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Mike Nesmith - Rio Ukulele Chords

ChordsD, Bb, Am7, B7, Em7, A7, G, Gm, F#m, A
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓-↓↑-↓↑↓↑

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

DI’mhearingthelightfromtheBbwindow
I’mDseeingthesoundoftheAm7sea
MyDfeethavecomeloosefromtheirB7moorings
I’mEm7feelingquitewonderfullyA7free
AndIGthinkIwilltraveltoGmRio
DUsingtheF#mmusicforB7flight
There’sEm7nothingIknowofinGmRio
Butit’sAsomethingtoF#mdowiththeDnight
It’sGonlyawhimsicalGmnotion
ToDflydowntoF#mRio B7tonight
AndIEm7probablywon’tflydowntoGmRio
AButthen F#magainIjustDmight
There’sDwingstothethoughtbehindBbfancy
There’sDwingstothethoughtbehindAm7play
AndDdancingtorhythmsofB7laughter
MakesEm7laughtertherhythmofA7rain
AndIGthinkIwilltraveltoGmRio
DUsingtheF#mmusicforB7flight
There’sEm7nothingIknowofinGmRio
Butit’sAsomethingtoF#mdowiththeDnight
It’sGonlyawhimsicalGmnotion
ToDflydowntoF#mRio B7tonight
AndIEm7probablywon’tflydowntoGmRio
AButthen F#magainIjustDmight
IDfeelsuchasenseofwellBbbeing
TheDproblemshavecometobeAm7solved
DAndwhatIthoughtwasproperforB7battle
IEm7seenowisproperforA7love
AndIGthinkIwilltraveltoGmRio
DUsingtheF#mmusicforB7flight
There’sEm7nothingIknowofinGmRio
Butit’sAsomethingtoF#mdowiththeDnight
It’sGonlyawhimsicalGmnotion
ToDflydowntoF#mRio B7tonight
AndIEm7probablywon’tflydowntoGmRio
AButthen F#magainIjustDmight
AlbumFrom a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing
GenresRock
Year1977
KeyD
DifficultyAdvanced

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

Mike Nesmith - Rio on ukulele requires 10 chords and 14 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.

Rio uses these transitions most often: B7 → Em7 (9), A → F#m (6), and D → F#m (6). 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 D - Bb chord transition.

1. D → Bb chord transition

To move from D to Bb:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

D to Bb

2. D → Am7 chord transition

Switching from D to Am7:

  1. While playing D, first lift your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger.

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

D to Am7

3. D → B7 chord transition

Here's how to move from D to B7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

D to B7

4. B7 → Em7 chord transition

Switching from B7 to Em7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 9 times.

B7 to Em7

5. Em7 → A7 chord transition

Here's how to move from Em7 to A7:

  1. While playing Em7, lift your middle finger from A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your index finger on C string from fret 2 to fret 1.

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

6. A7 → G chord transition

Switching from A7 to G:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

7. G → Gm chord transition

Switching from G to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

8. Gm → D chord transition

Switching from Gm to D:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

9. D → F#m chord transition

Switching from D to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

10. F#m → B7 chord transition

To move from F#m to B7:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

11. Em7 → Gm chord transition

Here's how to move from Em7 to Gm:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

12. Gm → A chord transition

Switching from Gm to A:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

13. A → F#m chord transition

Switching from A to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

14. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G:

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

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

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

  • Rio includes 81 chord transitions, 14 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Rio contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Rio connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (28%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 28%
    • D → F#m: 2%
    After Gm, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (15%), F (12%), and Dm (10%).
    • Gm → D: 7%
    • Gm → A: 4%