The Floating Head Tab

King Diamond:  The Floating Head
 
transcribed by:  Rami Nuotio     :  midiamond@sci.fi
                 Russ Elton      :  webmaster@abysslord.com
 
FIND EVERY MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND SONG AND
THE MOST UPDATED VERSION OF THIS SONG AT:
 
                          The Tab Crypt
                  http://abysslord.com/thetabcrypt/
 
Date last modified:  August 20, 2007
 
PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS TAB TO ANOTHER SITE
WITHOUT AUTHORS' PERMISSION.  THANK YOU.
 
Tuning: Standard
 
 
Riff 1
NOTE: The x refers to the string rest mute noise, sometimes
it rings out as another open E, but other times it doesn't.
For the sake of consistency, we've notated it as three open Es
with the fourth one always being a rest.
e|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|-000x--000x--000x--000x--0-0-3~-|
   ***   ***   ***   ***   * * a  <-- harmonic only on very first play
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------4-|
D|-------------------------2h4h5---|
A|---------------------------------|
E|-000x--000x--000x--000x----------|
   ***   ***   ***   ***
e|--------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|-000x--000x--000x--000x--0-0-3~-|
   ***   ***   ***   ***   * *
e|--------------------|
B|--------------------|
G|--------------------|
D|-2--4--5--7---------|
A|-0--2--3--5--10--9\-|
E|--------------8--7\-|
 
 
Repeat Riff 1
 
 
Riff 2
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|------9------------------12-|
D|----------8~----------11----| <-- Last three notes ring
A|----7---7----------10-------|     into each other
E|-0--------------0-----------|
                "I'm in the..."
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|------9------------------|
D|----------8~-------------|
A|----7---7-------------2--|
E|-0--------------0--1-(1)-|
   "...hallway..."
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|------9------------------12-|
D|----------8~----------11----| <-- Last three notes ring
A|----7---7----------10-------|     into each other
E|-0--------------0-----------|
                "I cannot..."
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|------9------------------|
D|----------8~-------------|
A|----7---7----------3/5-3-|
E|-0--------------0--1/3-1-|
   "...stand the dark..."
e|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|
D|-----------------------------|
A|-0--0-12p0-7~--------------7-|
E|-----------------8--7h8h10---|
          "Whoa, I'm lighting..."
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|------------------------|
A|-0--0-12p0-7~-----------|
E|-----------------8--7-6-|
   "...candles everywhere..."
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|------9------------------12-|
D|----------8~----------11----| <-- Last three notes ring
A|----7---7----------10-------|     into each other
E|-0--------------0-----------|
         "I try to..."
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|------9------------------|
D|----------8~-------------|
A|----7---7----------3-3-3-|
E|-0--------------0--1-1-1-|
                     * * *
   "...darkness out..."
 
 
Riff 3
Guitar 1
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|
A|-5/7-----7\5-----5/7-----7\5--|
E|-3/5-5-5-5\3-3-3-3/5-5-5-5\3--|
       * *     * *     * *
             "Inside my mind..."
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|
A|-5/7-----7\5-----5/8---8-8\7--|
E|-3/5-5-5-5\3-3-3-3/6-6-6-6\5--|
       * *     * *     *
          "...nightmares are..."
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|
A|-5/7-----7\5-----5/7-----7\5--|
E|-3/5-5-5-5\3-3-3-3/5-5-5-5\3--|
       * *     * *     * *
      "Oh inside my..."
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|----------------------|
D|----------------------|
A|-8--8--8--10--10--10--|
E|-6--6--6---8---8---8--|
   "I can't control..."
 
Guitar 2
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|-4/5-----5\4-----4/5-----5\4--|
D|-5/7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5/7-7-7-7\5--|
A|------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|
       * *     * *     * *
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|-4/5-----5\4-----4/7-----7\4--|
D|-5/7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5/8-7-7-8\5--|
A|------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|
       * *     * *     * *
e|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|-4/5-----5\4-----4/5-----5\4--|
D|-5/7-7-7-7\5-5-5-5/7-7-7-7\5--|
A|------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|
       * *     * *     * *
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|-7--7--7---9---9---9--|
D|-8--8--8--10--10--10--|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|
 
 
Play Riff 1   "...feel."
Play Riff 2   "Now I am on..."
Play Riff 3   "Inside my mind..."
 
