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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.

Jimmy Nail - Big River Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, F, Am, Em, Dm, G, G7
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

CWalkingonFcobblestone,ClittlebitsofFskinandbone
AmJumpingonaEmtramcarforaDmrideG
CIcanFrememberwhen,CIwasjustaFboyoften,
AmHanging EmaroundtheoldquayDmsideG
FNowallthe CcapstansandtheAmcargoboatsandFstevedoresaregone
AmtowheretheColdshipsgo,butDmmemories
justG7liketheseasliveCon
CThatwaswhencoalFwasking,CtheriverwasaFlivingthing
AmandIwasjustaEmboybutitwasDmmine,G7thecoalyCTyneF
GForthiswasaCbigFriver
IwantAmyoualltoEmknowthatIwasDmproud
GthiswasaCbigFriverbutAmthatwaslong Emago,
that’snotDmnow,G7,that’snotCnow
CFGG
CMyfatherwasaFworkingman,CheearnedourlivingFwithhishands
AmhehadtocrosstheEmrivereveryDmdayG
ChepickeduptheFunioncard
CoutoftheFNeptuneyard
AmmouthstoEmfeedandbillstoDmpayG7F
thencameaCtimeforhimtoAmsailacrosstheseaandFfaraway
finallyCwhenthatwarwasDmwon
theybroughthimG7homeandhomeheCstayed
CandwhenhisFdaysweredoneCunderaFgoldensun
AmtheytookhimbacktoEmwherehelongedtoDmbe
G7backtotheseaCF
GForthiswasaCbigFriver
IAmwantyoualltoEmknowthatIwasDmproud
GthiswasaCbigFriverbutAmthatwaslong Emago,
that’snotDmnowG,that’snotCnow
CTheNeptunewastheFlasttogo,CIhearditonmyFradio
AmthentheyplayedtheEmlatestnumberDmoneG
CButwhatdotheyFdoallday?
CwhataretheyFsupposedtosay?
AmwhatdoesaEmfathertellhisDmson?G7F
ifyou Cbelievethatthere’saAmbondbetweenourfutureFandourpast,
trytoholdContowhatwehave
DmwebuildthemG7strongwebuildtoClast
‘causethisisaFmightytown
CbuiltuponFsolidground
AmandeverythingtheyEmtriedsohardtoDmkill
G7wewill Crebuild
GForthiswasaCbigFriver
IAmwantyoualltoEmknowI’msoveryDmproud
GthisisaCbigbigFriver
AmandinmyheartIEmknowitwillriseDmagainG
GtheriverwillriseCagain!!!
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.
ArtistJimmy Nail
AlbumBig River
GenresCountry, Soul
Year1995
KeyC
DifficultyEasy

How to play Big River on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Jimmy Nail - Big River on ukulele requires 7 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.

Big River uses these transitions most often: C → F (27), F → Am (16), and Am → Em (15). 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 - F chord transition.

1. C → F chord transition

Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele F chord diagram Fingering: 2-0-1-0Ukulele F chord diagram

Switching from C to F:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 27 times.

C to F

2. F → Am chord transition

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

To move from F to Am:

  1. While playing F, lift your index finger from E string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 16 times.

F to Am

3. Am → Em chord transition

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

Switching from Am to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 15 times.

Am to Em

4. 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

Switching 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 15 times.

Em to Dm

5. 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 9 times.

6. G → C chord transition

Here's how 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.

7. G → F chord transition

Here's how to move from G to F:

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

This transition appears in the section.

8. C → Am chord transition

To move from C to Am:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

9. C → Dm chord transition

To move from C to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

10. Dm → G7 chord transition

To move from Dm to G7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 9 times.

11. G7 → C chord transition

To move from G7 to C:

  1. While playing G7, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Slide your ring finger on A string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 7 times.

12. G7 → F chord transition

To move from G7 to F:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

Big River chord transition analysis

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

  • Big River includes 141 chord transitions, 12 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Big River contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Big River 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 → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn 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 extracted from real songs. See which songs use each chain, learn the finger transitions, and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.