Mad World — Chords

Gary Jules

Key E minorTuning StandardCapo None

🎼 Main chord progression

Whole song

Em›G›D›A

A four-chord loop — Em–G–D–A — that never lets up, dark and hypnotic.

Chord names for the main progression — a starting point, verify by ear. No lyrics or full tab reproduced.

🎸 How to play each chord

Standard fingerings (low E → high e). Numbers = which finger; × = don’t play, ○ = open string.

❓ Mad World — FAQ

What key is Mad World in?

Mad World is in E minor.

What chords does Mad World use?

The main progression uses Em, G, D, A. Tuning: Standard. Capo: None.

How do I get the Mad World guitar tone?

GuitarToneAdapt re-dials the original Mad World tone for the exact guitar, amp and pickups you own — free, in the browser.

🎸 More chords + tones

Fast Car House of the Rising Sun Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Generate more chord progressions in any key → · Transpose these chords / capo finder → · Free online tuner → · Free metronome → · Browse all 1,100+ tones → · Open the free app →

Chords are factual progressions compiled for reference. Tone data © GuitarToneAdapt — adapt any song to your exact rig at guitartoneadapt.com.