Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars – acoustic guitar version tab and chords

My acoustic version of Uptown Funk went down well on YouTube and a few people were asking for chords/tabs so here goes! Sorry, I’m not great with theory so don’t know the exact names for some of these chords – you guys will know better than me I’m sure… feel free to leave a comment correcting me if I get it wrong! The tab is accurate anyway.

Please note that this tab is for my acoustic interpretation in B, rather than the original which is in D… I can’t sing it that high! This is exactly as it’s played in my YouTube video.

I’ll also include the steps for building the song with a loop pedal, for the looping fans out there. This is a really simple loop with the old Boss RC-20 pedal. I’ve just ordered the Boss RC-30 pedal which should be arriving soon, should make playing this song live easier. Anyway…

 

(being recording loop with handclaps and vocal motif)
(overdub loop with kick drum type percussion on guitar)
The opening riff uses the following chords... make up your own strum pattern!

    B7     E7
E|--10-----10--
B|--10-----9---
G|--8------9---
D|--9----------
A|-------------
E|-------------


Then to build, I turn that into a full bar chord:

    B7     E7
E|--10-----10--
B|--10-----9---
G|--8------9---
D|--7------9---
A|--9------7---
E|--7----------


No guitar, just loop, until "I'm too hot...", then just standard bar chords

I'm too hot...call the police and the fireman
        B              E              D
E|------7--------------7--------------5----
B|------7--------------9--------------7----
G|------8--------------9--------------7----
D|------9--------------9--------------7----
A|------9--------------7--------------5----
E|------7----------------------------------

(stop loop for breakdown)

      Girls hit ya Hallelujah     (woo)
E|----------------------------------7----
B|----------------------------------7----
G|----------------------------------7----
D|-----7h9-----9------9------------------
A|-----x---------------------------------
E|-----7---------------------------------
this riff played with semi-muted strings

For the build to the chorus play bar chords going up the neck

   Uptown funk gon' give it to ya...
       B        C           C#       D  D#,E,F,F#,G,G#,A
E|-x---2---x----3------x----4-----x--5--6-7-8--9--10-11-12-
B|-x---4---x----5------x----6-----x--7--8-9-10-11-12-13-14-
G|-x---4---x----5------x----6-----x--7--8-9-10-11-12-13-14-
D|-x---4---x----5------x----6-----x--7--8-9-10-11-12-13-14-
A|-x---2---x----3------x----4-----x--5--6-7-8--9--10-11-12-
E|-x-------x-----------x----------x------------------------

   Don't believe me just watch!
     A7
E|---5---
B|---5---
G|---6---
D|---5---
A|---7---
E|---5---

Chorus: same chords as intro, with added D+E:

                            don't b me just watch
    B7     E7    B7     E7    D              E
E|--10-----10----10-----10----0--------------0--
B|--10-----9-----10-----9-----3--------------0--
G|--8------9-----8------9-----2--------------1--
D|--7------9-----7------9-----0--------------2--
A|--9------7-----9------7--------------------2--
E|--7------------7---------------------------0--

That's about all there is to it really!
Later on in the song I layer vocal harmonies and a wah-wah riff.

Hope this tab helped… any questions/comments, leave them below!

Pat