This spooky little riff which was used as the theme tune to The Exorcist fits very nicely on the ukulele in the original key.
The biggest challenge in playing it is the time signature. I’m not even sure I’ve tabbed it right, but it makes most sense to me as three bars of 7/8 followed by a bar of 9/8. However you choose to count it, it’s difficult to keep track of. But it’s worth sticking with because it sounds great on the uke.
Suggested by West
Thanks, Crofty. Good luck with Nessun Dorma. Let me know if you record it, I want to hear it.
Fun little tab… thanks a ton for all the work you put into all of this! It’s really great to have a daily uke update to look forward to!
wow this post made my week. so freaking sweet to just walk up to people and creep them out with some exorcist action.
There’s nothing like sitting and playing that piece surrounded by a couple of black cats on a crisp autumn morning with leaves rustling ominously in the background. Thanks!
Ian B: Thanks. I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.
Patch: If you really want to creep people out with some exorcist action do this.
Indigo: That sounds pretty much perfect. In this part of the world it seems to have gone straight from summer to winter.
Yikes! That walk looks pretty dangerous on the stairs.
I’m a bit of an Oldfield fan myself, especially of the ‘Bells though I’ve never seen the movie. I’m currently trying to learn a couple of more obscure Oldfield tunes. Will try to share them once I’ve figured out how to record my uke.
I look forward to hearing them, Stewart.
[…] Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells (from The Exorcist) […]
sorry but there’s an easier way that i play on guitar and doesnt even need transposing to uke…
E|-0-5-0-7-0-3-5-0-8-0-10-0-7-8-0-7-0-|
repeat as many times as you want
steven: Easier, maybe. But you lose the bell effect which is half the sound of the piece.
Apology accepted. You’re a guitarist, you don’t know any better.
umm… I know alot thank you very much.
I may only be a grade 4 at guitar, however What i’m saying is that if like me you struggled at playing the piece the way at the top of the page, try this… that’s all
Steven: The ukulele isn’t a small guitar and shouldn’t be played like one.
instead of the 4th fret on the G string its easier to play the 2nd fret on the A string
[…] planned collaborative performance of Tubular Bells at Wukulele next week had me going back to my arrangement of it and the accompanying comments about how dumb I am because there are easier ways to play it. Well, I […]
@woodshed, be quiet, this tab is great.
both tabs work just as well, don’t beat yourself up over it
This works really well on uke – even got my 9 year old son playing it (he hasn’t seen the movie, well, not that I’m aware of). Thanks for tabbing!
A gentleman named Steven gave you a guitar line that’s played all on one string. The problem with it is that there’s no resonance. Each not kills the previous – dead.
Keep up the good work. This is a nice piece and there’s a bit of a drone in the background that makes it all fit together.
man tough crowd…i’m no pro by any means,but i like to get it done and this tab is great for that.my girl friend knew what it was my first time thru…i did’nt know so many purist followed tabs off UKE HUNT :P
keep up the good work and i’l do the same
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