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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.

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, C, G, D, Bm, D7, F, Dm, F#m, A, C#m
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

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

EmIfyou’reCgoingtoGSan DFrancisco
EmBesuretoCwearsomeGflowersinyourDhair
EmIfyou’reGgoingtoCSan GFrancisco
You’regonnaBmmeetsomeEmgentlepeopleDthereD7
EmForthosewhoCcometoGSan DFrancisco
EmSummertimewillGbealoveinDthere
EmIntheGstreetsofCSan GFrancisco
GentleBmpeoplewithEmflowersintheirDhairD7
FAllacrosstheDmnation
FSuchastrange Dmvibration
GPeopleinmotion
FThere’sawhole Dmgeneration
FWithanew Dmexplanation
GPeopleinmotion,DpeopleinD7motion
EmForthosewhoCcometoGSan DFrancisco
EmBesuretoCwearsomeGflowersinyourDhair
EmIfyouGcometoCSan GFrancisco
BmSummertimewillEmbealoveinGthere
EmIfF#myouAcometoDSan AFrancisco
SummerC#mtimeF#mwillbealoveinAthereD
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.
ArtistScott McKenzie
AlbumThe Voice of Scott McKenzie
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock, Classic Rock
Year1967
KeyEm
DifficultyAdvanced

How to play San Francisco on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco 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.

San Francisco uses these transitions most often: C → G (9), G → D (7), and D → Em (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 Em - C chord transition.

1. Em → C chord transition

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

To move from Em to C:

  1. While playing Em, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 6 times.

Em to C

2. C → G chord transition

Ukulele C chord diagram Fingering: 0-0-0-3Ukulele C chord diagram
Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram

To move from C to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 9 times.

C to G

3. G → D chord transition

Ukulele G chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-3-2Ukulele G chord diagram
Ukulele D chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-2-0Ukulele D chord diagram

Switching from G to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 7 times.

G to D

4. D → Em chord transition

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

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 6 times.

D to Em

5. Em → G chord transition

Switching from Em to G:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

6. G → Bm chord transition

Switching from G to Bm:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

7. Bm → Em chord transition

Here's how to move 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, played 3 times.

8. D → D7 chord transition

To move from D to D7:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

9. D7 → Em chord transition

Switching from D7 to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

10. D7 → F chord transition

Here's how to move from D7 to F:

  1. While playing D7, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  3. Place middle finger on G string fret 2.

This transition appears in the section.

11. 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.

12. 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 2 times.

13. G → F chord transition

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.

14. Em → F#m chord transition

To move from Em to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the section.

15. F#m → A chord transition

To move from F#m to A:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

16. A → D chord transition

Switching from A to D:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 2 times.

17. A → C#m chord transition

To move from A to C#m:

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

This transition appears in the section.

18. C#m → F#m chord transition

To move from C#m to F#m:

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

This transition appears in the section.

San Francisco chord transition analysis

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

  • San Francisco includes 67 chord transitions, 18 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • San Francisco contains 6 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how San Francisco connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → D: 24%
    After Em, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (27%), G (18%), and D (18%).
    • Em → C: 27%
    • Em → G: 18%
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.