 
Riff 4
Guitar 1
e|-------------------|
B|-8----7------------|
G|-9----7------------|
D|-9----7----7----2--|
A|-7----5----5----0--|
E|-------------------|
   "...feel, or what is real..."
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|--------2--1-----5--4--2~-0--2-------|
A|-0-2-3--------2----------------------|
E|--------------------------------3/5~-|
   "...pictures in red..."
e|-------------------|
B|-8----7------------|
G|-9----7------------|
D|-9----7----7----2--|
A|-7----5----5----0--|
E|-------------------|
   "How can I believe..."
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|--------2--1-----5--4--9----7--|
A|-0-2-3--------2--------7----5--|
E|-------------------------------|
   "When there's a floating..."
 
Guitar 2
e|-0----0------------|
B|-0----0------------|
G|-9----7------------|
D|-9----7----7----2--|
A|-7----5----5----0--|
E|-------------------|
 
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-----------------4--2----------------|
D|-----2--5--4-----------2~-0--2-------|
A|-0-2----------6----------------------|
E|--------------------------------3/5~-|
 
e|-0----0------------|
B|-0----0------------|
G|-9----7------------|
D|-9----7----7----2--|
A|-7----5----5----0--|
E|-------------------|
 
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-----------------4--2----------|
D|-----2--5--4-----------5----4--|
A|-0-2----------6--------7----2--|
E|-------------------------------|
 
 
 
Riff 5 (Solo Rhythm)
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-9h10---5---7------9h10---5---7------|
A|------0---0---0000------0---0---0000-|
E|-------------------------------------|
        *   *   ****      *   *   ****
e|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|----------------------------|
D|-9h10---5---7------7--5--8--|
A|------0---0---0000-5--3--6--|
E|-------------------5--3--6--|
        *   *   ****
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------|
A|-5h7-----5h7-----5h7---5h7-----5h7-----5h7---|
E|-----0-0-----0-0-----0-----0-0-----0-0-----0-|
       * *     * *     *     * *     * *     *
1st ending
e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------10------9-------|
A|-5h7-----5h7-----5h7--------10-----9---5-|
E|-----0-0-----0-0-----0-8-------7-----3---|
       * *     * *     *
2nd ending
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|
A|-5h7-----5h7-----5h7---8--7--5-|
E|-----0-0-----0-0-----0---------|
       * *     * *     *
 
 
Solo (Wead)
e|----------15~----20--19~-17--22--20--19-|
B|-------17-------------------------------|
G|----17----------------------------------|
D|-19-------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|
 
e|----------17-19-20--(20)b21r20-19-17--------------------|
B|-17-19-20----------------------------20-19-17-----------|
G|----------------------------------------------19-17-16~-|
D|--------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------|
 
e|-------------12-14-(14)b15--14-12--------------|
B|----------13----------------------13-----------|
G|-12-14-14----------------------------14-12-11~-|
D|-----------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------|
 
Harmony part:
Guitar 1
e|----------15~---------------|
B|-------17--------17--15--13-|
G|----17----------------------|
D|-19-------------------------|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
 
e|-13-12-10---------------------------------------|
B|----------13-12-10-------13-12-10---------------|
G|-------------------12-10----------12-10-9-------|
D|------------------------------------------12-10-|
A|------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|
 
Guitar 2
e|----------15~----15--13-----|
B|-------17----------------17-|
G|----17----------------------|
D|-19-------------------------|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
 
e|-17-15-13----------------------------------------|
B|----------17-15-13-------17-15-13----------------|
G|-------------------16-14----------16-14-12-------|
D|-------------------------------------------15-14-|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|
 
Back to one guitar:
e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|-9~--------(9)\-2h3-2~--------3--5--7-|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
 
End Solo
 
 
Play Riff 1
Play Riff 2   "The floating head..."
Play Riff 3   "Inside my mind..."
Play Riff 4   "...feel, or what is..."
 
