Ain’t Nobody | TAB
Let’s go through all the sections of Ain’t Nobody using TAB. Some of these parts are originally played on keyboard and have been adapted for guitar—especially in the intro.
There’s quite a bit to take in here.
The first section is that wild keyboard riff, slightly modified. The original part is a strange cross-rhythm—really fun to play, but I felt it might cause more confusion than it’s worth, so I’ve straightened it out a bit.
The initial keyboard riff is a minor 7 arpeggio, using an Am shape.
Next, there’s another keyboard part. If you play it, it might annoy your bandmates—so maybe stick to that quirky first riff instead…
However, if there’s no keyboard player in your band, you should definitely play this second arpeggio. Make sure to learn it well.
Finally, there’s a string line, which some keyboardists switch to—freeing up that second arpeggio part for you to take over.
As you can see, there are plenty of options for how to approach the intro to Ain’t Nobody. The best strategy is to learn all of these parts and then choose what to play based on the specific band setup you’re working with. Aim to contribute, not to clash.
Let’s move on to Verse 1 and uncover more musical dilemmas!
Everything you see here is, once again, adapted from keyboard parts. The chord riff stays more or less the same throughout—it’s the bass movement that creates those unusual chord names.
I’ve written in Ebm7 at the end of each bar, followed by Bmaj7. There’s only a one-note difference between the two, but that tiny variation gives the part a subtle lift.
If you do have a keyboard player, you might consider dropping out during Verse 1 and using the time to check your tuning—instead of getting in the way. But if there’s no keyboardist, definitely play the part shown above. Your bandmates will be impressed!
This time, we get an actual guitar part!
It’s striking how much easier this section is compared to the keyboard bits—and how the difference in rhythm makes the earlier part harder to memorise.
The final beat of the verse features a lick that leads us into the chorus. It uses the Conspirian scale.
Here’s the chorus.
That final bar is the same lick you played in the intro—if the keyboardist let you!
When playing this live, I like to vary the lick each time it repeats. Use the E Aeolian mode to create your own variations.
Lastly, here’s the middle 8. Be sure to learn the chords, even though you’ll be playing what’s written in the TAB…
When you can play all this TAB, play along with the backing track/chord chart at the top of the page.
Ain’t Nobody Backing Tracks + TAB | Related Pages
Ain’t Nobody | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn to play Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Ebm Db/Eb Ebm7 | Ebm Db/Eb Ebm7 |
Captured effortlessly, that’s the way it was…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
