Present Tense
View chords used in this chart
Drop D tuning: DADGBe
The verse is variations of this (shown here is the first time through):
--5------------5-------------5----------3-2-0---0----
----3-3-3-3-3----3---3-------------------------------
----------------------------------------------2---2-2
0-------------------------------<5>------------------
-------------3-----3---3-3-2--------2-0--------------
-----------------------------------------------------
Chorus:
D G F G D G F G D G F G D G
------------------------------------------- ---
------------------------------------------- ---
------------------------------------------- etc. ---
0--0----X-5-5^3-3-X-5-5^0-0-0-X-5-5-5^3-3-3 X-5
0--0----X-5-5^3-3-X-5-5^0-0-0-X-5-5-5^3-3-3 X-5
12-12\0-X-5-5^3-3-X-5-5^0-0-0-X-5-5-5^3-3-3 X-5
The first time through, Mike lets it end at the G, the second time (not
shown) a D.
Then the bridge goes like this, (with variations on the picking
pattern):
Bb A G
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
------10-----10-----10-----10-------9-----9-----9-----9--------
8-8-8----8-8----8-8----8-8----7-7-7---7-7---7-7---7-7---5-5-5--
---------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
7-----7-----7-----7-------7-----7-----7-----7--
--5-5---5-5---5-5---5-5-5---5-5---5-5---5-5----
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
Then:
Bb A G
---------------------------------------------------------------------
11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8
10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7
8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- --
8-8-8-8-8------- 10
7-7-7-7-7------- etc. 8-
5-5-5-5-5------- then this 7-
---------------- several times: --
---------------- --
Ending
-10-------10-------10-------10-------10---------------------------------------
----13-------13-------13-------13-------13------------------------------------
-------12-------12-------12-------12-------12---------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-/14-------14-------14-------14-------14--------------------------------------
-----15-------15-------15-------15-------15-----------------------------------
--------14-------14-------14-------14-------14-----12-11--9-------------------
----------------------------------------------------0--0--0-------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------- Acordes -----------------
A = X 0 2 2 2 0
Bb = X 1 3 3 3 1
D = X X 0 2 3 2
F = 1 3 3 2 1 1
G = 3 2 0 0 0 3
How to play Present Tense
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 D. 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.