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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.

Michael Jackson - Thriller Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsAm, D, E, C, Em, Dm, F, Am7, G, Gm
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

AmDEAmCCDAm
AmDAmD
It’sclosetoAmmidnight,andsomethingevil’s,lurkingintheDdark.
UndertheAmmoonlight,youseeasight,thatalmoststopsyourheart.
YoutrytoDscream,butterrortakesthesound,beforeAmyoumakeit.
YoustarttoDfreeze,ashorrorlooksyourightbetweenAmtheeyes;
You’reEmparalyzed.
‘Causethisis;AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
AndDnoone’sgonnasaveyoufromDmthebeastabouttostrike.
Youknowit’s;AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
You’reDfightingforyourlife,insideFaDkiller,Thriller,Am7tonight.
YouheartheAmdoorslam,andrealisethere’snowherelefttoDrun.
YoufeeltheAmcoldhand,andwonderifyou’lleverseethesun.
YoucloseyourDeyes,andhopethatthisisjustAmimagination.
ButalltheDwhile,youhearthecreaturecreepingupAmbehind;
You’reoutofEmtime.
‘Causethisis;AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
ThereDain’tnosecondchancetokillDmthethingwithfortyeyes,girl.
AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
You’reDfightingforyourlife,insideaFkiller,Thriller,Amtonight.
DNightcreaturescallandthedeadstarttowalkinFtheirGmasquerade.
AmThere’snoescapingthejawsofthealien,Gmthistime;
FThisistheendofyourElife.
AmThey’reouttogetyou;there’sdemonsclosinginoneveryDside.
TheywillAmpossessyou;unlessyouchangethenumberonyourdial.
NowistheDtime,foryouandItocuddlecloseAmtogether.
AllthroughtheDnight,I’llsaveyoufromtheterroronAmthescreen;
I’llmakeyouEmsee…
Thatthisis;AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
‘CauseDIcanthrillyoumorethanDmanyghostwoulddaretry.
AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
SoDletmeholdyoutight,andshareFakiller,
DDiller,Fchiller,AmThrillerhereCtonight.
Thatthisis;AmThriller, DThrillerAmNight;
‘CauseDIcanthrillyoumorethanDmanyghostwoulddaretry.
AmThriller,CThrillerAmNight;
SoDletmeholdyoutight,andshareaFkiller,Dthriller,Am7ow!
AmI’mgonnathrillyoutonight.
AmDarknessFfallsacrosstheland,GthemidnighthourisDcloseathand.
AmCreaturescrawlinFsearchofblood,GtoterroriseyourDneighbourhood.
AmAndwhosoevershallbeFfound,withouttheGsoulforgettingDdown,
MustAmstandandfacetheHoundsofHellFandrotGinsideacorpse’sDshell.
AmFGDx3AmF
ThefoulestGstenchisintheair;theDfunkoffortyAmthousandyears,
AndgrizzyFghoulsfromeveryGtomb,areclosingintoDsealyourdoom.
AmAndthoughyoufightFtostayalive;GyourbodystartstoDshiver,
ForAmnomeremortalFcanresist,theGevilofTheDThriller
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.
ArtistMichael Jackson
AlbumThriller
GenresPop, R&B, Soul
Year1982
KeyAm
DifficultyAdvanced

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

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

Here's how to move from Am to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 21 times.

Am to D

2. D → E chord transition

Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

Switching from D to E:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

D to E

3. E → Am chord transition

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

To move from E to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

E to Am

4. Am → C chord transition

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

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 verse, played 10 times.

Am to C

5. C → D chord transition

Here's how to move from C to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E 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 9 times.

6. Am → Em chord transition

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 3 times.

7. D → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from D to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

8. Dm → Am chord transition

Here's how 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 verse, played 4 times.

9. D → F chord transition

Here's how to move from D to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

10. D → Am7 chord transition

Here's how to move from D to Am7:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

11. Am7 → Am chord transition

To move from Am7 to Am:

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Place ring finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse, played 2 times.

12. F → G chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

13. G → Am chord transition

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.

14. Am → Gm chord transition

Here's how to move from Am to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

15. Gm → F chord transition

Switching from Gm to F:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

16. F → E chord transition

To move from F to E:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

17. F → Am chord transition

Switching from F to Am:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

18. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D:

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

This transition appears in the verse, played 9 times.

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%
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.