Video lesson
Sheet music for this song will be returning shortly!
- The sheet music for this song is temporarily unavailable while I move it over to Musicnotes.com, a sheet music service that is providing licensing for my "song" arrangements.
- Want me to priortize this song, so the sheet music is ready sooner? Click the button below and let me know – this helps me know which songs to work on next!
To learn more about my library of song sheets & instructional PDFs, click here.
Editor’s notes
In this lesson I’ll teach you how to play a solo acoustic version of “Maybe It’s Time,” as heard in the 2018 version of the film “A Star is Born”. This is a song that only needs 3-4 common chords, which can either be strummed or played via fingerpicking. There’s one tricky part of the song, which involves walking down from G to D/F# to E-minor – which I’ll show you how to tackle in two different ways. I hope you find this helpful, check out my lesson for “Shallow” also from this movie.
Play-along cover (full song)
Lyrics and Chords
INTRO
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––0–––––––0–––––––0––––––––– <= right middle * If fingerpicking, use the fingers
G ––––––––––––0–––––––0–––––––0––––– <= right index shown here. If playing with a pick,
D ––––––0–––––––0–––––––0–––––––0––– <= right thumb freely strum a G chord and try to
A –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– accent the open B-string to mimic
E ––3–––––––3–––––––3–––––––3––––––– <= right thumb the sound of these notes.
G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
VERSE
G
Maybe it's time to let the old ways die
C G
Maybe it's time to let the old ways die
C
It takes a lot to change a man
G D/F# Em
Hell, it takes a lot to try
D C G
Maybe it's time to let the old ways die
G
Nobody knows what waits for the dead
C G
Nobody knows what waits for the dead
C
Some folks just believe in the things they've
G D/F# Em
Heard and the things they've read
D C G
Nobody knows what waits for the dead
CHORUS
C G
I'm glad I can't go back to where I came from
C G
I'm glad those days are gone, gone for good
C
But if I could take spirits from my
G D/F# Em D C
Past and bring 'em here... you know I would... know I would
G
Nobody speaks to God these days
C G
Nobody speaks to God these days
C
I'd like to think he's lookin' down
G D/F# Em
Laughin' at our ways
D C G
Nobody speaks to God these days
C G
When I was a child, they tried to fool me
C G
Said the worldly man was lost and that a hell was real
C
But I've seen hell in Reno
G D/F# Em D C
And this world's----- one big old Catherine wheel, spinning steel
G
Maybe it's time to let the old ways die
C G
Maybe it's time to let the old ways die
C
It takes a lot to change a man
G D/F# Em
And a train to change your mind
D C G
Maybe it's time to let the old ways die
D C G (end on G)
Oh, maybe it's time to let the old ways die
Chords needed
You only need three chords for this song (G, C, and D). Here’s a few ways to play them:
E –––3––––0––––2–––– E –––3––––3––––2––––
B –––0––––1––––3–––– B –––3––––3––––3––––
G –––0––––0––––2–––– G –––0––––0––––2––––
D –––0––––2––––0–––– or D –––0––––2––––0––––
A –––2––––3––––––––– A –––2––––3–––––––––
E –––3–––––––––––––– E –––3––––––––––––––
G C D G C D
Walking down from G to Em
In both the verse and the chorus, there’s a distinctive walk-down that can be heard (from G to D/F# to E-minor). Here’s two different ways to play it. When I do a D/F#, I either focus on the bottom four strings (2002xx) – or I’ll just keep the G shape with my pinky, but add the F# bass note (2nd fret of the low E string). They both sound good, in my opinion.
E ––––––3––––––––––-––––––0–––– E ––––––3––––––––3–-––––––0––––
B ––––––0––––––––––-––––––0–––– B ––––––0––––––––0–-––––––0––––
G ––––––0––––––––2–-––––––0–––– G ––––––0––––––––0–-––––––0––––
D ––––––0––––––––0–-––––––2–––– or D ––––––0––––––––0–-––––––2––––
A ––––––2––––––––0–-––––––2–––– A ––––––2––––––––x–-––––––2––––
E –––3––3–––––2––2–––––0––0–––– E –––3––3–––––2––2–––––0––0––––
G D/F# Em G G/F# Em
Chord progression cheat sheet:
Here’s a bird’s eye view of the chord progressions used in this song (i.e., for the verse and chorus). They’re very similar, the only differences being which chords you start & end with - for the most part. Remember, four counts per measure.
Verse: "Maybe it's time to let the old ways die..."
| G | G | G | G |
| C | C | G | G |
| C | C | G D/F# | Em |
| D | C | G | G |
Chorus: "I'm glad I can't go back to where I came from..."
| C | C | G | G |
| C | C | G | G |
| C | C | G D/F# | Em |
| D | D | C | C |
Strumming pattern
The main idea with the strumming pattern, no matter which one you choose to employ, is to try to accent the 2 and the 4 counts. Even if you do simple down-strums on all 4 counts, try to give a little oomph to the 2 and the 4 (or alternatively, ease up on the 1 and the 3).
Simple strum: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D D
> >
Full strum #1: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D U D U
> >
Full strum #2: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U U D U
> >
Good luck!
I hope this helps, and as always let me know if you have any questions.
Get my lessons in your inbox!
Every couple weeks I send out an email newsletter with links to whatever new lessons I've made. Sign up here and stay in the loop!
Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!
If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).
You can also support me on Patreon. For only $3/month you'll get access to a print-friendly PDF of my notes for each new lesson (view free sample).
Thanks!
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent video lessons:
📝 My "song" PDFs are now individually purcasheable! I've arranged a licensing agreement with Musicnotes, a service that lets you buy sheet music. Patreon suppoters get 50% off each purchase. Get the latest info here » (last updated July 1, 2021)
October 14, 2021
How to Tune Half-Step Down (E-Flat Tuning)
A quick guide to tuning all your strings down 1/2 step (E-flat tuning), which is a very common alternate tuning used in many songs.
October 2, 2021
F Chord Cheat Sheet! 7 Easier Ways to Play It
A quick inventory of 8 different ways to play the dreaded F chord, 7 of which are easier than the dreaded six-string barred version.
September 28, 2021
Beginner Riffs with Major 7th Arpeggios
A quick exercise where I share over 10 riffs based on a single arpeggio shape, using major 7th chord tones. Backing track included!
September 19, 2021
Key of C Major Cheat Sheet!
A deep dive into everything you need to know when playing in the Key of C: notes, chords, fretboard map, tips & tricks, easier ways to play the F chord, and plenty more.
September 12, 2021
Major Scale Positions & CAGED Chord Shapes
A deep-dive into the common positions of the major scale, and how they each relate to the CAGED chord shapes... which makes it all easier to understand!
August 29, 2021
First Electric! 8 Things I Didn't Expect
I recently got my 1st electric guitar, and was surprised how many things immediately confused me. Here's a quick inventory, in case it helps anyone else starting out!
Browse my all lessons
By lesson type
By song decade
By musical genre
By guitar technique
By musical key
By popular artist
- Johnny Cash
- Tyler Childers
- Tom Petty
- Neil Young
- Nirvana
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Willie Nelson
- John Denver
- Guns N' Roses