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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.

Don McLean - Vincent Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, Am, C, D, G7, Em7, Em, A, Cm, F7, E7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

StarrystarryGnightpaintyourpaletteAmblueandgrey
LookoutonaCsummer’sdaywithDeyesthatknowthedarknessinmyGsoul
ShadowsontheGhillssketchthetreesandtheAmdaffodils
CatchthebreezeandtheCwinterchills
InDcolorsonthesnowylinenGlandCG
NowI AmunderstandAmwhatyoutriedtoGsaytoG7meEm7
HowyousufferedforyouAmsanityAmandhowyoutriedtosetthemEmfree
TheywouldnotlistentheydidAnotknowhowAm
AmPerhapsthey’lllistenGnow
StarrystarryGnightflamingflowersthatAmbrightlyblaze
SwirlingcloudsinCviolethaze DreflectinVincent’seyesofchinaGblue
ColorschangingGhuemorningfieldsofAmambergrain
WeatheredfacesClinedinpain
AreDsoothedbeneaththeartist’slovingGhandCG
NowI AmunderstandAmwhatyoutriedtoGsaytoG7meEm7
HowyousufferedforyouAmsanityAmandhowyoutriedtosetthemEmfree
TheywouldnotlistentheydidAnotknowhowAm
AmPerhapsthey’lllistenGnow
FortheycouldnotAmloveyouAmbutstillyourlovewasGtrueG7Em7
AndwhennoAmhopewasleftinsightonthatCmstarrystarrynight
YouGtookyourlifeasF7loversoftenE7do
ButIAmcouldhavetoldyouVincent
ThisCworldwasnevermeantforoneasDbeautifulasyouGCG
StarrystarryGnightportraitshunginAmemptyhalls
FramelessheadsonCnamelesswalls
WithDeyesthatwatchtheworldandcan’t Gforget
Likethestrangerthatyou’veGmettheraggedmaninAmraggedclothes
ThesilverthornofCbloodyroseliesDcrushedandbrokenonthevirginGsnow
NowIthinkIAmknowAmwhatyoutriedtoGsaytoG7meEm7
AndhowyousufferedforyouAmsanityAmhowyoutriedtosetthemEmfree
Theywouldnotlistenthey’renotAlisteningstillAm
AmPerhapstheyneverGwillCG
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.
ArtistDon McLean
AlbumAmerican Pie
GenresPop
Year1971
KeyG
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Don McLean - Vincent on guitar requires 11 chords and 16 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.

Vincent uses these transitions most often: G → Am (10), Am → C (7), and Am → G (7). 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 G - Am chord transition.

1. 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

Switching 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, played 10 times.

G to Am

2. 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

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.

This transition appears in the verse, played 7 times.

Am to C

3. C → D chord transition

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

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 7 times.

C to D

4. D → G chord transition

Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

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 7 times.

D to G

5. G → C chord transition

To move from G to C:

  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 A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.

6. G → G7 chord transition

Switching from G to G7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

7. G7 → Em7 chord transition

Switching from G7 to Em7:

  1. While playing G7, first lift your index finger and ring finger.
  2. Lift your middle finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

8. Em7 → Am chord transition

Here's how to move from Em7 to Am:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

9. Am → Em chord transition

Switching 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 chorus, played 3 times.

10. Em → A chord transition

Here's how to move from Em to A:

  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 B string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

11. A → Am chord transition

Switching from A to Am:

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 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 2 and place it on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

12. Am → Cm chord transition

Here's how to move from Am to Cm:

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

This transition appears in the verse.

13. Cm → G chord transition

To move from Cm to G:

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

14. G → F7 chord transition

To move from G to F7:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 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 E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse.

15. F7 → E7 chord transition

To move from F7 to E7:

  1. While playing F7, lift your ring finger from A 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.

This transition appears in the verse.

16. E7 → Am chord transition

Switching from E7 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. Place ring finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the verse.

Vincent chord transition analysis

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

  • Vincent includes 72 chord transitions, 16 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Vincent contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Vincent 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 → G: 21%
    • Am → C: 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.