How To Play The Theme From Halloween – The Super Shred Way

Rockers! Happy Halloween.

Wow, I've got a cool piece for you to play today! You're gonna love it. I was in my teaching room yesterday, showing one of my cool clients named Evan the theme song to the Halloween movie. (A special thanks to the contributors here at UG for their tabs!)

Now, if you listen to the theme song, there's the spooky melody line, and then there's that ominous cello part in the background. I was showing Evan how to play both parts, when suddenly Evan earned himself the nickname “Moze”- for Mozart. He said - “Why not use tapping, and play both parts at once? ” Brilliant! Rock on, Moze! Here's the arrangement suggested by the Moze himself.

In the tab above, you'll tap the melody line with your left hand. You'll reach over, and hammer on the power chords with your right hand as you're playing the melody line. Make sure you let the chords ring out – it's not notated correctly in the music, but that's called “Josh wrestling with Guitar Pro 5.” Here's what it looks like:

Left Hand:

Both Hands:

“Ursula – I found your scrunchie! ”
Lyle, from George of the Jungle

Wait! We might run into a problem. If we're using distortion, and I recommend it, you'll notice that there's an incredible amount of string noise as we trying to tap and hammer everything. Arrgh! What to do? Go ask your sister (nicely) if you can borrow a hair scrunchie... You know, the kind that keep ponytails doing their thing. If you're the.001% of the readers, and you actually happen to own a scrunchie (either as a guitarist for the poison tribute band, or a girl), well, fetch it as fast as you can!

Put it around the strings at the 1st fret. This will mute out the open strings considerably, and make your job a lot easier. You may get some funny looks, but deal with it, sucka!

Remember to let the chords ring out as you tap the spooky melody line. Again, practice makes perfect, so take your time, and use a metronome.

Performance notes:

Make sure your nails are short.

The melody is actually an octave lower than the song, but it works well on Strats, as they don't have a 22nd fret.

Play it slow

Use a scrunchie

Rock on!

Have a happy (and safe) Halloween, and if you're in the mood to be scared, don't forget to check out my Blog, join the Fraternal Order of Poodleman on Facebook, or visit my website!

Comments

[Phe4rTheGod]

Great job man, looking forward to trying this out...I need to practice it, tomorrow's the big Halloween jam...

[VIRUSDETECTED]

Nice man. I figured this out a while ago. Buckethead will also do this from time to time.

[Gacel]

so funny!

[Mulldarran]

Nice, I'll definately check that out.

[Apperitiw]

nice but buckethead's Halloween is better;]

[Seventeen]

I enjoyed it, however, It sounds better if you drown down to the first fret F# instead of the A#5 chord.

[gary666]

i always thought it sounded better going f# - A - E

[bikerboyjosh]

its pretty much just bucketheads verion

[AdamDK]

It sounds better playing the Buckethead version than that. It just sounds more like the movie theme playing the Buckethead part on the low E string rather than powerchords.

But nice lesson anyway.

[Molokian]

i have played figured out this about year ago, but i like to play it higher, i think it sound better

[shwilly]

So how many fellow Dutchies played this bit only to realize that you knew it from Bassie & Adriaan? I knew they ripped Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield but this one's new to me...

[Jackolas]

Cool article... But..

"The melody is actually an octave lower than the song, but it works well on Strats, as they don't have a 22nd fret."

American strats (ie, the real deal) have 22 frets. Still, that is just me being picky isn't it!!

[YamiJoey]

Cheers for this. I've tried to do it, but my amp keeps cutting out on me, so I don't know if I'm doing it right. lol

It looks cool though, and when I'm just playing it seperately it doesn't sound totally wrong, so good job. lol

YJ

[Exo M7]

I was going F# - A - F. I don't even know if that's correct since I haven't listened to the Halloween theme in a while but it sounds cool regardless.

[ChucklesMginty]

This is gonna be awesome to play

[MonstaMan]

good job but what notes are there in the last two chords? i can't read them when they're that small and it just gets distorted if i zoom in!

Checked

[itchy guitar]

I cant tell if the Poison joke was meant to be an insult or not. i hope not but either way i laughed.

[Metalology]

Apperitiw wrote:

nice but buckethead's Halloween is better;]

Truth. He did this almost 20 years ago.

[Bucketheadroolz]

you cant copy buckethead and call it your own!!!!! that was arranged by buckethead. he did this years ago. oh well....

[Metal_Militia15]

RIPPED OFF FROM BUCKETHEAD. =[ Shame on you, ultimate-guitar...

[Smithsc]

ha! just like buckethead!

