Free Fallin
View chords used in this chart
5 Guitar Amps for Beginners That Are Actually Great
Afinação: E A D G B ECapotraste: 3rd traste
Original song by Tom Petty - This tab is for John Mayer's live cover at the Nokia Theatre - Los Angeles
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Ov0cDPZy8)
Tab based on the video tutorial by Let's Play Guitar! - John Mayer - Free Fallin' | Guitar Lesson (Tutorial)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loXqc3Yv-ok)
The video shows the timing clearly and explains the strums in between the fingerpicking in more detail
Bear in mind that there are three guitars playing in the song originally so this won't include every note
but is a good overall guide for playing the song on one guitar
This tab includes the entire song (with intro and outro) as well as full corresponding lyrics
The extra slaps and strums in between fingerpicking are optional so this tab is definitely versatile for
different abilities and a great way to ease into fingerpicking as a beginner as a lot of the progressions
are the same/similar
Chorus Chords and Strumming Pattern (as an alternative):
D Chord G Chord GDA Chords A Chord
(DUDU) (D, DD) (DDD) (DUD)
e|--2--2--2--|--3--3--3--|--3--2-----|-----------|
B|--3--3--3--|--3--3--3--|--3--3--2--|--2--2--2--|
G|--2--2--2--|-----------|-----2--2--|--2--2--2--|
D|-----------|-----------|--------2--|--2--2--2--|
A|-----------|--2--2--2--|--2--------|-----------|
E|-----------|--3--3--3--|--3--------|-----------|
| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| S Slap
| D Down Strum
| U Up Strum
[Capo 3]
[Intro]
e|------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
B|--3-------------3--3--2--------2h3--|--------3p0--0----0--3--2--------2h3--|
G|--2--2----------2--2--2-----2-------|-----2-------0----0--2--2-----2-------|
D|--0---------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
A|----------------------0--0----------|--0---------------------0--0----------|
E|--------0--3----3--2----------------|-------------3----3--2----------------|
e|--------------------------------------|---------------------------|
B|--------3p0--0----0--3--2--------2h3--|--------3p0--0----0--3--2--|
G|-----2-------0----0--2--2-----2-------|-----2-------0----0--2--2--|
D|--------------------------------------|---------------------------|
A|------------------------0--0----------|------------------------0--|
E|--2----------3----3--2----------------|--2----------3----3--2-----|
[Verse 1]
(DU) (DU) (DU) (DU)
e|---------------------------------|------------------------------|
B|--------3--3----3--3--2----------|---------3--3----3--3--2------|
G|--------2--2----2--2--2----------|---------2--2----2--2--2------|
D|---------------------------------|------------------------------|
A|----------------------0----------|-----------------------0------|
E|--------2--3----3--2-------------|---------2--3----3--2---------|
She's a good girl, loves her mamma | Loves Jesus and America too
(DU) (DU) (DU) (DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|---------3--3----3--3--2----------|---------3--3----3--3--2-------------------------|
G|---------2--2----2--2--2----------|---------2--2----2--2--2-------------------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------0----------|-----------------------0-------------------------|
E|---------2--3----3--2-------------|---------2--3----3--2----------------------------|
She's a good girl, crazy bout Elvis | Loves horses and her boyfriend too, yeah, yeah
[Verse 2]
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
B|------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-------------3--3-------3--3--2---------------|
G|------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-------------2--2-------2--2--2---------------|
D|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------0--------|------------------------------0---------------|
E|------2--3-------3--2-----------|-------------2--3-------3--2------------------|
It's a long day livin' in Reseda | There's a freeway running through the yard
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
B|-----3--3-------3--3--2------------------|--------3--3-------3--3--2-------------|
G|-----2--2-------2--2--2------------------|--------2--2-------2--2--2-------------|
D|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
A|----------------------0------------------|-------------------------0-------------|
E|-----2--3-------3--2---------------------|--------2--3-------3--2----------------|
I'm a bad boy 'cause I don't even miss her | I'm a bad boy for breaking her heart
[Chorus]
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2h3p2-----2h3--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2------2-------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------------------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------------------|
And I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2h3p2-----2h3--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2------2-------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------------------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------------------|
And I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
[Verse 3]
(DU) (DU) (DU) (DU)
e|------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3----3--3--2-------------------|------------3--3----3--3--2-------------|
G|--------2--2----2--2--2-------------------|------------2--2----2--2--2-------------|
D|------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------0-------------------|--------------------------0-------------|
E|--------2--3----3--2----------------------|------------2--3----3--2----------------|
