🎸 Learn to Play “Viva La Vida” – Chords, Strumming & Practice Guide
Want to confidently strum your way through Viva La Vida by Coldplay?
Struggling to keep the rhythm steady when the chords change mid-pattern?
Looking for a simple, step-by-step plan so you can actually play the song, not just stare at a chord sheet?
You’re in the right place!
This page doesn’t give you the lyrics or a chord sheet like you’d find elsewhere—but it does give you something better:
A clear breakdown of the chords, strumming, and practice approach so you can play the whole song smoothly.
✅ What You’ll Learn Here
- The four simple chords the entire song uses
- How to tackle the longer strumming pattern
- Where to switch chords mid-pattern for that rhythmic push
🎶 CHORDS USED IN “Viva La Vida”
This one’s a true four-chord wonder.
You’ll need these shapes:
- G
- Em
- C
- D
👉 If you’re new to these, check out my Free eBook to get smooth with your chord switches.
🪕 STRUMMING PATTERN
The strumming pattern here is twice as long as usual—so it takes two measures before it repeats.
D - D - D - D u - u - u D - D -
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 💡 Here’s the challenge: halfway through this pattern, you switch chords. That means you’ll feel a push right on the change. Don’t worry—I break it down slowly in the video so you can lock it in.
If that feels like too much, just start with all downstrokes (four per chord) to get the progression flowing.
C | D | G | Em |
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Because it’s the same four chords throughout, you’ll build confidence fast. The real work is keeping your strumming tight while switching mid-pattern.
📝 Practice Guide (No Lyrics Required)
Here’s how I recommend practicing:
- Single-Chord Strumming – Loop the pattern on G until it feels natural.
- Switch Practice – Try just G → Em, then C → D, practicing the switch on the first upstroke.
- Full Progression – Put it all together:
Step 1
G
D - D - D - D u - u - u D - D -
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 2
G Em
D - D - D - D u - u - u D - D -
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 3
C D
D - D - D - D u - u - u D - D -
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G Em
D - D - D - D u - u - u D - D -
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + - Add the Verse Trick – During the verses, relax your chord grip right after each stroke to mimic the choppy, percussive feel of the original.
📌 A Note on Lyrics
This lesson is all about playing by ear and memory. You won’t find lyrics or chord/lyric sheets here—but as you strum along with the video, you’ll naturally hear how everything fits together.
🚀 Next Steps
By following the video and using the practice guide above, you’ll soon be strumming through Viva La Vida with confidence.
Once you’ve got it, try exploring other four-chord classics—you’ll be amazed how many songs fall into this category!
⚠️ Disclaimer
This tutorial is for educational purposes and personal practice only. All rights to the original composition belong to their respective copyright holders. This page does not include or distribute lyrics or official sheet music.
