Skip to song content

Tom Petty - To Find A Friend Chords

ChordsC, G, Em, Am, D, F
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

CGCGCGC
IntheGmiddleofhisClife,heGlefthisCwife
AndEmranofftobeAmbad,Emboy,itwasAmsadD
ButheGboughtanewCcar,GfoundanewCbar
AndwentEmunderanotherAmname,EmcreatedawholenewAmgameD
AndtheFdaysCwentGbylikeCpaperGintheAmwind
FEverythingGchanged,CthenGchangedAmagain
It’sFhardtofindafriend,it’shardtofindaCfriendAmCF
MeanwhileCthen,hisGwife’s Cboyfriend
MovedEminandtookovertheAmhouse, EmeverybodywasquietasaAmmouseD
AnditGchangedtheirClives,GchangedtheirCplans
EmSlowlytheygrewAmapart,Emboy,itwouldabrokeyourAmheartD
AndtheFdaysCwentGbylikeCpaperGintheAmwind
FEverythingGchanged,CthenGchangedAmagain
It’sFhardtofindafriend,it’shardtofindaCfriendAmCF
GCGCEmAmEmAmD
AndtheFdaysCwentGbylikeCpaperGintheAmwind
FEverythingGchanged,CthenGchangedAmagain
It’sFhardtofindafriend,it’shardtofindaCfriendAm
AndtheFdaysCwentGbylikeCpaperGintheAmwind
FEverythingGchanged,CthenGchangedAmagain
It’sFhardtofindafriend,it’shardtofindaCfriendAmCFEmC
ArtistTom Petty
AlbumWildflowers
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock
Year1994
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play To Find A Friend on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Tom Petty - To Find A Friend on guitar requires 6 chords and 12 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.

To Find A Friend uses these transitions most often: C → G (25), G → C (20), and F → C (13). 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

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 25 times.

C to G

2. C → Em chord transition

Here's how 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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 5 times.

C to Em

3. Em → Am chord transition

To move from Em to Am:

  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 G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

This transition appears in the verse, played 10 times.

Em to Am

4. Am → D chord transition

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 5 times.

Am to D

5. D → G chord transition

Switching from D to G:

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

6. D → F chord transition

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 chorus, played 3 times.

7. F → C chord transition

Here's how to move from F to C:

  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. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 13 times.

8. 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 chorus, played 8 times.

9. Am → F chord transition

Switching from Am 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. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 9 times.

10. C → Am chord transition

Switching from C to Am:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

11. 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.

This transition appears in the chorus.

12. 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 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus.

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in To Find A Friend.

  • To Find A Friend includes 118 chord transitions, 12 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • To Find A Friend contains 7 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how To Find A Friend 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%