I Bet on Losing Dogs

How to play I Bet on Losing Dogs by Mitski on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 3 you play F, F#, G#m, D#m, C#, B and more, the shapes the player above shows.

This song is worth learning because it has a tense, emotional pull that stays intimate even as it moves forward. At about 120 BPM, you get a steady, driving feel that lets the melody and chord motion do most of the work. When you settle into it, the song feels controlled and vulnerable at the same time.

You will use a mix of open shapes and barre shapes, so the left hand has to stay relaxed. The open chords are easier to grab, while G#, Bm, and F#m will ask for clean pressure and quick shifts. The change to watch first is the opening move from G# to A, then into Bm and F#m, because that starts the song with two harder shapes in a row.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly until each shape lands cleanly. Then practice the barre chords on their own, making sure every note rings, and add the open chords back in. Once the changes feel automatic, bring it up to tempo in small steps and keep your strumming even.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.