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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.

Ed Sheeran - The City Ukulele Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on the ukulele and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsEm, D, C, G, D*
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to A key to play this song with easier chords.

EmDC
EmThiscityDneverCsleeps
EmIhearthepeoplewalkbywhenDit’slateC
EmSirensbleedthroughmywindowsill,IDcan’tCclosemyeyes
EmDon’tcontrolwhatI’mDintoC
EmThistowerisDaliveC
EmThelightsthatblindkeepmeDawakeC
EmWithmyhoodupandlaceDuntied,Csleepfillsmymind
EmDon’tcontrolwhatI’mDintoC
CLondon Dcallsmea Emstranger,a Gtraveller
CThisisDnowmyGhome,myhome
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
AndCwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheDcityneversleepsthenthatmakestwo
EmThepavementisDmyCfriend
EmItwilltakemewhereIneedtoDgoC
EmIfindittripsmeDup,andCputsmedown
EmThisisnotwhatI’mDusedCto
EmTheshopacrossDtheroadC
EmFulfillsmyneedsandgivesmeDcompany,CwhenIneedit
EmVoicesspeakthroughmyDwalls,Idon’tCthinkI’mgonnamakeit
EmPastDtomorrowC
CLondon Dcallsmea Emstranger,a Gtraveller
CThisisDnowmyGhome,myhome
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
AndCwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheDcityneversleepsthenthatmakestwo
CAndmylungsDhurt,Andmyearsbled,
EmWiththesoundofthecityGlife,echoedinmyhead
CDoIneedDthis,tokeepmealive
GThetrafficstopsandstartsbutIneedtomovealong
EmI’mfromacitywheretherainwon’tcease
DPollutionintheairmatchesCthatonthestreet
TheEmblacksmokegetsyouheadintoamuddle,like
DWalkingintoCelephantsyringesinthepuddle,like
EmIwasacountryboywhenImovedout
DGrewuptoofastforCmyfamilytofindout
EmNowItrytostopmymusicrunningintonosedives
DCan’tresorttoarrogancewithCwhitelies
EmThiscitywon’teraseme
ButDIcan’thelptoseehowthisCdarkcitychangedme
EmIt’sallthesamescene,musicismylife
DButItrytofightCwhateverIneedtohidefrom
EmNorth,South,East,West,
London’smyDhomenow,kneesweak,Cbutweneverslowdown
EmNowIstarttodomymusicproperly
AndDstayfromalltheCnegativeshitthatwillfollowme
CLondonDcallsmeaEmstranger,aGtraveller
CThisD*isnowmyGhome,myhome
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
AndCwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheDcityneversleepsthenthatmakestwo
EmOh,Doh,I’mburningConthebackstreets
EmOh,oh,DstuckCheresittinginthebackseat,
EmOh,oh,andI’mDblazingConthestreet
CAndwhatIdoisn’tuptoyou,
AndiftheD*cityneversleepsthenthatmakestwoEm
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.
ArtistEd Sheeran
Album+
GenresPop
Year2011
KeyEm
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play The City on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

Ed Sheeran - The City on ukulele requires 5 chords and 9 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.

The City uses these transitions most often: D → C (38), Em → D (37), and C → Em (30). 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 - D chord transition.

1. Em → D chord transition

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

To move from Em to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to C 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, played 37 times.

Em to D

2. D → C chord transition

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

Switching from D to C:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 38 times.

D to C

3. C → Em chord transition

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

Here's how to move from C to Em:

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

This transition appears in the section, played 30 times.

C to Em

4. Em → G chord transition

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

To move 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 chorus, played 4 times.

Em to G

5. G → C chord transition

Switching 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 chorus, played 4 times.

6. D → G chord transition

Here's how 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.

7. C → D* chord transition

To move from C to D*:

  1. While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 2 times.

8. D* → G chord transition

Switching from D* to G:

  1. Place index finger on C string 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.

9. D* → Em chord transition

To move from D* to Em:

  1. Place index finger on A string fret 2.
  2. Place middle finger on E string fret 3.
  3. Place ring finger on C string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section.

The City chord transition analysis

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

  • The City includes 140 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • The City contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how The City 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 → D: 11%
    • C → Em: 8%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (28%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 28%
    • D → Em: 17%
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.