All the vampires walkin' through the valley | They move west down Ventura Boulevard
(DU) (DU) (DU) (DU)
e|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------3--3----3--3--2---------------------|----------3--3----3--3--2------------------------|
G|-----------2--2----2--2--2---------------------|----------2--2----2--2--2------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0---------------------|------------------------0------------------------|
E|-----------2--3----3--2------------------------|----------2--3----3--2---------------------------|
And all the bad boys are standing in the shadows | And the good girls are home with broken hearts
[Chorus]
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2h3p2-----2h3--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2------2-------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------------------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------------------|
And I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2h3p2-----2h3--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2------2-------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------------------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------------------|
Now I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
[Bridge]
(PM)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------0--0--0--0---------------------------|
E|--2--2--2--2--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2---------------------------------------|
Free fallin', now I'm | Free fallin', now I'm
(PM)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------0--0--0--0---------------------------|
E|--2--2--2--2--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2---------------------------------------|
Free fallin', now I'm | Free fallin', now I'm
(PM)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------0--0--0--0---------------------------|
E|--2--2--2--2--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2---------------------------------------|
Free fallin', now I'm | Free fallin', now I'm
(PM) (D) (A Chord)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------3--3--3--3---------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------3--3--3--3---------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------3--3--3--3---------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--2--2--2--2--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2---------------------------------------|
Free fallin', now I'm | Free fallin'
[Verse 4]
(DU) (DU) (DU) (DU)
e|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3----3--3--2----------|-----------3--3----3--3--2---------------|
G|--------2--2----2--2--2----------|-----------2--2----2--2--2---------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------0----------|-------------------------0---------------|
E|--------2--3----3--2-------------|-----------2--3----3--2------------------|
I wanna glide down over Mulholland | I wanna write her, her name in the sky
(DU) (DU) (DU) (DU)
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------3--3----3--3--2---------|----------3--3----3--3--2--------------------------|
G|---------2--2----2--2--2---------|----------2--2----2--2--2--------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------0---------|------------------------0--------------------------|
E|---------2--3----3--2------------|----------2--3----3--2-----------------------------|
I wanna free fall out into nothin' | Oh, I'm gonna leave this, this world for a while
[Chorus]
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2h3p2-----2h3--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2------2-------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------------------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------------------|
Now I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2h3p2-----2h3--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2------2-------------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------------------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------------------|
Now I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
[Outro]
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2--------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------|
And I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B|--------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2--------|
G|--------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2--------|
D|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--------|----------------------------0--------|
E|--------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2-----------|
Now I'm free | Free fallin', fallin'
(S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU) (S/DU)
e|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
B|----------3--3-------3--3--2--------|-----------3--3-------3--3--2-------|
G|----------2--2-------2--2--2--------|-----------2--2-------2--2--2-------|
D|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------0--------|----------------------------0-------|
E|----------2--3-------3--2-----------|-----------2--3-------3--2----------|
Free fallin', fallin' | Free fallin', fallin'
(D)(A Chord)
e|---------------------------------|
B|-------3--3--------3--3--3-------|
G|-------2--2--------3--3--3-------|
D|-------------------3--3--3-------|
A|---------------------------------|
E|-------2--3----------------------|
Free fallin', fallin', yeah, yeah
| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| S Slap
| D Down Strum
| U Up Strum
How to play Free Fallin
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is E. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.