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Radiohead - Present Tense Ukulele Chords

ChordsEm, Am, B, G#m, G, C, F, Dm, Bm, D, A
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

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

EmAmBG#mGCFDmG
EmAmBG#mGCFDmG
EmAmEmAm
EmThisAmdance,EmthisAmdance
C(Thisdance)islikeaBmweapon,CislikeaBmweapon
EmOfselfAmdefense,EmofselfAmdefense
CAgainsttheBmpresent,CagainsttheBmpresent
CPresentDtense
EmIwon’tgetAmheavy,Emdon’tgetAmheavy
CKeepitBmlightCand,keepitAmoving
CIamBmdoing,CnoDharm
EmAsmyAmworld,EmcomesAmcrashingdown
CI’mBmdancing,CfreakingAout
CDeaf,Ddumb,andEmblind
EmDGCAEmDG
InyouI’mlost,inyouI’mClostA
EmIwon’tturnAmaround,whenthepennydrops
BIwon’tstopG#mnow,Iwon’tslackoff
GOrallthisClove,willbeinvain
FDmGDm
EmStopfromAmfalling,downamine
BIt’snoone’sG#mbusiness,butmine
GThatallthisClove,couldbeinvain
FDmGEmDG
InyouI’mlost,inyouI’mClostA
EmDG
InyouI’mlost,inyouI’mClostA
EmAmEmAmEmAmEmAmEm
ArtistRadiohead
AlbumA Moon Shaped Pool
Year2016
KeyEm
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play Present Tense on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Radiohead - Present Tense on ukulele requires 11 chords and 18 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.

Present Tense uses these transitions most often: Em → Am (18), Am → Em (10), and G → C (8). 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 Em - Am chord transition.

1. Em → Am chord transition

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 18 times.

Em to Am

2. Am → B chord transition

Switching from Am to B:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

Am to B

3. B → G#m chord transition

Switching from B to G#m:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

B to G#m

4. G#m → G chord transition

To move from G#m to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

G#m to G

5. 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 8 times.

6. C → F chord transition

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 4 times.

7. F → Dm chord transition

Here's how to move from F to Dm:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

8. Dm → G chord transition

To move 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.

9. G → Em chord transition

Switching from G to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

10. Am → C chord transition

Here's how 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 section, played 4 times.

11. C → Bm chord transition

To move from C to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 7 times.

12. Bm → Em chord transition

Switching from Bm to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section.

13. C → D chord transition

Here's how 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 3 times.

14. D → Em chord transition

Switching from D to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

15. C → A chord transition

Here's how 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 6 times.

16. 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 4 times.

17. A → Em chord transition

Switching from A to Em:

  1. Lift your index finger from C 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 chorus, played 4 times.

18. Dm → Em chord transition

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

This transition appears in the section.

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

  • Present Tense includes 109 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • Present Tense contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how Present Tense 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 → D: 18%
    • Em → Am: 12%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → F: 16%
    • C → D: 11%