Below is the lesson for “Jack’s Lament” from The Nightmare Before Christmas by Danny Elfman.

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A fingerstyle take on a spooky yet sorrowful song. When Jack, the Pumpkin King, sings this song in the movie, he is expressing his yearning for a life that is more fulfilling than just working.

From a lesson standpoint, this piece is perfect for the intermediate player. The most challenging aspect of it is the chord work. There are a lot of chords in this piece! Keep in mind, too, that the piece begins in 4/4 and switches to a 3/4 waltz feel at the end. As this song is an expression of Jack’s feelings, don’t be afraid to use a little rubato to add a human, or, should I say, skeleton, element to your performance.

In the first half of the song, a few key notes are played as harmonics. These artificial harmonics are created using the plucked method. If this is a new technique for you, check out our Harmonics Course to learn how to do it.

Part 1 – Performance & Free Lesson

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