Ghost Music From Old-Time Scary Movies

English: Broken Blossoms (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you ever listened to background music from "Old-time movies and cartoons"? I have a few examples to offer from Ghost Music that was used in early silent movies in scary scenes and also, background music for scary silent films.

Example 1: Ghost Music

With a time signature of 4/4, play Moderato e misterioso. Both hands play the exact same notes at the same time. Here are the single notes with the left hand played an octave lower in the bass. First measure is all quarter notes.

C, Eb, G, C / Ab, G, F, Eb, D / C, Eb, G, C / C Eb tremelo / BD

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Second measure, Ab is a half note and the following are eighth notes .

Ab / G, F, Eb, D

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

 Third measure has quarter notes: C, Eb, G, C again.

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

 Fourth measure has a half note, quarter note and rest. Play CEb together as a tremelo. What is a tremelo, you ask? It's a wavering effect in a musical tone, produced by rapidly repeating notes of slightly different pitches to produce prominent overtones. Then land on BD.

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

 Now, repeat the first two measure. Then play 3 Cs in a row and end on FAC# (tremelo)

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Example 2: Background Music for Scary Silent Films

Next we have 2/4 time signature, played Allegro effettuoso. Each measure has a group of sixteenth notes followed by a quarter note. First line of music, play Low G and D together in the bass.

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

The right hand notes go up and back down rather quickly. G, A, Bb, A, G. Do that 3 times with GD in the bass. R.H. also begins on G in the bass.

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Second line of music, play Low C and G with L.H. and play, C, D, Eb, D, C in the R.H. 3 xs.

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Last measure, play C, D, Eb, F, G in the right hand with CG in the bass.

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb C D E F G A B C

Repeat the very first three measures from the beginning and end on GD/G (play 2 xs)


If you're looking for some free music to go with the upcoming spooky sounds of Halloween, you may want to check out free-halloween-piano-music. Also, here are the chords to In-hall-of-mountain-king.

These runs remind me of  Hanon 1 Finger Exercises

 Enjoy the somewhat spooky sounds!

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