Premium
VIP
Beta Tester
Editor’s Notes
Here’s an acoustic guitar lesson for Someone in the Crowd from the 2016 film La La Land. Using a capo on the 3rd fret, you’re able to play this song using open chords — which makes for good fun. I’ll teach the chord shapes, progression, and strumming - and also show some tabs that capture the melodic vibe of things. I hope you enjoy!
Free Video Lesson
Looking for a Print-Friendly Guide?
This is one of my few lessons that doesn't have a printable song sheet / PDF available. If you'd like to request I make one, let me know by clicking the button below! If there's enough demand I'll bump it toward the top of the list.
Use a capo!
Unless you want to play it in E-flat, which I don’t, then add a capo on the 3rd fret. Then you use chords in the family of C (much easier) and be able to play along with the soundtrack, or my lesson.
Chords used
Here’s how to play’em!
E –––––––––––1–––3–––1––––3––––0––––0–––2–––0––––
B –––1–––1–––3–––5–––1––––0––––2––––1–––3–––0––––
G –––0–––2–––2–––4–––2––––0––––0––––2–––4–––1––––
D –––2–––3–––––––––––3––––0––––2––––2–––4–––2––––
A –––3–––3–––––––––––3––––2––––0––––0–––2–––2––––
E –––––––––––––––––––1––––3–––––––––––––––––0––––
C F/C Dm Em F G A7 Am Bm E
Chord progressions
Intro:
"You've got the invitation..."
C • • • • F/C • • C • • • • • • •
C • • • • F/C • • C • • • • • • •
Dm • • • • Em • • Dm • • • • • • •
C • • • • • • • • C • • • • • • •
Chorus:
"Someone in the crowd could be the one..."
F • • • G • • • C • • • A7 • • •
F • • • G • • • C • • • A7 • • •
F • • • G • • • C • • • A7 • • •
F • • • G • • • Am • • • Am • • •
Refrain:
"Do what you need to do..."
Am • • • Am • • • F • • • F • • •
G • • • G • • • C • • • E • • •
Am • • • Am • • • F • • • F • • •
G • • • G • • • G • • • G • • •
Instrumental break (shortened):
F • • • G • • • C • • • Am • • •
F • • • G • • • Am • • • Am • • •
F • • • G • • • C • • • Am • • •
Bm • • • E • • • A • • • A • • •
Tab for the instrumental break
First, I’ll play this more subdued version. That is, I only play 2-3 strings at a time and keep things kinda chill. This is a good way to start if you want to build things up.
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––(1)–––––––––0––1––––|–––(3)––––––––––––3––––
G ––––2––2––2––––2––2––––|––––4––4––4––––5––4––––
D ––––3––3––3––––3––3––––|––––5––5––5––––5––5––––
A –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
F G
E ––––0––0––0––––3––0––––|–––––––––––––––0–––––––
B ––––1––1––1––––1––1––––|––––1––1––1––––1––1––––
G ––––0––0––0––––0––0––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
D ––––2––––––––––––––––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
A ––––3––––––––––––––––––|––––0––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
C Am
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––(1)–––––––––0––1––––|–––(3)––––––––––––3––––
G ––––2––2––2––––2––2––––|––––4––4––4––––5––4––––
D ––––3––3––3––––3––3––––|––––5––5––5––––5––5––––
A –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
F G
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––1––1––1––––1––1––––|––––1––1––1––––1––1––––
G ––––2––2––2––––2––2––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
D ––––2––2––2––––2––2––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
A ––––0––––––––––––––––––|––––0––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
Am Am
Then, I’ll repeat what I did above but won’t hold back with the intensity (i.e., I’ll actually build it up to a peak). Note how for the F and G I’ll play the lower bass notes. This is harder to do and not required.
