Learn how to play "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay on the guitar

In this lesson, we'll learn how to play Viva La Vida on the guitar. Though it's a decade old, this Coldplay classic is a cool tune that's still popular and fun to play. The beauty of this song lies in its simplicity and the cool little quirks that make it exciting to learn.

The original recording of Viva La Vida has some unique elements, such as the synth parts and the strings. We won't replicate it exactly, but we'll learn how to mimic these elements on your guitar. We'll switch to strumming for the chorus because it needs a lift to make it stand out. If you stick to the little riff throughout, the song may sound flat and a bit monotonous.

Getting Started

The first step is simple: if you intend to play along with the original recording (which I strongly recommend), you'll want to put your capo on at the first fret. The chord progression for this song is fairly straightforward - we have C, D, G, and E minor for most of the song. One exception is the bridge–this section in the instrumental part goes C, E, E minor, D.

For the Beginners

If you're a beginner, don't worry! You can start by strumming once on each chord while playing along with the original recording. This will help you get a feel for the rhythm and ensure you're changing chords in time. And don't forget, even if the chords are simple, that doesn't mean you can't experiment with different ways to play them.

Singing and Playing

For those of you who want to sing along while playing, remember that the phrasing of this song is a little bit unusual. To help you out with this, check out my video on how to sing and play at the same time. Being able to strum and sing independently is a crucial skill for playing a song like this.

Experimenting with Rhythm and Chords

Once you've got the basic chords and rhythm down, feel free to experiment with different strumming patterns. You can change it depending on the part of the song–keep it simple during the verses and then strum more during the choruses. This will help give your rendition of the song some dynamism and prevent it from sounding monotonous.

Remember, part of the fun of playing music is experimenting and making the song your own. If you're an advanced player, try adding extensions to the chords or even playing around with the rhythm.

Wrapping Up

With these simple chords and the freedom to experiment with different rhythms, you have endless opportunities to make "Viva La Vida" your own. The song is in the key of G, so for more advanced players, you can add notes from the G Major scale to improvise and jam with your mates.

I hope you enjoy playing this tune. Don't forget to check out the video to see all these points in action. You'll be playing "Viva La Vida" like a pro in no time!

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