 
Riff 6
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-9--(9)b11---------9--(9)b11---------|
A|-7--(7)b-9---------7--(7)b-9---------|
E|-----------0-0-0-0-----------0-0-0-0-|
             * * * *           * * * *
    "Ah, ah..."
e|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|-----------------------------|
D|-9--(9)b11----------9--7--10-|
A|-7--(7)b-9----------7--5---8-|
E|-----------0-0-0-0--7--5---8-|
             * * * *
                   "I got to breathe..."
e|-------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------|
D|-9--(9)b11---------9--(9)b11---------|
A|-7--(7)b-9---------7--(7)b-9---------|
E|-----------0-0-0-0-----------0-0-0-0-|
             * * * *           * * * *
e|----------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------|
D|-9--(9)b11------------------------|
A|-7--(7)b-9---------10-----9----5--|
E|-----------0-0-0-0-----0-----0----|
             * * * *     *     *
                  "Got to break free!"
 
 
Riff 7 (Solo Rhythm)
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|-11h12---9---11-----11h12---9---11-----|
E|-------9---9----9-9-------9---9----9-9-|
         *   *    * *       *   *    * *
e|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------|
A|-11h12---9---11-----12-11-9----------9\-|
E|-------9---9----9-9---------12-11-12----|
         *   *    * *
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-4h5---2---4-----4h5---2---4-----|
E|-----2---2---2-2-----2---2---2-2-|
       *   *   * *     *   *   * *
e|--------------------0-----(0)--|
B|--------------------0-----(0)--|
G|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|
A|-4h5---2---4---2-0-(0)----/9---|
E|-----2---2---2------------/7---|
       *   *   *
 
 
Solo (La Rocque)
e|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|-(13)d6r13~--(13)\--11----11--------------------------|
D|---------------------*-14--*-14-11--------------------|
A|------------------------*-----*--*-14-14/16-16-14-16~-|
E|------------------------------------*-----------------|
   * denotes floyd rose warbles, just quick dips with tremolo bar.
 
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|-------------13-14-16-|
D|-14-13-14-16----------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|
 
e|-17-------16-------14-------12------12---11------------|
B|----16\14----14\12----12\10----10-9----9----9-9-10-10~-|
G|-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------|
 
e|---------9-11-12-11-9-----------------|
B|-9-10-12--------------12-10-9---------|
G|------------------------------11-9-8~-|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
 
e|-16--14-12-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------16-14-13-16-14-13-----------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------16-14-16-14-13--------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------16-14-13-----------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------16-14-16~-|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
 
e|-------------------------14b16~~--(16)r14-|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|----------11----13-11-14------------------|
D|-11-14-13----14---------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
 
e|-14--9--10------9---------------------------|
B|------------12-----10--12--9--10------9-----|
G|----------------------------------11-----10-|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
 
e|------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------|
G|-9----------------------------------------------------|
D|----11--12--9--11------9------------------------------|
A|-------------------12-----11-------------11~----(11)\-|
E|------------------------------9~----12-9--------------|
 
End Solo
 
 
Play Riff 3   "Inside my mind..."
Play Riff 4   "...feel, or what is..."
Play Riff 1 ending with:
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|-2--4--5--7---------9\--|
A|-0--2--3--5--10--9--7\--|
E|--------------8--7--7\--|
 
 
 
Notation:
 
10^        = bend a quarter step.
10b11      = bend a half step.
10b12      = bend a full step.
10b12r10   = bend and release.
[10]12     = pre-bend.
[10]12r10  = pre-bend and release.
{14}       = pick the 14th fret while holding the most
             previous bend.
<17>       = touch the string above the 17th fret while
             previous note(s) is(are) still ringing.
 
10b13*     = tremolo bar bend, from the 10th fret to the 13th fret.
7d4*       = tremolo bar dive, from the 7th fret to the 4th fret.
12~*       = tremolo bar vibrato.
 
x   =  mute with fret-hand
*   =  palm mute
X\\ =  pick slide
h   =  hammer-on
p   =  pull-off
~   =  vibrato
t   =  finger tap
/   =  slide up
\   =  slide down
h.  =  natural harmonics
a   =  artificial harmonics
(9) =  ghost note
tm  =  trem picking
tr  =  trill
X