[Windwaker]

Well, bucketheads been doing it longer, but still cool.

[devit]

i just realized that cradel offilths the foetus of a new day kicking is a coppy of this

[Polystant]

It's 6 on the low E string and 8 on the A string

[The_only_shade]

GUYS! This tab was out BEFORE Buckethead recorded. Damn...

[Scum-bag Carrol]

If people are stuggling to get the powerchords right, just tune to drop D! makes it much more easier =P

[Bucketheadroolz]

i love buckethead so....^ no it wasnt! he has been playing the halloween theme like than since he was a teenager. i have all his moveis!

[Tom&trade]

Very nicely done, It sounds really good, apart from my inability to tap well with both hands =P

[theocao]

i saw a video a bucket head play it and the the bass line is not power chords
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXZTxAUqGL4

[guitargodderyck]

my guitar instructor taught me this a while ago. if u get it down good, its mad awesome!

[JoshUrban]

Honest to Hendrix, Fellas, I didn't realize my man Buckethead covered this. I'll have to check it out!

[Bloodandfire]

Bucketheads been doing this since the 80's, Love the theme though.

[fridge_raider]

Why would you need to go to the 22 fret? I don't understand that bit.

[Musicman_91]

Hmm, when I play this with distorsion I can barely hear the melody...I think it sounds much better with a clean sound.

[Musicman_91]

Nice arrangement by th way!

[mightmuffin]

Total bucket head rip off, He first played this on the young bucket dvds and i know he used to play it in his room messing about and jamming. Give the main man some credit.

[mightmuffin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHBEcYRwgNg&feature=related this clip of the buckethead version is better. On the E string he plays 2nd, 4th, then 1st fret then repeats

[Bonorly]

fridge_raider you'd go to the 22nd if you played an octave higher; i.e. 12 frets above (10th -> 22nd)

[bobdohl]

i saw bucket do it live, and he definitly came out with that idea before you did

[TimmerGuitarMan]

This, as everyone has said, has been ripped off from Buckethead..

I like how you put the "He said - “Why not use tapping, and play both parts at once? ” Brilliant! Rock on, Moze! Here's the arrangement suggested by the Moze himself."

In other words, "Let's do it just like Buckethead!"

[JoshUrban]

Dear Buckethead fan club! Woah, let's back up, here! I don't usually comment on my own articles, but I'm sorry to see everyone getting bent out of shape on what was intended as a goodwill article. (Remember, all of this is FREE, and you aren't being forced to practice it! Lol!)

I didn't realize BH did this song. I'd never intentionally plagiarize any guitarist or musician, let alone BH. I'm a fan, and I've got a lot of respect for the guy. I think it's a great way to practice a nifty piece for the season, regardless of the originator. Why not give it a shot? It's really fun to play, and I hope you enjoy it. If anyone has any questions about playing, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments section here. I find it a great way to practice an unusual technique. So check it out, and play it three times before you remind me again that I ripped off the man in the KFC mask.

Happy Halloween, and best of luck with the shredding!

-Josh

[jam phan420]

well just played this about 3 times... i can still say u ripped of BH tho... i mean just search Halloween up at the top of the site, and Buckethead's version comes up a ton of times...

so... use the SEARCH bar before 'Moze' is considered a genius?

[Kai07]

kick ass >D

[dethead666]

Hmm its too bad buckethead did this first because you proably were thinking about donning a kfc and mike myers outfit right afterwards.

Checked?

[Dave_17]

nice..

[bricktopra3]

Wow, I liked this lesson a lot better when it was done by Buckethead. Change the title to "How to play Halloween in the style of Buckethead".

No worries, just joining the bandwagon and giving you a hard time! Trick!

[chippy_666]

what if u play bass...

[JoKi&&Guitar]

wouldnt it be a hell of a lot easier to tap the power chords if u tuned to drop d

[guitarmaniac88]

really is Buckethead's. I should know, I dressed up as him at school, mask, bucket, hair, guitar and all. I even played this at school too.

[Doc_ZuZu]

JoshUrban wrote:

Dear Buckethead fan club! Woah, let's back up, here! I don't usually comment on my own articles, but I'm sorry to see everyone getting bent out of shape on what was intended as a goodwill article. (Remember, all of this is FREE, and you aren't being forced to practice it! Lol!)

I didn't realize BH did this song. I'd never intentionally plagiarize any guitarist or musician, let alone BH. I'm a fan, and I've got a lot of respect for the guy. I think it's a great way to practice a nifty piece for the season, regardless of the originator. Why not give it a shot? It's really fun to play, and I hope you enjoy it. If anyone has any questions about playing, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments section here. I find it a great way to practice an unusual technique. So check it out, and play it three times before you remind me again that I ripped off the man in the KFC mask.

