Song chords
Build My Life chords
Pat Barrett
Starts as a two-chord vamp and only widens out when it needs to. The pre-chorus is the hinge — it introduces the minor chord that the chorus then resolves.
Before you start
The chords you need.
4 shapes covers the whole song. Tap any diagram’s play button to hear it, or open its page for every voicing on six instruments.
The chart
Section by section.
Key of G, no capo. The verse alternates G and C for its whole length; everything after that is the standard G–D–Em–C family. Hit play on any section to hear it walk through at 68 bpm.
Verse
8 barsA two-chord vamp — I and IV, nothing else.
Pre-Chorus
4 barsChorus
4 barsBridge
4 barsNeed it in a different key, or without the capo? Run it through the transposer — move every chord by the same interval and the song is unchanged.
Playing it
What actually trips people up.
Because the verse is only two chords, your right hand carries it. Work the strumming pattern before you worry about the changes.
The chart above is the commonly played arrangement — the version a competent player would hand you, not a bar-for-bar transcription of a specific master. Section labels are there to orient you; live and studio versions repeat, extend and drop sections freely, and none of that changes which chords you need.
About this page
Chord names and song structure are facts; for lyrics and official notation, support the artist. This page carries no lyrics on purpose — Build My Life was written and recorded by Pat Barrett, and the words belong to them. What you get here is the harmony: the key, the capo, the tempo, and which chord goes where.
Next
Songs that sit near this one.
FAQ
Questions people actually ask.
What key is Build My Life in?
Build My Life is in G Major, and it is played in that key with no capo — the chords you read here are the chords you hear.
Do I need a capo for Build My Life?
No. Build My Life is played open in G Major. A capo will only move it out of the recorded key, which matters if you are playing along with the record.
What chords are in Build My Life?
G, C, Em and D — 4 chords across 4 sections. Key of G, no capo. The verse alternates G and C for its whole length; everything after that is the standard G–D–Em–C family.
What is the easiest way to play Build My Life?
Beginner overall. Because the verse is only two chords, your right hand carries it. Work the strumming pattern before you worry about the changes.
How fast is Build My Life?
About 68 bpm. Every section on this page plays back at that tempo, so you can hear how long each chord is meant to be held before you try it yourself.
Can I play Build My Life in a different key?
Yes — the progression is the song, not the letters. Move every chord by the same number of semitones and it still works. The transposer will do the arithmetic, or you can move the capo and keep these shapes.