Is Free Chord Book really free?

Yes. Free Chord Book is 100% free with no sign-up required. Access 670,000+ guitar chords, tabs, and lyrics for every song you want to learn.

How do I transpose chords to a different key?

Open any song and use the transpose buttons to move every chord up or down by half-steps. Perfect for singers who need a different key or capo players.

Can I see chord diagrams while I play?

Yes. Tap any chord in a song to instantly see its interactive guitar chord diagram, including alternate fingerings and variations.

What's the difference between guitar chords and guitar tabs?

Chords show you which strings to strum together (great for rhythm playing and singing). Tabs (tablature) show you exact note-by-note fingerings, which is great for solos, riffs, and fingerpicking.

Does Free Chord Book work on mobile?

Yes. Free Chord Book is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Use auto-scroll to play hands-free. There is also a free iPhone app (The Chord Book) and Android app (Free Chords).

Is there an iPhone or Android app?

Yes. Download The Chord Book on the Apple App Store and Free Chords on Google Play. Same 670,000+ songs, transpose, tuner, and auto-scroll — 100% free.

Can I print guitar chords?

Yes. Open any song and tap the Print button next to Save. You'll get a branded chord sheet with the Chord Book logo, ready for practice.

Is there a built-in guitar tuner?

Yes. Free Chord Book includes a free online guitar tuner that uses your microphone and YIN pitch detection for accurate tuning in standard and alternate tunings.

How many songs are available?

Over 670,000 songs with chords, tabs, and lyrics — covering every genre, from rock and pop to country, indie, folk, and Hebrew songs.

Is Free Chord Book a good alternative to Ultimate Guitar?

Yes. Free Chord Book is a fast, ad-free, 100% free alternative to Ultimate Guitar with interactive chord diagrams, instant transpose, auto-scroll, and a built-in tuner — no account required.

SavedFavorites

Hard To Be

Chords

4.780 votes

Listen

YouTubeYouTube SpotifySpotify AppleApple Music

Font15

KeyOriginal

Chords

Scroll

Capo on fret 4 (as written in this song)

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Standard Tuning 
Capo 4
[Verse 1]
AmYou've heard the story you Emknow hoFw it goesC  
DmOnce upon a garden wAme were lovers with no cloFthesEm  
AmFresh from the soil we wEmere beautiful and tFrueC  
In coDmntrol of our emotions Amtill we ate the poison fFruitEm  
And now its
[Chorus]
FHard to beC  
DmHard to beAm  
FHard to beC  
A deDmcent Human being Am  
[Verse 2]
Wait just a minuteEm  
You expeFct me to believeC  
that all Dmthis misbehaving grAmew from one enchanted treeF  Em  
And helplAmess to fight it Emwe should all be satisfiedF  C  
With the magical Dmexplanation for why Amthe living dieF  Em  
And why it's
[Chorus]
FHard to beC  
DmHard to beAm  
FHard to beC  
A deDmcent Human being Am  
[Bridge]
DmChild birth is painGful toil to Cgrow our foodF  
DmIgnorance made us hungryG  
CInformation made us no goodF  
Every burdeDmn misunderstoodEm  
[Verse 3]
AmI swung my tassel Emto the left side of Fmy capC  
Knowing after graDmduation there wAmould be no going backF  Em  
and no cAmongratulations frEmom my faithful familyF  C  
some of whom arDme already fasting to intercedAme for meF  Em  
Because it's
[Chorus/outro]
FHard to beC  
DmHard to beAm  
HFard to beC  
DmA decent human beingAm  

🎸 Tips from players

Got a tip for playing this song — capo position, easier chords, strumming? Be the first to share one.

Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Hard To Be

by David Bazan

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 4 (as written in this song)

Standard Tuning

Capo 4

[Verse 1]

Am Em F C

You've heard the story you know how it goes

Dm Am F Em

Once upon a garden we were lovers with no clothes

Am Em F C

Fresh from the soil we were beautiful and true

Dm Am F Em

In control of our emotions till we ate the poison fruit

And now its

[Chorus]

F C

Hard to be

Dm Am

Hard to be

F C

Hard to be

Dm Am

A decent Human being

[Verse 2]

Wait just a minute

F C

You expect me to believe

Dm Am F Em

that all this misbehaving grew from one enchanted tree

Am Em F C

And helpless to fight it we should all be satisfied

Dm Am F Em

With the magical explanation for why the living die

And why it's

[Chorus]

F C

Hard to be

Dm Am

Hard to be

F C

Hard to be

Dm Am

A decent Human being

[Bridge]

Dm G C F

Child birth is painful toil to grow our food

Dm G

Ignorance made us hungry

C F

Information made us no good

Dm Em

Every burden misunderstood

[Verse 3]

Am Em F C

I swung my tassel to the left side of my cap

Dm Am F Em

Knowing after graduation there would be no going back

Am Em F C

and no congratulations from my faithful family

Dm Am F Em

some of whom are already fasting to intercede for me

Because it's

[Chorus/outro]

F C

Hard to be

Dm Am

Hard to be

F C

Hard to be

Dm Am

A decent human being

About Hard To Be Chords by David Bazan

Learn how to play Hard To Be by David Bazan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Hard To Be chords”, “Hard To Be guitar chords”, or “David Bazan Hard To Be chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Hard To Be chords and for experienced players who want accurate Hard To Be lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include Am, Em, F, C, Dm, A.

FAQ — Hard To Be by David Bazan

How do I play "Hard To Be" by David Bazan on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Hard To Be" by David Bazan on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Hard To Be" by David Bazan free?

Yes. The chords for "Hard To Be" by David Bazan are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Hard To Be" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Hard To Be" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Hard To Be"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Hard To Be" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Hard To Be" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Hard To Be" by David Bazan with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by David Bazan below.

What key is "Hard To Be" in?

The chords for "Hard To Be" show the original chord names (including Am, Em, F, C, Dm, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.