3.
8. Dm → Am chord transition
To move from Dm to Am;
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
9. D → F chord transition
To move from D to F;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
10. D → Am7 chord transition
To move from D to Am7;
- While playing D, lift your ring finger from B string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
11. Am7 → Am chord transition
To move from Am7 to Am;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on G string fret 2.
12. F → G chord transition
To move from F to G;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
13. G → Am chord transition
To move from G to Am;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
14. Am → Gm chord transition
To move from Am to Gm;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.
- Place pinky on E string fret 3.
15. Gm → F chord transition
To move from Gm to F;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Slide your pinky from E string fret 3 to D string fret 3.
16. F → E chord transition
To move from F to E;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.
17. F → Am chord transition
To move from F to Am;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
18. G → D chord transition
To move from G to D;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
Thriller chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Thriller.
- Thriller includes 134 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Thriller contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Thriller connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
- Am → F: 26%
- Am → C: 16%
After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → Am: 4%
- D → E: 3%