Tabs for
The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
written by Williams
as performed by some band claiming to be Metallica
tab by Phil Boyle and Jay Yaskin; phil@encycmet.com
I don't know what band recorded this version, but here are some reasons why this song isn't
Metallica.
1. If it was a live recording, you would hear the crowd, and there wouldn't be the "Dark
Vader" breathing under it.
2. It isn't Metallica's distortion, and James usually doesn't do the artificial harmonic on
chorded rhythm tracks.
3. Lars is more imaginative than the drummer in the .mp3 file. He wouldn't keep the same
structure through the entire thing.
Tune all guitars down 1 full step (D G C F A D)
1)
F--------------------------
C--------------------------
G--6--------6----9-6----9-6
D--4--4-4-4-4--0-7-4--0-7-4
pm.... . .
2)
F--------------------------
C--8--------8--9-----------
G--6--6-6-6-6--7-9-6----9-6
D----------------7-4--0-7-4
pm.... .
3) AH
F------------------------------------------------------------
C--13--------------12--10\9/10---7-------------4-------------
G--11-----------11-10--8-\7/8--7-5--11-9\8/9-5-2---9-6----9-6
D------11-11-11----------------5----9--7\6/7-3---0-7-4--0-7-4
pm....... . .
Here is how the actual movie version goes:
The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
written by Williams
as performed on The Empire Strikes Back
tab by Phil Boyle; phil@encycmet.com
1)
Db--6--6-6-6--6-6-6--6-6-2-7-6--6-6-6--6-6-6--6-6-2-7-6
Ab--6--6-6-6--6-6-6--6-6-2-7-6--6-6-6--6-6-6--6-6-2-7-6
Eb--4--4-4-4--4-4-4--4-4-0-5-4--4-4-4--4-4-4--4-4-0-5-4
pm...................................................
intro
2)
eb-----------------------------------------
Bb-----------------------------------------
Gb-----------------------8-8-8-9-----------
Db--6-6-6---7-6----7-6~~~--------9-6----7-6
Ab--------7------7--------------------7----
Eb-----------------------------------------
brass section
3)
eb---------------------------------------------
Bb--9---9-8-6p5h6------------------------------
Gb----8-------------7--6-4p3h4---5--4-5-7-5-7-9
Db----------------7------------5---------------
Ab---------------------------------------------
Eb---------------------------------------------
more brass
4)
eb---------------------------------------------
Bb--9---9-8-6p5h6------------------------------
Gb----8-------------7--6-4p3h4---4-------------
Db----------------7------------5---7-6~~--7-6~~
Ab--------------------------------------7------
Eb---------------------------------------------
even more brass
then it ends with the opening