Silent Hill Theme Tab

Link to my video lesson: https://youtu.be/-9HEkT0kKpY
 
Soundtrack version: https://youtu.be/mdqNshgDwtQ?si=80095Qevkw3aOKj8
 
In-game version: https://youtu.be/T_BhLbB3M9A?si=SMLlCAdfqRPhzLSe
 
Hometown: https://youtu.be/Qs57T8jMTzc?si=KPKuWvl-NChq-SZz
 
This main theme was composed by Akira Yamaoka for the first entry in the series. Silent Hill was released for
the Playstation in 1999. In-game, it underscores the pre-rendered opening cinematic. It was just titled Silent
Hill as track no. 1 on the accompanying CD release Silent Hill Original Soundtrack(s) of the same year. But
they wound up being two different cuts of the same recording. A glimpse of this track is heard during the
opening of Christophe Gans' 2006 movie adaptation.
 
The members of Silent Hill Forum found out that Akira used a sample from a sound library [Patch: mando trem
in Spectrasonics Hans Zimmer Guitars Vol. 2] to create this mandolin part and did not physically play or
record the instrument.
 
My rationale for transcribing the notes all on one course came from Akira's 2014/15 tours, for which he
instructed Diego Reynoso and Todd Jordan to play the theme in this positioning. It lends itself much better
to the choppy, quickpaced sound of the sample than letting the notes ring out more by moving across different
strings. Play with sustained tremolo throughout, unless noted otherwise for plucked notes! Mandolin transcript
in GDae standard tuning.
 
With this, you will also know how to play the intro of Silent Hill 3's end credit music, an adaptation of
this composition with lyrics sung by Joe Romersa; Hometown. The 1st motif got copypasted from this track for
it. A piano solo arrangement was titled Silent Hill (Estudio). But Silent Hill (Otherside) is an unrelated
track that plays during the first game's blooper reel after the end credits.
 
Hints of these motifs can also be heard in Silent Hill 2's main theme; Theme Of Laura, as well as the remake's
score in Theme Of Laura II and Theme Of Laura (Laura's Emotions). Further examples are Silent Hill 3's songs
Never Forgive Me, Never Forget Me and I Want Love (Studio Mix, Silent Hill 4's Your Rain, Homecoming's This
Sacred Line, Shattered Memories' Hell Frozen Rain, and surely others.
 
 
 
 [0:01 - mandolin w/ sust. tremolo]
e|----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
a|-7-----6-----5-----6-----0~-|-7-----6-----5-----6-----0~-|-8-----10----5----3---5---7-----6~-----.-|
D|----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
 
 
 
 [0:22 - no mandolin. acoustic rhythm & electric lead guitars, drums, keys, sound FX]
 
 
 
 [1:02 - mandolin w/ sust. tremolo]
e|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
a|-7-----5----7-----10----7-----5----7-----2---0-|-0^--7-----5----7-----10-----7----2-----3-----2~-----.-|
D|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
 
 
 
 [1:23 - no mandolin. acoustic rhythm & electric lead guitars, drums, keys, sound FX]
 
 
 
 [1:33 in-game version / 1:43 soundtrack version - mandolin w/ sust. tremolo]
e|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
a|---8----7----8----7--5---7----3-----0--7--5-----0-|-0^--8-----12--.--12-----10---8---3-----7----5~-|
D|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|     
 
e|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
a|-0-8----7----8----7--5---7----3-----0--7----5-----0-|-0^--8-----12--.--12-----10---8---3-----7----5~-|
D|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
   ---------------------------------------- warp sound FX --------------------------------------------  
 
 [2:17 in-game version fin. / soundtrack version cont.]
e|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
a|---8----7----8----7--5---7----3-----0--7------5-----0-|-0^--8-----12--.--12-----10---8---3-----7----5~-|
D|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
   --------------------------------------- warp sound FX ----------------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
[2:51 soundtrack version fin]
 
 
 
The reason why the 3rd mandolin motif has different timestamps is because the preceeding segment was shortened
to 2 bars in-game, but plays for 4 bars on the soundtrack. Said 3rd motif then is only played for 4 bars in-
game, but for 6 bars on the soundtrack. Obviously the game version was edited down from the full track. The
first 2 bars in that motif are "clean", but the 3rd adds a warping sound effect that gets more pronounced
during the 5th bar. We can replicate this acoustically by extending the note value of the E on the 7th fret
of the A string before moving on to the D on the 5th fret of the same string; Indicated by increasing gaps
there. That 4th bar is going to have audio of Harry swerving and crashing his car only in the game version
and end afterwards. While the soundtrack version keeps playing and introduces different audio of Nurse Lisa
crying in it's 5th bar.
 
 
 
Tab legend:
 
tremolo               rapid, alternating down & up picking
^                     plucked note
.                     stopped note
~                     sustained note
X