Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf runs at 144 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of E major. It is built on 5 chords — E, G, A, D, E7. Released in 1968.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
Listen for the 7th in these chords — it's the note doing most of the harmonic pull, and it's the first thing that disappears if you fret only the plain triad underneath it.
Practice at the right tempo
This song sits at 144 BPM. Start at 60% until the changes are clean — speed is a by-product of accuracy, not a goal.
Learn the theory
Play it on a live fretboard
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 Born To Be Wild in?
Born To Be Wild is in E major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What tempo is Born To Be Wild?
Born To Be Wild runs at 144 BPM (or 72 half-time).
What chords does Born To Be Wild use?
Born To Be Wild is built on 5 chords: E, G, A, D, E7.
What tuning is Born To Be Wild in?
This recording sits about 23 cents flat of concert pitch (A=434.2Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.