Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Bob Dylan - Knockin On Heavens Door - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords G, D, Am, C Difficulty already in its easiest key
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Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G D Am G D C G D Am Mama take this badge off of me G D C I can't use it any-more G D Am It's getting dark, too dark to see G D C I feel I'm knockin on heaven's door G D Am Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D C Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D Am Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D C Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D Am Mama put my guns in the ground G D C I can't shoot them any-more G D Am That long black cloud is comin' down G D C I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door G D Am Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D C Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D Am Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D C Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door G D Am G
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Bob Dylan - Knockin On Heavens Door Tabs
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Harmony analysis
Bob Dylan – Knockin On Heavens Door: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G and ends on G. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the G major side because it both starts and finishes on G and G is heard 20 times while Em never appears. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from E minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 20× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | 10× |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| III | B | Chromatic colour chordoutside the key | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 9× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 19× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | — |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | — |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 20× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | 10× |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 9× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 19× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 4 different chords appear 58 times in total; 4 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×9
The move to watch is C → G, heard 9 times. From the G side it reads IV → I (plagal cadence: the soft 'amen' ending); from the Em side it is VI → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Am, land on A, C, E — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
Starting on G, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. G, D, Am, C carry the song: I–V–ii–IV relative to G, III–VII–iv–VI relative to Em. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on C → G (IV → I in G, VI → III in Em): plagal cadence — the soft 'amen' ending. The final chord is G; the ear comes to rest in G.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Bob Dylan - Knockin On Heavens Door Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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