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Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights - Guitar Tab

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Key C major
Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights guitar tab video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
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The Kick Inside
1978 4:29
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Kate Bush Pop 1978 C major
Capo Advisor 0 C major · Original key

About Wuthering Heights

Few people think of "Wuthering Heights" as a guitarist's song, but there is real work to do here. The track sits in C major at 128 BPM in standard tuning, and the guitar's main job is rhythmic and textural: locking in with the piano and strings to push that relentless, slightly frantic pulse forward. The chord shapes themselves are not exotic, but keeping them clean and even at this tempo while the arrangement swirls around you takes more discipline than it looks. The trickiest part is matching the feel precisely, because the groove has to sit right behind the beat rather than rushing. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse sections slowed down until that placement feels natural before bringing the tempo back up. Kate Bush built the arrangement around the vocals and keys, so the guitar's role is supportive but essential to the track's momentum. If you are exploring the wider Pop genre, this song is a good study in how guitar texture serves a vocal-led production.

  • The song is in C major with standard E tuning, so no retuning is needed and familiar open chord voicings work well throughout.
  • At 128 BPM the rhythmic guitar part demands consistent strumming control, as any rushing or dragging will clash with the piano-led arrangement.
  • Practise the chord transitions slowly using the Practice Toolbar before bringing them up to tempo, paying attention to where the guitar sits in the mix.

How to Play Wuthering Heights

Tuning: E Standard · Key: C major · Tempo: 128 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 128 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Ian Bairnson and David Gilmour used Stratocasters on Kate Bush recordings for their articulate single-coil clarity, especially on tracks like 'Wuthering Heights' where chime and dynamic response were essential. The Strat's tonal versatility allowed switching between bright neck pickups for warmth and middle positions for cutting definition.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Bairnson paired the Les Paul with the Stratocaster, selecting it when tracks needed the warmer, smoother humbucker voice of the neck pickup rolled back slightly. This dual-guitar approach gave Bush's arrangements tonal contrast while maintaining the overall clean, articulate aesthetic.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's thicker, warmer humbucker character provided an alternative to single-coils for passages requiring smooth sustain without aggression. Neck position selection with tonal roll-back kept these parts integrated into Bush's signature intimate, atmospheric production style.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

This clean-platform amp with subtle reverb and moderate volume settings delivered the warm, articulate tones foundational to Kate Bush's early recordings. The Twin Reverb's natural breakup characteristics and lush reverb tank created the spacious clarity that defined her guitar textures.

Boss CE-2 Chorus
Pedal

Boss CE-2 Chorus

The CE-2 Chorus generated the signature width and atmospheric shimmer present across Bush's catalog, adding spatial depth without overwhelming her intimate vocal arrangements. This subtle effect became essential for creating the ethereal quality of her clean guitar layers.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Pedal

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Digital delay provided the atmospheric space and dimension heard throughout Kate Bush's recordings, complementing her sparse arrangement philosophy. This effect, used subtly in mixing, enhanced the dreamlike quality of her guitar work without adding obvious repeats.

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