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––0––1––––|––––0––0––0––––1––3––––
G ––––2––2––2––––2––2––––|––––0––0––0––––0––0––––
D ––––3––3––3––––3––3––––|––––0––0––0––––0––0––––
A ––––3––3––3––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––1––1––1––––1––1––––|––––3––3––3––––3––3––––
F G
E ––––0––0––0––––3––0––––|–––––––––––––––0–––––––
B ––––1––1––1––––1––1––––|––––1––1––1––––1––1––––
G ––––0––0––0––––0––0––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
D ––––2––2––2––––2––2––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
A ––––3––––––––––––––––––|––––0––0––0–––––––0––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
C Am
E –––––––––––––––2–––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––3––3––3––––3––3––––|––––0––0––0––––0––0––––
G ––––4––4––4––––4––4––––|––––1––1––1––––1––1––––
D ––––4––4––4––––4––4––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
A ––––2––2––2–––––––2––––|––––2––2––2––––2––2––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––|–––(0)––––––––––––––––––
Bm E
E –––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––2––––––––––––––––––
G ––––2––––––––––––––––––
D ––––2–––––––––––––––––– ...let that chord ring!
A ––––0––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––
A
Lyrics w/ chords
Please note, this skimps over the longer instrumental part you hear in the soundtrack version. Below, I’m matching to what I play in my video lesson’s play-through. Apologies for it being somewhat limited, but I hope it gets you off the ground and running with things.
INTRO
C F/C C
...You got the invitation... you got the right address
C F/C C
...You need some medication... the answer's always yes
Dm Em Dm C
...A little chance encounter could be the one you've waited for
C
Just squeeze a bit more
C F/C C
...Tonight we're on a mission... tonight's the casting call
C F/C C
...If this is the real audition... oh, God, help us all
Dm Em Dm
...You make the right impression... then everybody knows your
C
Name... we're in the fast lane
CHORUS
F G C A7
Someone in the crowd could be the one you need to know
F G C A7
The one to finally lift you off the ground
F G C A7
Someone in the crowd could take you where you want to go
F G Am
If you're the someone ready to be found
REFRAIN
Am F
Do what you need to do, til' they discover you
G C E
And make them more than you, you're seeing now
Am F
So make the stars align, I think I'll stay behind
G
You've got to go and find... (that someone in the crowd)
(Instrumental break, not covered here)
CHORUS, slow
F G C A7
Is someone in the crowd the only thing you really see?
F G C A7
Watching while the world keeps spinning 'round
F G C A7
Somewhere there's a place where I find who I'm gonna be
F G Am
A somewhere that's just waiting to be found
INSTRUMENTAL BUILD UP (shortened)
F G C Am
F G Am Am
F G C Am
Bm E A
CHORUS, finale
F G C A7
Someone in the crowd will be the one you need to know
F G C A7
Someone who can lift you off the ground
F G C A7
Someone in the crowd will take you where you want to go
F G
Someone in the crowd will make you
F G Em A7
Someone in the crowd will take you, flying off the ground
F G C
If you're that someone ready... to... be... found
Thanks!
I hope this helped. If there’s anything specific I didn’t cover that you’d like to see, please let me know!
Browse Related Lessons
Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:
Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!
Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!
Looking for More Song Lessons?
Featured Courses
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!
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 Lessons
-
April 10, 2026
"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty
-
March 23, 2026
"I'm a Little Crazy" by Morgan Wallen
-
March 17, 2026
[Fixed] Minor Pentatonic Cheat Sheet - Download Link Fixed!
-
March 13, 2026
Guitar Tech Tip: Change the Key of Any YouTube Video
-
March 12, 2026
[Updated] Strum & Riff Guide for "About a Girl" by Nirvana
-
March 3, 2026
Strumming Issues? Try the "Pyramid" Rhythm Drill
-
Feb 13-20, 2026
Save Your "Favorite" Lessons, with Custom Collections!
-
February 4, 2026
Sing & Strum "Piano Man" by Billy Joel
-
Jan 26, 2026
Member Q&A: January 2026
