Ain’t No Mountain High Enough | TAB
Let’s go through Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, section by section using TAB. Here’s the intro/verse which has so many possible ways to be played that I’ve TABBED out 4 ideas, here’s the first one.
Ain’t No Mountain’s chords lesson goes into more depth about the Roman Numerals for this verse. Here with TAB, I think it’s most important to see the static chord with a chromatic bass line.
We start with that Bm7 chord and then maintain the Bm triad as the bass falls. Play this on repeat before you try the next idea.
If the first idea was sweeping and blended in with the band, the 2nd idea with stabs is much more determined. Play this and you’ll stand out more in the band.
Here’s a third way to play Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’s verse. In this example we also get the last two bars taking us to the chorus
The 3rd idea had even more stabs. I’ve deliberately put in the TAB that you should vary the strings you play the chord stabs on, this breathes life into the part.
The fourth way to play the verse will be revealed as we look at the key change, let’s now instead go to the chorus, here’s idea 1.
The chords are played almost only on strings 2-4. This is very important in order to find a little pocket in the mix for the guitar.
In the last bar, I break this rule by including string 6. Try it with a band and see how this just about works, but only because the note is so short.
Here’s another way you could play the chorus, I’ve now included what happens before we go to the middle 8 as well.
Notice how in this part, we play only on strings 2-4 and in doing so can fit in lots of hammer-on’s. We can make the part more intricate because the frequency it takes up is so focused.
The final two bars move from Em – D/F# – G. This would be a good point to switch on a boost and remove everything but the root and 5th so what you actually play is E5 – F# – G5,
This all takes us to the middle 8 which, in my opinion, should be played like this:
I’m going for big, long rhythms and a power chord for the first A (chord V). There’s an A Major Pentatonic lick taking us to F#m where we establish a new syncopated rhythm,
The sliding F#–G is. a nice little detail breaking the rhythmic pattern. When the A chord comes back, it’s a similar, but more intense version of the first rhythm.
Finally, we go to Bb and in doing so set up the key change. Use the same rhythm for Bb as you played for A.
Here’s the new verse that has idea 4, maybe even 5 for how to play Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’s verse.
We start with very long rhythms to give space for everyone else in the band who at at this point are guaranteed to play too much.
When repeated we go for the stabs again, the last bar has a new chord lick I’m very pleased with.
Here’s the chorus in a new key.
This is possibly the best way to play Ain’t No Mountain’s chorus, feel free to blend this with the previous two ideas and eventually, create your version.
Listening to the original recording, this is it, you’ve learned all sections, however, there’s one more section I’ve had showing up at gigs and that’s Diana Ross’s breakdown section which is then followed by another chorus. Looks like this:
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough TAB | Related Pages
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough | Chords + Lyrics
Learn to play Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Bm7/A | G#m7b5 | Gmaj7 | Em9 (F# G G#) |
Ain’t no mountain high, ain’t no valley low, ain’t no river wide enough, baby…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
The Funk Brothers tunes
Motown’s house band, The Funk Brothers was the most successful group of studio musicians of all time.
Their contributions can be heard on Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Dancing In The Street, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, My Girl, and My Guy.
The Funk Brothers on the web
Marvin Gaye tunes
Marvin Gaye helped shape the Motown sound as a drummer, session singer, writer, lead singer, and producer in the 60s and 70s.
Marvin’s hits include I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Can I Get A Witness, and politically fueled What’s Going On.
Marvin Gaye on the web
Diana Ross tunes
After her success with The Supremes in the 60s, Diana Ross launched a solo career that kept her in the public consciousness for the next two decades.
Her best-known tunes include I’m Coming Out, Upside Down, Endless Love, and Chain Reaction.
Diana on the web
Tammi Terrell tunes
After a brief stint in James Brown’s band as a teenager, Tammi Terrell signed for Motown in 1965.
After a bright start with three major hits singing with Marvin Gaye, Tammi’s life took an extremely sad turn.
Tammi Terrell on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This guitar lesson by Dan Lundholm features TAB covering Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.