Shawn Mendes - Understand Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to A,D keys to play this song with easier chords.
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram
[Opening]
[G] [D]Am I asking all these questions for nothing [F] [C]
[G] [D]I’m wondering if anyone’s there [F] [C]
[G] [D]And I really need to make a confession [F] [C]
[G] [D]I hate to say that I’m a little bit scared [F] [C]
[chorus]
[G]That I’ve been on this [D]train too long People getting [F]off and on [C]
[G]Praying that [D]I don’t forget where I belong [F] [C]
[G]And every time [D]I ask myself Am I turning [F]into someone else? [C]
[G]I’m praying that [D]I don’t forget just who I am [F] [C]
[verse 2]
I really wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
I just wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
[verse 3]
[G] [D]I’m calling all my friends after midnight, yeah [F] [C]
[G] [D]To remind ’em that I’ll always be there for them [F] [C]
[G] [D]It gets lonely when there’s no one to talk to [F] [C]
[G] [D]But it’s good to know that somebody cares [F] [C]
[chorus]
[G]That I’ve been on this [D]train too long People getting [F]off and on [C]
[G]Praying that [D]I don’t forget where I belong [F] [C]
[G]And every time [D]I ask myself Am I turning [F]into someone else? [C]
[G]I’m praying that [D]I don’t forget just who I am [F] [C]
[verse 4]
I really wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
I just wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]oh yeah
[verse 5]
[G]Cause we all [D]get lost [F]sometimes, yeah [C]
[G]Yeah we [D]all get lost [F]sometimes [C]
[G]But don’t [D]leave your heart [F]behind [C]
[G]Cause we all [D]get lost [F]sometimes [C]
[chorus]
I really wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
I just wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
No I just need to, I [G]need to understand [D] [F] [C]
I really wanna [G]understand, oh who I am [D] [F] [C]
[verse 6]
[G] [D]Throughout[F][C]
[verse 7]
When you wake up, your whole world’s flipped
It’s just different and you gotta, you know
You gotta, you gotta go with it, that’s just simply growing up
And not see it in a negative way, if they see it as it’s been given to you
I mean, as much as times can be crazy
You’re gonna feel like that’s where you’re supposed to be
You’re not gonna feel out of place anymore
You’re gonna feel like that’s where you were meant to be
You don’t have to pretend that it’s easy all the time
You just let it go and, and grow with it
And you can’t hold on, to the old you
Or the old this, or the old that
Because you know you change
And it’s not changing in a bad way
It’s just changing
Because that’s what happens in life
You grow up, everyone moves on
You’re just learning, you stay true to yourself
Changing isn’t a bad thing, it never was
But at the end of the day, you know
You’re the same person, and
And where your heart is, that doesn’t change
[Closing]
[G]And every time [D]I ask myself Am I turning [F]into someone else? [C]
[G]And I just pray [D]to God that I’m still who I am [F] [C]
[chorus]
I really wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
I just wanna [G]understand [D] [F] [C]
No I just need to, I [G]need to understand [D] [F] [C]
I really wanna [G]understand, oh who I am [D] [F] [C]
How to play Understand on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Shawn Mendes - Understand on guitar requires 4 chords and 4 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.
Understand uses these transitions most often: D → F (35), F → C (35), and G → D (35). 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 G - D chord transition.
1. G → D chord transition
To move from G to D;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
2. D → F chord transition
To move from D to F;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
3. F → C chord transition
To move from F to C;
- While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
4. C → G chord transition
To move from C to G;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
Understand chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Understand.
- Understand includes 139 chord transitions, 4 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.04% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Understand contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Understand connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
- G → D: 24%
After D, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (29%), A (17%), and Em (17%).- D → F: 2%