Wonderwall chords

How to play Wonderwall

Wonderwall uses Em7–G–Dsus4–A7sus4 for its main verse loop and Cadd9–Em7–G–Em7 for the chorus. With standard tuning and a capo at fret 2, the E minor shapes sound in F# minor. The symbols on this page describe the shapes your fingers play, relative to the capo.

Start with the right practice expectations

The three section loops above are chord-change exercises. Each box lasts a whole four-beat bar so you have time to prepare the next grip. The recording often puts two chord changes inside a bar, and its phrase endings need separate attention. Use these loops to learn the harmony, then follow the lesson linked below for the shorter changes, bass movement and stops.

The pre-chorus exercise gives only its opening Cadd9–Dsus4–Em7 phrase. It does not include the complete later descent or the held A7sus4 before the chorus. Likewise, the chorus exercise gives its recurring loop rather than prescribing a final ending. Treat each exercise as a separate place to practise; playing all three once does not produce a complete performance.

Choose an Em7 grip before anchoring fingers

Our basic Em7 diagram is 0-2-0-0-0-0. It contains the required E, G, B and D notes, but leaves the top strings open. The familiar anchored alternative is 0-2-2-0-3-3. In that grip, the ring finger holds the second string at fret 3 and the little finger holds the first string at fret 3. Those fret numbers start from the capo.

If you choose the anchored grip, you can retain those two high notes while changing the lower part of the chord. The ordinary G diagram here is 3-2-0-0-0-3; its anchored alternative is 3-2-0-0-3-3. Both are G major. Keep the grip choice consistent, rather than expecting the basic diagrams to preserve fingers they do not use.

Check Dsus4 and A7sus4 one string at a time

Dsus4 is x-x-0-2-3-3. Start the stroke on the fourth string. A7sus4 is x-0-2-2-3-3; start on the fifth. The latter contains A, D, E and G, with no third. You can fret the two adjacent second-fret notes with separate fingers or a small barre if it stays comfortable. Listen for the second string’s D, which makes this a suspended chord.

An alternative A7sus4 grip, x-0-2-0-3-0, also contains those four pitch classes, but removes the anchored high-string sound. It can be useful for checking the harmony slowly. It is not the same physical fingering as the anchored version, so release and rebuild the fingers that actually change.

Learn the chorus as its own loop

Start on Cadd9, move to Em7, then G, then Em7 again. Practise the final Em7 back to Cadd9 as well as the changes inside the line. The Cadd9 bass begins on the fifth string; Em7 begins on the sixth. Aim the pick at the current bass string and keep the upper strings light enough that the bass movement remains audible.

Avoid forcing the recorded strum into a single eighth-note island pattern. First let every practice box ring, then reduce the spaces between changes using JustinGuitar’s Wonderwall lesson, especially the pre-chorus and chorus chapters. Compare your timing with the chosen performance before adding singing.