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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!
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
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