Amazing Grace
Strumming: 3/4 time: fingerpicking or a slow strum
Focus: 3/4 fingerpicking + the bridge from strumming to fingerstyle
Transpose · Capo
The original key is inferred from the first chord in the chart. Transposing changes the chords you have to play; to keep easy shapes, switch to “Capo” instead.
💡 Too high to sing? Move down. Too low? Move up. Guys often go a few keys below the original, women a bit above — that's just a starting point. You've got it right when you can sing the highest line of the chorus comfortably.
Chords in this song
✦ = harder to play (mostly barre); try a capoChord progression
Play-along
Chords change automatically to the beat (following the current key G). Get it smooth slowly, then speed up.
One bar of count-in first, then the chord changes automatically each bar. Get it smooth slowly, then speed up bit by bit.
Practice ladder · from playing it to playing it well
Not sure how to practice? Follow these four steps — each has a clear goal and a concrete method.
- 1
Get the chords ringing
Goal: every chord clear, no buzzingGet this song's 3 chords ringing one by one and switchable (G · C · D). Press each alone first, then switch in pairs; for any that won't ring, scroll to “Don't know these chords?” below, or use the chord-change timer for a one-minute challenge.
- 2
Play it through in time
Goal: no stalls with the metronome, start to finishUsing the “3/4 time: fingerpicking or a slow strum” strum, open the metronome and connect the whole song from a slow tempo, no pausing on the changes; while you're at it, spot which chord progression it follows.
- 3
Play it with feel
Goal: dynamics and a sense of breath3/4 fingerpicking + the bridge from strumming to fingerstyle。
- 4
Own it & make it yours
Goal: explain why it works and change up your own versionUnderstand why the harmony goes the way it does, then use the Transpose / Capo control above to change keys, and try reworking the rhythm, adding color chords or improvising — turn “I can play this one” into “I can play many.”
The progression behind this song
Recognize this go-to progression and you can play loads of songs by analogy:
Music theory deep dive
Key: G majorUnderstanding why a song's harmony moves the way it does matters more than memorizing the chords.
Structure
Chord function
Function: Tonic= the stable home · Subdominant= sets up the departure · Dominant= tension that wants to come home. Harmony is the story of leaving → tension → coming home.
Highlights
- CadenceI–IV–V: the purest functional harmonyIIVVI
The whole tune uses only three chords — G–C–D — a complete demonstration of the three big functions: tonic, subdominant, dominant. The final phrase D→G (V→I) is a textbook “authentic cadence” — the leading tone inside D aches to resolve back to G, and that's the sound of a satisfying close.
Tip: Listen to the moment the last phrase lands and feel the dominant's “pull to resolve” toward the tonic — this is the basis of nearly all tonal music.
- Time signature / rhythm3/4 time: the stepping stone from strumming to fingerpicking
3/4 time (three beats per bar, “oom-pah-pah”) gives it a gentle, cradle-like sway. First get the chord changes comfortable with a simple three-beat strum, then upgrade to triplet broken arpeggios, and your fingers can play out that swaying calm — this is the classic “strum-and-sing → fingerstyle” practice piece for folk guitar.
Don't know these chords? Learn them in the courses
Both words and melody are in the public domain. In 3/4 time and very melodic, it's a classic for the move from strumming to fingerstyle (pairs well with Stage 9). Only a simplified chord progression is given here.