Coldplay - Viva La Vida Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
How to play Viva La Vida on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Coldplay - Viva La Vida on guitar requires 5 chords and 7 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
Viva La Vida uses these transitions most often: Em → C (28), C → D (27), and D → G (23). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - D chord transition.
1. C → D chord transition
To move from C to D:
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.
This transition appears in the verse, played 27 times.
2. D → G chord transition
Switching from D to G:
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
This transition appears in the verse, played 23 times.
3. G → Em chord transition
To move from G to Em:
- While playing G, lift your index finger from A string fret 2.
- Lift your middle finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
This transition appears in the verse, played 23 times.
4. Em → C chord transition
Here's how to move from Em to C:
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on B string fret 1.
This transition appears in the verse, played 28 times.
5. D → Bm chord transition
To move from D to Bm:
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
- Place pinky on G string fret 4.
This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.
6. Bm → Em chord transition
Switching from Bm to Em:
- While playing Bm, first lift your index finger and pinky.
- Lift your middle finger from B string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger on D string from fret 4 to fret 2.
This transition appears in the verse, played 4 times.
7. Em → D chord transition
To move from Em to D:
- Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 3.
- Place index finger on G string fret 2.
This transition appears in the verse.
Viva La Vida chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Viva La Vida.
- Viva La Vida includes 114 chord transitions, 7 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Viva La Vida contains 4 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Viva La Vida connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After Em, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (26%), G (18%), and D (18%).
- Em → C: 26%
- Em → D: 18%
After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).- C → D: 11%
- C → Em: 8%