Happy Halloween, and best of luck with the shredding!

-Josh

duz anyone actually read through the comments before posting something ignorant. the author acknowleged on two seperate accounts that he did not realize it waz BH at first. once the douchebagz here starting saying so, he tried to rectify hiz mistake. one question...where are all the lessonz from the people so persistant in letting him know how he "ripped" BH? thought so. good lesson man

[XxXLuisanXxX]

its a bit easier if you get your guitar on Drop D so you play
A|-4-
E|-4-
instead of
A|-4-
E|-2-

[BornToRun]

damn.. it's hard to play when you have long nails in right hand :P

[chyeahitsjean]

hahaha. . buckethead doesn't even play it this way, although he is known to varietize his playing(. . .was that even a word?).
anyways,
it's not really chords he uses, like the power chords being used, it's more of a bass line on the low e string.
starts on 2 then 5 then 8 then 1,
2 and THEN 5 ringing out as you play the 9-7 high e part and the 8 and then 1 on the 6-8 part.


that probably makes no sense. . .


I do it this way:

left-hand:
( X2 )T( X2 )
e-9-----9-----9---10-----H8-----8-----8---9-----
B---7-- 7---7--7----7----7-----E--6--6----6--6---6---6--
N
while my right hand does this at the same time:

E-2-----5-----8-----1-----

[chyeahitsjean]

chyeahitsjean wrote:

hahaha. . buckethead doesn't even play it this way, although he is known to varietize his playing(. . .was that even a word?).
anyways,
it's not really chords he uses, like the power chords being used, it's more of a bass line on the low e string.
starts on 2 then 5 then 8 then 1,
2 and THEN 5 ringing out as you play the 9-7 high e part and the 8 and then 1 on the 6-8 part.


that probably makes no sense. . .


I do it this way:

left-hand:
( X2 ) ( X2 )
e-9-----9-----9---10-----8-----8-----8---9-----
B---7--7 --7--7----7----7-----6--6--6--6---6---6--

while my right hand does this at the same time:

E-2-----5-----8-----1-----

[chyeahitsjean]

okay I give up my tab isn't formatting correctly

[iwilshooti]

im sure eveyrone already has learned this lol :P

[thelonesoldier]

Regardless of where it originated, it's not exactly super complicated or rocket science to try tapping it.

[guitarmaniac88]

JoshUrban wrote:

Dear Buckethead fan club! Woah, let's back up, here! I don't usually comment on my own articles, but I'm sorry to see everyone getting bent out of shape on what was intended as a goodwill article. (Remember, all of this is FREE, and you aren't being forced to practice it! Lol!)

I didn't realize BH did this song. I'd never intentionally plagiarize any guitarist or musician, let alone BH. I'm a fan, and I've got a lot of respect for the guy. I think it's a great way to practice a nifty piece for the season, regardless of the originator. Why not give it a shot? It's really fun to play, and I hope you enjoy it. If anyone has any questions about playing, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments section here. I find it a great way to practice an unusual technique. So check it out, and play it three times before you remind me again that I ripped off the man in the KFC mask.

Happy Halloween, and best of luck with the shredding!

-Josh

it isn't a KFC mask, it's a bucket....

[cant_touch_this]

yu dont need to use a scrunchie yu can use any sort of material as lots as it has enough pressure to mute string but not fret them- i use my scarf and i think synyster gates either uses a scarf or a wristband- doing this also helps to get a much cleaner sounding pinch harmonic but it sucks big time for whammy harmonics and things like that as yu need the string vibration- just thought id tell yu

[ThisIsExile666]

AWESOME
so fun and easy. sounds sick too
thanks guys

[SwollenEyeballs]

i think its easier to play it in drop D tuning...(for hammering on the chords) Great tab thing lesson by the way!!!!!

[ALeMmjon]

Glad I ran across this. It's helping me come up with some ideas for something I've been writing.. and it's just cool to know.

[Dumpster510]

the vid of bucket playing this is on youtube, everybody should check it out!

[guitarsolo_17]

or you could show a tiny ounce of dedication and get rid of the scrunchie and really train up your hands to get good at muting without relying on the other to palm mute eh?

[guitarsolo_17]

advice....do the Satriani mute thing...put your first finger over the first four strings and play the melody with the other three so you don't need the ugly stupid scrunchie on your tar-tar

[Smithsc]

just like buckethead