Skip to song content
Chordier homepage
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.

Lewis Capaldi - Tough Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, Em, F, Am, G, Dm
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 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
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar Dm chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-1Guitar Dm chord diagram

[Opening]
[C]Every little part of me is holding on to [Em]every little piece you
Is holding on to [F]every drop of blood you drew
Is holding onto [C]you, and [C]every waking hour I spend
Holding out for [Em]reasons not to go to bed
I’m holding out for [F]someone else to hold instead
If every hope of you is [C]dead

[verse 2]
‘Cause every [Am]night since you cut and run
I feel like the only one who’s [F]ever been the lonely one
Trying to mend a heart that keeps [C]breaking
With every step that you’re [G]taking

[chorus]
‘Cause [C]you’ve been running circles ’round
My [Em]mind, turning me inside out
And I [Am]fell for you but hit the ground
‘Cause the [F]only love I’ve [G]known has let me
[C]Down and I need lifting up
Now [Em]you ain’t here I’m sleeping rough
And I’m [Am]praying I can pray enough
So [F]waking up [G]without you ain’t so [C]tough

[verse 3]
[C]Find it hard to find my feet
When I keep on [Em]stumbling over you and me
But I keep on [F]trying ’cause I know I need
To outrun the [C]memories

[verse 4]
And every [Am]day I’m reminded of. The way I let it come undone
I [F]feel like the lonely one, the only one with time worth [C]wasting
Well, I still can’t stop [G]chasing

[chorus]
‘Cause [C]you’ve been running circles ’round
My [Em]mind, turning me inside out
And I [Am]fell for you but hit the ground
‘Cause the [F]only love I’ve [G]known has let me
[C]Down and I need lifting up
Now [Em]you ain’t here I’m sleeping rough
And I’m [Am]praying I can pray enough
So [F]waking up [G]without you ain’t so [C]tough, oh
Tough, [Em]oh, [Am]tough
[F]Waking up [G]without you

[Closing]
[Am]Say I, thought I was talking to you
[G]Say I
I guess I’m talking to [F]myself
Me and nobody [Dm]else [G]

[chorus]
‘Cause [C]you’ve been running circles ’round
My [Em]mind, turning me inside out
And I [Am]fell for you but hit the ground
‘Cause the [F]only love I’ve [G]known has let me
[C]Down and I need lifting up
Now [Em]you ain’t here I’m sleeping rough
And I’m [Am]praying I can pray enough
So [F]waking up [G]without you ain’t so [C]tough

Report Error
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.
ArtistLewis Capaldi
AlbumBreach
GenresAlternative, Indie
Year2018
KeyC

How to play Tough on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Lewis Capaldi - Tough on guitar requires 6 chords and 11 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.

Tough uses these transitions most often: C → Em (10), Am → F (9), and G → C (9). 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 - Em chord transition.

1. C → Em chord transition

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

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.
C to Em

2. 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

3. F → C chord transition

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

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.
F to C

4. C → Am chord transition

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

To move 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.
C to Am

5. Am → F chord transition

To move 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. G → Am chord transition

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.

10. F → Dm chord transition

To move from F to Dm;

  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 E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to B string fret 3.

11. Dm → G chord transition

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.

Tough chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Tough.

  • Tough includes 59 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Tough contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Tough 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 → Am: 10%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C: 40%
    • F → G: 21%
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.