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Editorβs notes
Welcome to my guitar lesson for an acoustic version of βCity of Stars,β specifically the duet version that is the 9th track of the La La Land soundtrack. This lesson will show you a relatively βstrum-alongβ version of the song, which uses some strumming and some fingerpicking. Some important notes:
- Capo on the 3rd fret. Iβm doing this so you donβt need to use crazy barre chords, which are much harder to play. If you donβt have a capo, you can use the notes/tabs/chords Iβm showing you, but you wonβt be able to play along with my video (or the soundtrack) and be in the same key.
- This isnβt meant to be a super-precise recreation of the piano version, note-for-note. Thereβs a lot of subtlety and complexity to the piano soundtrack version, and this arrangement most certainly does not intend to capture all the intricacies. My lesson will, however, get to the spirit of things.
Full play-along cover
Chords needed
Hereβs all the chords youβll need for this song. For the β7thβ chords (Bm7, F#7, A7, etc) you can, if you prefer, play the normal version of those chords. Iβll include both normal and β7thβ versions here just so you have them.
E βββ0βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ3βββ
B βββ0βββ2βββ2βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ2ββββ2βββ3βββ2βββ1βββ0βββ
G βββ0βββ2βββ0βββ4βββ2βββ4βββ3ββββ3βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ0βββ
D βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ4βββ4βββ4βββ4ββββ2βββ0βββ0βββ0βββ0βββ
A βββ2βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ2βββ0βββ4ββββ4βββββββββββββββ2βββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββββ2βββββββββββββββ3βββ
Em A A7 Bm Bm7 Bm/A F# F#7 D Dmaj7 D7 G
Chord progressions
Now that you have the chords, hereβs how youβll distribute them across the verse and chorus. Pay attention to the patterns in the progression below! For instance:
- In the verse and chorus, you always start each 4-measure sequence with the same chord (Em in the verse; G in the chorus).
- In the verse and chorus, you always end the final sequence with a Bm => Bm/A walkdown.
- In the verse and chorus, the first 3 sequences (out of 4) transition to the same 2nd chord of A7 (in the verse and chorus).
- In the verse and chorus, the final sequence (out of 4) always transitions to a F#7 (in both verse and chorus).
Hereβs what they look like:
Verse
Em . . . A7 . . . Bm7 . . . Bm7 . . .
Em . . . A7 . . . D . . . D . . .
Em . . . A7 . . . D . Dmaj7 . D7 . . .
Em . . . F#7 . . . Bm . . . Bm/A . . .
Chorus
G . . . A7 . . . F#7 . . . Bm7 . . .
G . . . A7 . . . Bm7 . . . Bm7 . . .
G . . . A7 . . . F#7 . . . Bm7 . . .
G . . . F#7 . . . Bm . . . Bm/A . . .
Fingerpicking riffs
Note, I only like to fingerpick the intro and the first couple lines of each verse. I strum the rest of the song. If you want to fingerpick the entire song, feel free β apply a similar pattern to what Iβm showing below for all chords. These riffs below are ones that match the piano (on the soundtrack), so Iβm calling out the tabs specifically.
Intro riff
I prefer to play the intro like this. Put your left hand in an E-minor position and repeat this as desired (use your pinky for that 3rd fret note on the B string):
E βββββββββ0ββββ0ββββββββ
B βββββββ0ββββββββ3ββ0βββ
G βββββ0βββββββββββββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββββββββββ ...repeat as desired
A βββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ
Em
To play the riff an octave lower, you can do this. I donβt care for this, typically (feels too cramped) β but if it works for you, run with it.
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββββββββ2ββββ2ββ0ββββββ ...repeat as desired
A ββββββββ2ββββββββββββ2βββ
E βββ0ββ3ββββββββββββββββββ
Em
Bm7 riff
I fingerpick the first line of each verse with this riff. The trick here is to lift up your middle finger (on the B string) so that the barred 2nd fret sounds on the second half of each Bm7.
"City of stars, are you shining just..."
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββ0βββββββββββββ|βββββββββ2βββββββββββββ
G βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ0βββ|βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ0βββ
D βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ|βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
Em A7
"...for me?"
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββ3ββββ3ββ2βββββ|βββββββββ3ββββ3ββ2βββββ
G βββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββ|βββββββ2βββββββββββ2βββ
D βββββ4βββββββββββββββββ|βββββ4βββββββββββββββββ
A βββ2βββββββββββββββββββ|βββ2βββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
Bm7 Bm7
D riff
I fingerpick the second line of each verse with this riff. Itβs similar to the Bm7, but you resolve to a D instead of a Bm7. Same deal with using your index finger to barre the 2nd fret, and applying your middle finger to the 3rd fret of the B string. Check out my video lesson to see this in action.
"City of stars, there's so much that I..."
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββ0βββββββββββββ|βββββββββ2βββββββββββββ
G βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ0βββ|βββββββ0βββββββ0βββ0βββ
D βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ|βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
Em A7
"...can't see."
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββ2ββ3ββββ3ββ2ββββ|βββββββ2ββ3ββββ3ββ2ββββ
G βββββ2ββββββββββββββ2ββ|βββββ2ββββββββββββββ2ββ
D βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0βββββββββββββββββββ
A βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββ
D D
Lyrics with chords
INTRO
Em
VERSE 1
Em A7 Bm7
City of stars.... are you shining just for me?
Em A7 D
City of stars... there's so much that I can't see
Em A7 D Dmaj7 D7
Who knows? ...I felt it from the first embrace I shared with you
Em F#7 Bm Bm/A
That now our dreams... they've finally come true
VERSE 2
Em A7 Bm7
City of stars... just one thing everybody wants
Em A7 D (Dmaj7)
There in the bars... and through the smokescreen of the crowded restaurants
Em A7 D Dmaj7 D7
It's love..... yes, all we're looking for is love from someone else
Em F#7
A rush, a glance, a touch, a dance
CHORUS
G A F#7
A look in somebody's eyes, to light up the skies
Bm7
To open the world and send it reeling
G A Bm7
A voice that says, I'll be here, and you'll be alright
G A F#7
I don't care if I know, just where I will go
Bm7
'Cause all that I need is this crazy feeling
G F#7 Bm Bm/A
A rat-tat-tat on my heart... I think I want it to stay
FINAL VERSE
Em A7 Bm7
City of stars... are you shining just for me?
Em F#7 Bm
City of stars... you never shined so brightly
Good luck!
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