The ULTIMATE Higher Ground Chords And Guitar Lesson (Stevie Wonder)

Here’s a powerful song from none other than “The Eighth Wonder of the World" himself.

It’s got a groove deeper and wider than the Grand Canyon... 

And will show you how to blend fancy jazz chords and funky rhythms in an amazing way. 

So grab your 6-stringer, and let’s dive into this Stevie Wonder "Higher Ground" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Higher Ground?

“Higher Ground” was written, produced, and performed by Stevie Wonder. It’s one of his most iconic tracks where he recorded the song almost entirely by himself. Wonder is a virtuoso musician that is immensely adapt at playing multiple instruments at a level far beyond most. He played all the instruments on the track, including the clavinet, drums, and Moog bass. 

He’s said “Higher Ground” is about second chances — a chance for people to do better in their lives and strive for enlightenment. He wrote the song just before being involved in a near-fatal car accident in August 1973. After recovering, he saw the song’s message of renewal as almost prophetic. This deepened the song’s significance for him and his fans. It’s become a symbol of survival and perseverance.

"Higher Ground" was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City in early 1973. It was a part of the sessions for Stevie Wonder’s legendary album Innervisions. Electric Lady Studios was originally founded by Jimi Hendrix in 1970, and it’s one of the most iconic recording studios in music history.  

Many legendary albums have been recorded there across decades and genres. For example, The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland (1968), Although the studio wasn’t officially open at the time, the album inspired the studio’s name and design philosophy. Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy (1973). The band worked on portions of their groundbreaking fifth album at Electric Lady. The Rolling Stones – Goats Head Soup (1973). 

“Higher Ground” reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973. The album Innervisions won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1974.

And Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Higher Ground" at #261 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2021 edition). 

On top of all that, the song has been covered widely, most notably by Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1989, who brought it to a new generation of fans.

"Higher Ground" shines as a bold example of Stevie Wonder’s genius, blending socially conscious lyrics with unforgettable grooves. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Higher Ground?

The tuning for "Higher Ground”, as recorded by Stevie Wonder is standard tuning 442 hertz. 

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch) (+2 cents)
• A (5th string) (+2 cents)
• D (4th string) (+2 cents)
• G (3rd string) (+2 cents)
• B (2nd string) (+2 cents)
• E (1st string, highest pitch) (+2 cents) 

Let’s next take a look at the…

Higher Ground Chords

To play "Higher Ground” as recorded by Stevie Wonder you need to know 9 main chords they are Ebm, Gb, Ab, Bb, F7, Gb7, G7, Db7, and Bb7#5. These chords are all played as closed position chords. Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes might unfold on the fretboard.

Ebm is played in 6th position from the 5th string down like this:

Gb is played using all 6 strings in 2nd position like this:

Ab is played the same as Gb just shifted up 2 frets like this:

Bb is played the same way as well just keep moving up 2 more frets like this:

F7 is played in 1st position like this:

Simply shift F7 up 1 fret and now you’ve got Gb7 like this:

Keep on moving up another fret and you’ll land on G7 like this:

Db7 looks like a C chord shifted up and adding the pinkie finger on the 3rd string like this:

Finally, Bb7#5 is arguably the trickiest chord. Here I play the 6th string with my fretting hand thumb. Then the remainder of my fingers cover strings 1-4 like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard and want to learn it faster and in the simplest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right, now that you know the "Higher Ground" chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Higher Ground in?

“Higher Ground" as recorded by Stevie Wonder is in the key of Eb minor. Let’s take a look at how the chords relate to each other and the Eb natural minor scale. 

The Eb natural minor scale, is built from the following notes: 

Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb (enharmonic to B), Db.

Ebm (Eb - Gb - Bb)

i chord: The tonic (root) chord of the key, giving the piece its home base and emotional center.

Gb (Gb - Bb - Db)

III chord: A major chord on the 3rd scale degree. This is often called the relative major chord and gives the music an uplifting yet stable feel.

Ab (Ab - C - Eb)

IV chord: A major chord built on the 4th scale degree of the Eb natural minor scale. This is not diatonic to the key but is a very common move in millions of songs. 

Bb (Bb - Db - F)

v chord in harmonic minor: In the natural minor scale, this would be a minor chord (Bbm). However, in harmonic or melodic minor, the D natural replaces Db, creating a dominant Bb major chord, which resolves strongly to Eb minor.

The remainder of these chords fall outside the diatonic key of Ebm. These chords imply a temporary modulation, altered tones, or secondary dominant functions:

F7 (F - A - C - Eb)

Secondary dominant resolving to the Bb chord (v in harmonic minor). It's the dominant (V7) of Bb and introduces tension leading to that chord.

G7 (G - B - D - F)

Chromatic dominant chord, typically functioning as the dominant (V7) of C minor, which might appear as a borrowed chord or passing motion. 

Gb7 (Gb - Bb - Db - Fb)

This chord is used as a chromatic passing chord.

Db7 (Db - F - Ab - Cb)

Dominant chord leading to Gb (the VI chord). This secondary dominant highlights motion towards the submediant, commonly used to expand harmonic texture. 

Bb7#5 (Bb - Db - F# - Ab)

This is an altered dominant chord. It’s used to heighten tension before resolving to Eb minor. The raised fifth (F#) adds dissonance, typically resolving downward.

Let’s now talk about the iconic…

Higher Ground Strumming Pattern

The main underlying feel for "Higher Ground" is a grooving triplet feel. In a triplet feel, each beat of a 4/4 time signature is subdivided into three equal parts, creating a swing-like groove. 

In 4/4 time, subdividing each beat into triplets results in 12 notes per measure. To count them, use the syllables:

"trip-ah-let" 

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

""trip-ah-let", “"trip-ah-let"”, “"trip-ah-let", “"trip-ah-let"

This subdivision adds a syncopated rhythm. Here's an example of a strumming pattern in this style:

Conclusion

There ya have it!  

A sneak peek at how to groove along to this funky classic.

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:    

Jon MacLennan