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James Arthur - Fade Chords

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

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

  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

[Opening]
[C] [Em] [Am] [F]
[C]One day, one [Em]day, [Am]one day, it all will [F]fade
[C]One day, one [Em]day, [Am]one day, it all will [F]fade

[verse 2]
[C]Empty moments, sleepless nights, [Em]think about you every night
[Am]Wondering in what went [F]wrong, [C]what we had once seemed so right
[Em]Just as quick you’re out of sight, [Am]you talk to me with words like moving [F]on

[chorus]
[Am]Did it seem so simple to [G]you? [Am]Was I just another thing for you to [G]do?
[Am]Did you ever mean the things you [G]said? [Am]Was I just another notch on your [G]bed?

[chorus]
I thought you [C]needed me too, I thought your [Em]feelings were true
I thought [Am]your head was in my [G]space, but now you’ve [C]proven me wrong
But I will [Em]rise and be strong, and one day [Am]soon this pain will [G]fade

[verse 3]
[C]One day, one [Em]day, [Am]one day, it all will [F]fade
[C]I just wanted things to be so good, [Em]simple lives just simple love
[Am]Something hard to find these [F]days, [C]but you thought life owes you more than this
[Em]With your magazines and shopping trips, [Am]one day your beauty will [F]fade

[chorus]
[Am]Did it seem so simple to [G]you? [Am]Was I just another thing for you to [G]do?
[Am]Did you ever mean the things you [G]said? [Am]Was I just another notch on your [G]bed?

[chorus]
I thought you [C]needed me too, I thought your [Em]feelings were true
I thought [Am]your head was in my [G]space, but now you’ve [C]proven me wrong
But I will [Em]rise and be strong, and one day [Am]soon this pain will [G]fade

[Closing]
[C]One day, one [Em]day, [Am]one day, it all will [F]fade

SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistJames Arthur
AlbumSingle
GenresPop
Year2019
KeyC
DifficultyIntermediate

How to play Fade on Guitar (Step-by-step)

James Arthur - Fade on guitar requires 5 chords and 6 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.

Fade uses these transitions most often: C → Em (13), Em → Am (13), and Am → G (12). 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 - Em chord transition.

1. C → Em chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from C to Em;

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

2. Em → Am chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from Em to Am;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to Am

3. Am → F chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from Am to F;

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

4. F → C chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from F to C;

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

5. Am → G chord transition

To move from Am to G;

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

6. G → C chord transition

To move from G to C;

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

Fade chord transition analysis

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

  • Fade includes 67 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Fade contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Fade connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After Am, the most likely next chords across Chordier are F (26%), G (21%), and C (16%).
    • Am → F: 26%
    • Am → G: 21%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → Em: 8%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.