The most iconic Halloween Song on the guitar? 👻

Learn how to play "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show!

Here’s a Halloween special for you! :) Time Warp is probably my favorite classic - and the most iconic song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. If you haven’t seen that movie before - I recommend you check it out! This cult classic was released in 1975 and has cool musical bits.

Time Warp is a super fun song to play on guitar - there are loads of exciting guitar elements going on! In this easy lesson, you’ll learn the main bits of the song and variations you can add to spice it up.

If you’re following my guitar courses, this tune is perfect for Grade 3+ guitar players. There are some power chords in there, palm muting, and awesome variations to put into practice. Adventurous beginner players should definitely try it out! If you're a more advanced guitar player, you’ll be able to improvise using the 12 Bar Blues.

So grab your guitar & let’s get rocky!

How To Play Time Warp On Guitar

In the main bits, Time Warp follows an eight-bar chord progression using downstrokes. You’ll play G, D, and A and a B Power Chord throughout most of the song.

Most of you might have already met the 12 Blues Bar Shuffle. It’s played in the key of A and is essential for many Rock and Roll shuffles - fun and recognizable! If you can't play that yet, I recommend you check out my lessons on Introduction to Blues Guitar.

Here’s how to get started with the rock and roll shuffle to play Time Wrap:

Put Finger 1 on the second fret of the fourth string.
Downpick the two strings of the open A.
Follow with a heavy palm mute.
On Beats 2 and 4, hammer Finger 3 on the fourth fret of the fourth string.
Finish with a B Power chord and a flick-off on the ‘and.’

💡 Have a go at playing along with the original recording! It’ll help you get that high-energy groove. Start slow if you need to, and ease into the fast tempo. :)

Time Warp Guitar Variations

There are loads of variations you can do with this Rocky Horror Picture Show song! You can really build it up and add your style. You might want to add a D shuffle in there and improvise your rock and roll shuffle.

To add that special rocky horror groove, alternate your picking hand, switch up your accent & vary your palm mutes. Go for it and play around to make it your own!

Once you get the rock and roll pattern down - incorporate other guitar elements you know! It’s the subtle things that make a difference and will level up your sound. Experiment and have fun with this spooky guitar song.

💬 Join the discussion! Is this song an older generation thing? I often play this song at Halloween parties, and everyone would sing along and do a silly dance! I hope this brings you a bit of a laugh for Halloween! Log into your account and let me know in the discussion area.

Want chords, tabs, and lyrics to follow along with my song tutorials? Check out JustinGuitar Tabs!