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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?We analyzed 14,015 chord transitions and ranked the 100 most repeated ones. Even the first 10 will transform your practice routine. The top transition appears in 23% of all songs.

Shawn Mendes - If I Can’t Have You Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsF, Em, Dm, Am
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FI’minTorontoandIEmgotthisAmview
ButIDmmightaswellbeinaEmhotelroom,yeah
FItdoesn’tmatter’causeI’mEmsoAmconsumed
SpendingDmallmynightsreadingEmtextsfromyou
FOh,I’mgoodatEmkeepingmyAmdistance
IDmknowthatyou’retheEmfeelingI’mmissing
YouFknowthatIEmhatetoadmitAmit
ButFeverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FI’msosorrythatmyEmtiming’sAmoff
ButIDmcan’tmoveonifwe’restillEmgonnatalk
FIsitwrongformetoEmnotwantAmhalf?
IwantDmallofyou,alltheEmstringsattached
FOh,I’mgoodatEmkeepingmyAmdistance
IDmknowthatyou’retheEmfeelingI’mmissing
YouFknowthatIEmhatetoadmitAmit
ButFeverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FI’mtryingtomoveEmon,forgetAmyou,butIholdon
DmEverythingmeansnothing,Emeverythingmeansnothing,babe
FI’mtryingtomoveEmon,forgetAmyou,butIholdon
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
FIcan’tEmwriteoneDmsongthat’sEmnotabout
FYoucan’tEmdrinkDmwithoutEmthinkingaboutFyou
IsEmittooDmlatetoEmtellyouthat
FEverythingmeansEmnothingifIDmcan’thaveyou
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on the ukulele.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master ukulele today with the 100 most repeated chord transitions from 14,015 analyzed.
ArtistShawn Mendes
AlbumShawn Mendes
GenresPop
Year2018
KeyF
DifficultyEasy

How to play If I Can't Have You on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Shawn Mendes - If I Can't Have You on ukulele requires 4 chords and 6 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.

If I Can't Have You uses these transitions most often: F → Em (41), Em → Dm (31), and Dm → Em (28). 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 F - Em chord transition.

1. F → Em chord transition

Ukulele F chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-1-0Ukulele F chord diagram
Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram

Here's how to move from F to Em:

  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. Place ring finger on C string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section, played 41 times.

F to Em

2. Em → Dm chord transition

Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram
Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram

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 31 times.

Em to Dm

3. Dm → F chord transition

Ukulele Dm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-1-0Ukulele Dm chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-1-0Ukulele F chord diagram

Switching from Dm to F:

  1. While playing Dm, lift your ring finger from C string fret 2.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 9 times.

Dm to F

4. Em → Am chord transition

Ukulele Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-4-3-2Ukulele Em chord diagram
Ukulele Am chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-0-0Ukulele Am chord diagram

Here's how to move from Em to Am:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 10 times.

Em to Am

5. Am → Dm chord transition

Switching from Am to Dm:

  1. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Place ring finger on C string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 7 times.

6. Am → F chord transition

Switching from Am to F:

  1. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  2. Place index finger on E string fret 1.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

If I Can't Have You chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in If I Can't Have You.

  • If I Can't Have You includes 157 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • If I Can't Have You contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how If I Can't Have You connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (18%).
    • Em → Am: 12%
    • Em → F: 8%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → Em: 3%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains extracted from real songs. See which songs use each chain, learn the finger transitions, and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.