Major view
Bb major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = A (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = Eb (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Rihanna - Higher - Chord
Key Bb major – G minor Chords Dm, Bb, Gm, Eb, Cm, F Easy key C
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Key: Bb | Gm
Capo: 0
Bb Dm Gm Eb Dm Cm F
Bb Dm
This whiskey got me feelin' pretty
Gm
So pardon if I'm impolite
Eb Dm
I just really need your ass with me
Cm F
I'm sorry 'bout the other night
Bb Dm
And I know I could be more creative
Gm
And come up with poetic lines
Eb Dm
But I'm turnt up off sizz' and "I love you"
Cm F
Is the only thing that's in my mind
Bb Dm Gm
You take me higher, higher than I've ever been, babe
Eb
Just come over, let's pour a drink, babe
Dm Cm F
I hope I ain't calling you too late, too late
Bb
You light my fire
Dm Gm
Let's stay up late and smoke jay
Eb
I wanna go back to the oldways
Dm Cm
But I'm drunk and still with a full ashtray
F Bb
With a little bit too much to say
Dm Gm Eb Dm Cm F
End of song Play again?
Rihanna - Higher Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Rihanna – Higher: key and chord analysis
The song opens on Bb and ends on F. Its chords belong to both Bb major and Gm, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
G minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = Eb (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = F (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the Bb major side because it opens on Bb. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from G minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to Bb or to Gm; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Bb | Tonic — home | Bb · D · F | 6× |
| ii | Cm | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | C · Eb · G | 6× |
| iii | Dm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | D · F · A | 12× |
| V/vi | D | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Gmsecondary dominant | D · F# · A | — |
| IV | Eb | Subdominant — moves away from home | Eb · G · Bb | 6× |
| V | F | Dominant — strongest pull home | F · A · C | 6× |
| vi | Gm | Relative minor — the melancholy side | G · Bb · D | 6× |
| vii° | Adim | Leading-tone chord — tension | A · C · Eb | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Gm | Tonic — home | G · Bb · D | 6× |
| ii° | Adim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · Eb | — |
| III | Bb | Relative major — the bright side | Bb · D · F | 6× |
| iv | Cm | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · Eb · G | 6× |
| v | Dm | Minor dominant — soft pull | D · F · A | 12× |
| V | D | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | D · F# · A | — |
| VI | Eb | Submediant — warm colour | Eb · G · Bb | 6× |
| VII | F | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | F · A · C | 6× |
Analysis
The key pair is Bb major and its relative G minor (2 flats). 6 different chords appear 42 times in total; 6 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- Dm Gm Bbiii → vi Gmv → inatural-minor cadence ×6
- Cm F Bbii → Vii → V Gmiv → VII ×6
- F Bb BbV → Iauthentic cadence GmVII → III ×5
The move to watch is Dm → Gm, heard 6 times. From the Bb side it reads iii → vi; from the Gm side it is v → i (natural-minor cadence: gentle, modal arrival). Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- Bb major pentatonic and G minor pentatonic are the same five notes (Bb – C – D – F – G): start from Bb for a brighter phrase, from G for a bluesier one.
- Over Dm, land on D, F, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Bb, land on Bb, D, F — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over Gm, land on G, Bb, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With Bb major shapes
- Capo 1 + A shapes
- Capo 3 + G shapes
- Capo 6 + E shapes
With G minor shapes
- Capo 3 + Em shapes
- Capo 5 + Dm shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
- 2 semitones up
- 3 semitones down · capo 3 keeps the original pitch
The song's harmonic story
Starting on Bb, the song gives away its key from the very first bar. The chords that keep coming back are Dm, Bb, Gm, Eb; read them as iii–I–vi–IV in Bb or v–III–i–VI in Gm. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on Dm → Gm (iii → vi in Bb, v → i in Gm): natural-minor cadence — gentle, modal arrival. It closes on F, letting the Bb side have the last word.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Rihanna - Higher Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
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