The ULTIMATE People Get Ready Chords & Guitar Lesson

Many people don’t know this, but one of Jimi Hendrix's biggest influences was Curtis Mayfield. 

Mayfield’s style was unique. And you can hear strands of it in the DNA of Hendrix’s playing on tunes like “Little Wing” and “Wind Cries Mary.”

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on this style. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “People Get Ready” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote People Get Ready?

“People Get Ready” was originally written by the great American singer-songwriter Curtis Mayfield. The message of the song is one of hope and spiritual readiness. It was first recorded by The Impressions in 1965, and blends gospel, soul, and blues in a powerful way.

The Impressions' take was recorded at Universal Recording Corporation in Chicago. The arrangement is simple and combines gospel-inspired harmonies with Mayfield’s iconic guitar style. 

Upon its release, “People Get Ready” became a hit for The Impressions, reaching #3 on the Billboard R&B chart and #14 on the Pop chart. It has since become a timeless classic.

There have also been some great covers of this tune by legends like Jeff Beck:

Aretha Franklin:

And MORE! 

“People Get Ready” was placed in Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and even Martin Luther King Jr. used the song as an anthem for the civil rights movement.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for People Get Ready?

The tuning for "People Get Ready," as recorded by The Impressions, is standard tuning. Mayfield kept things simple. Standard tuning is spelled: E, A, D, G, B, and E.  

Here are the strings: 

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

All right! 

Now that you know the tuning for “People Get Ready”, let’s next talk about…

People Get Ready Chords

To play “People Get Ready”, as recorded by The Impressions, you’ll need to know 5 main chords they are Db, Bbm7, Gb/Ab, Fm7, and Ebm7. All of these chords are played as closed position chords. Which means most of them will use the bar technique.

If bar chords are giving you all kinds of aches and pains, and you haven’t yet discovered how to play them effortlessly, go here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/7mistakes 

Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes can be played on the fretboard. 

Db is played on the middle strings and in 4th position, like so:

Bbm7 is played as a thumb chord in 6th position. This means the fretting hand thumb comes over the top of the neck and frets the bass note on the 6th string like this:

Gb/Ab is a slash chord. (A slash chord means the part before the slash is the main chord, and the part after the slash is the bass note.) This chord can be played as a thumb chord or not, whichever is most comfortable for you, like this:

Fm7 is a great jazzier sounding chord played up in the 8th position like so:

Finally, we have Ebm7, which is the same shape as Fm7, just shifted down 2 frets like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar, and want to discover the easiest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free Fretboard Guide PDF right here now:  

Is People Get Ready hard to play on guitar?

I would say playing “People Get Ready” on guitar is going to require an intermediate to advanced skill level. The song uses many bar chords and more advanced harmony. (Chords like Gb/Ab, Fm7, and Ebm7). Plus, later in the tune, there is a modulation. Because of this, I would definitely rank it in the intermediate to advanced skill level. So, take your time with this one. 

What key is People Get Ready in?

“People Get Ready,” as recorded by The Impressions, is in the key of Db major. The primary scale used in the song is the Db major scale, which is built with the notes Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, and C.

Let’s take a look at how all these chords relate in the key of Db major:

D♭ (D♭ major)

Notes: D♭, F, A♭

Function: This is the I chord (tonic) in D♭ major. It’s the home key center and provides a sense of stability and resolution.

B♭m7 (B♭ minor 7)

Notes: B♭, D♭, F, A♭

Function: This is the vi7 chord (submediant minor 7) in D♭ major. It shares notes with the tonic and subdominant, giving a smooth, melancholic contrast that blends well in chord progressions.

G♭/A♭ (G♭ major over A♭)

Notes: G♭, B♭, D♭ over A♭ in the bass

Function: G♭ is the IV chord (subdominant) in D♭ major, and with A♭ in the bass, it creates a passing or “suspended” sound. This chord also sets up movement back to the tonic (D♭) or toward the V chord.

Fm7 (F minor 7)

Notes: F, A♭, C, E♭

Function: This is the iii7 chord (mediant minor 7) in D♭ major. Fm7 creates a softer, connecting color in progressions and shares tones with both the tonic and subdominant.

E♭m7 (E♭ minor 7)

Notes: E♭, G♭, B♭, D♭

Function: This is the ii7 chord (supertonic minor 7) in D♭ major. It typically functions as a pre-dominant, leading naturally to the V chord (A♭ major) or back to the tonic D♭, adding tension and forward motion in the progression.

Now, one other point I want to make is that this breakdown above is all in the key of Db major. However, later in the song, it modulates up one half step. The chord relationships stay the same, but they all move up one fret.

All right! 

So that’s the theory. Next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for People Get Ready?

The main underlying feel for “People Get Ready” is a 16th note groove. In 4/4 time, 16th notes divide each beat into four equal parts, creating a fast, intricate rhythm like this:

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure, while the syllables “e,” “&,” and “a” subdivide each beat evenly, giving the rhythm a more detailed and energetic feel.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

“One-e-and-a, Two-e-and-a, Three-e-and-a, Four-e-and-a.”

However, instead of strumming all 16th notes, on guitar, I’ll often use a combination of rhythms like this:

Conclusion

Bottom line, “People Get Ready” is a powerful song that’s moved the world. 

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

Jon MacLennan