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Leo - Despair Ukulele Chords

ChordsC, Em, Dm, G, A, F, Am, G#, D, Fm
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

CEmDmG
I’veClostmycool,I’mnotsurehowtoAact.
NotFevensurehowIcankeepmyGprideintact.
WellAmIdon’tknowifG#thisisitbutCcan’tyouDsee?
NoI’mFnotfallingforyou,sopleasehavemercyGonme.
‘Causeit’snot Cromantic,IAswear,I’mFnotgaspingforGair.
CIwantyoutobeAhere,butFpleasedon’tGcomenear.
‘CauseAmeventhoughI’mCprettysuremyhead’s Dexploding.
FI’mnotreadyGforhandholding,CIt’snotlove,IAswear.
ItFmightbeGclosertodespair…
CEmDmG
No,ICdon’twantyoutoteachmehowtoAdance.
GetyourFheartawayfromme,you’llputmeGintoatrance.
AndAmeventhoughIG#thinkaboutyouCdayandDnight.
I’mnotFsureifthiswholelovethingsoundsquiteGright.
‘Causeit’snot Cromantic,IAswear,I’mFnotgaspingforGair.
CIwantyoutobeAhere,butFpleasedon’tGcomenear.
‘CauseAmeventhoughI’mCprettysuremyhead’s Dexploding.
FI’mnotreadyGforhandholding,CIt’snotlove,IAswear.
ItFmightbeGclosertodespair…
CEmDmG
‘CauseAmeventhoughI’mCprettysuremyhead’s Dexploding.
FI’mnotreadyGforhandholding,CIt’snotlove,IAswear.
ItFmightbeFmcloserGto Cdespair…
EmDmG
ArtistLeo
AlbumDespair
GenresPop
Year2019
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Despair on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Leo - Despair on ukulele requires 10 chords and 15 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.

Despair uses these transitions most often: F → G (13), G → C (12), and A → F (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

Switching from C to Em:

  1. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 4.
  2. Place index finger on A string fret 2.
  3. Place middle finger on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

C to Em

2. Em → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from Em to Dm:

  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. Slide your ring finger on C string from fret 4 to fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

Em to Dm

3. Dm → G chord transition

Switching from Dm to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

Dm to G

4. G → C chord transition

To move from G to C:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 12 times.

G to C

5. C → A chord transition

To move from C to A:

  1. While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
  2. Place index finger on C string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 9 times.

6. A → F chord transition

To move from A to F:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 9 times.

7. F → G chord transition

To move from F to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 13 times.

8. G → Am chord transition

Switching from G to Am:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

9. Am → G# chord transition

Here's how to move from Am to G#:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

10. G# → C chord transition

Switching from G# to C:

  1. While playing G#, first lift your index finger, middle finger, and pinky.
  2. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

11. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

12. D → F chord transition

To move from D to F:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 5 times.

13. Am → C chord transition

To move from Am to C:

  1. While playing Am, lift your middle finger from G string fret 2.
  2. Place ring finger on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

14. F → Fm chord transition

Here's how to move from F to Fm:

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

This transition appears in the section.

15. Fm → G chord transition

To move from Fm to G:

  1. While playing Fm, lift your pinky from A string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on C string fret 2.
  3. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 1 to A string fret 2.
  4. Place ring finger on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section.

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

  • Despair includes 79 chord transitions, 15 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Despair contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Despair connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → D: 11%
    • C → Em: 8%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%