Stand By Me by David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin
Stand By Me by David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin in 4/4 and is in the key of G major. It is built on 4 chords — G, Em, C, D. Released in 1970.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
Only 4 chord shapes here — get each one clean on its own before worrying about switching between them at tempo.
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Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.
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Frequently asked questions
What key is Stand By Me in?
Stand By Me is in G major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What chords does Stand By Me use?
Stand By Me is built on 4 chords: G, Em, C, D.