Pokemon Theme Guitar Cover

So I thought I'd talk a little about my cover of the Pokemon theme on youtube. I have always loved this song and the series in general (even if I havent played a game since ruby). I've had a lot of messages on youtube asking for the tab or a tutorial on how to play it so I thought I'd put one up on here.

If you haven't watched the video please do, I originally did this to test my line 6 toneport GX (which I'll review later)  however it turned out to be a lot of fun and I made it into a video.

So I've made a tab which I will put below since ultimate guitar rejected it (assholes) but before that I'm just gonna talk about the recording. I tried a trick normally done on vocals which is to record the lead guitar twice twice which lead to a bigger, fatter sound which was definitely worth doing after the Pokemon theme needed the most epic sound possible.

Throughout the song I use a lot of pinch harmonics and while keeping the notes true to the original I tried to have it in different octaves as much as possible to keep the sound fresh and to allow each section to progress and sound different. The solos I kept true to the original just playing them over the backing track. (which I 'borrowed' from this video) All in all I used five tracks to record this, one for the backing, one for the rhythm guitar, two for the doubled lead and one to play a part an octave up on the 'you teach me' part.

This was ALOT of fun to figure out and play and I'm glad I did. Just before I give you the tab I wanna show you a render of my favorite Pokemon Raichu I made just for practice on Photoshop. Raichu is the s**t cause he's like Pikachu but better cause he's got paws instead of fingers. Enjoy and let me know what you think :)

      

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intro
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 h   - hammer-on
 p   - pull-off
 b   - bend
 pb  - pre-bend
 r   - bend release
[n]  - artificial harmonic
 /   - slide up
 \   - slide down

e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-/5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\\------|
A|-/5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\\------|
E|-/3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\\------|


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verse 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
   I want to   be  the ve-ry best
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-7--7---7--[n]7---7---5/3--0-----0--0--0---------|


   Like no one ev-er was
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|--3///7--7---5\3////5----------------------------|


   To catch them is my re-al test
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|--8--8-8-[n]8---8--8-7/5----3------3--3--3-------|

  
   To train them is my cause
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-3---3/7---7----5--3///7\\\\\\\------------------|


   I will tra-vel  a-cross the land
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-15-15---15--15--15-13---------15----------------|
G|--------------------------15---------------------|

 
   Search-ing   far      and wide
e|---------15--------------------------------------|
B|-15b(17)-----15b(17)r---13h15--------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------|

   To teach Po-ke-mon to un-der-stand
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-16--16---16--16-16-16-15-13---------------------|
G|-------------------------------15----------------|

   The  po-wer   thats     in-side
e|------10-------8---------10----------------------|
B|---13-13b(15)r-11b(13)r -13b(15)r----------------|
G|-15----------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chorus
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Po-ke-mon                    It's you and me
   Po-ke-mon  go-tta catch em all
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|----10--12-----------10h12-----12--10---12--10----|
D|-12---------12--12-----------------------------13-|

 
   I know it's my des-ti-ny     Po-ke-mon
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-12-12---14--15--14-12\10-----12-10h12------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|

   ooh you're my best friend
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--12--12----10------------------------------------|
D|----------------12---10---------------------------|

   In a world   we must de-fend
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|----10-10h12--12--10--13-10h12--------------------|
A|-13-----------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   Po-ke-mon                    A heart so true
   Po-ke-mon go-tta catch em all
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|-----3h5-------------3h5-------5-5/7--5\3p0-------|
A|-5----------5--5----------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   Our cou-rage will pull us through
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--5----5h7//////8/10-----8\7-8\7\\----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   You teach me and I teach you  Po-ke-mon
   ooh oooooooh  ooh oooooooh    Po-ke-mon 
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------8/10/12-|
D|-----8----[n]8------10--[n]10---3--5--7-----------|
A|-/6------6-----6\/8-----8-------1--3--5-----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspirational Break
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhh
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------13b(15)rp13--13b(15)rp13--12\\\--|
G|-(12)~~~~~~~~~~~----------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verse 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
   Every battle along the way
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-7-7-7--7--[n]7---7---5-3--0-----0--0--0---------|


   With courage I will face
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|--3///7--7---5\3////5----------------------------|


   I will battle everyday
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|--8--8-8-[n]8---8--8-7/5----3------3--3----------|

  
   To claim my rightful place
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|-3---3/7---7----5--3///7---7-7-7-7-7-------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-1---1/5---5----3--1///5---5-5-5-5-5-------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|

   Come with me the time is right
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-15-15---15--15--15-13---------15----------------|
G|--------------------------15---------------------|

 
   There's no better team
e|---------15--------------------------------------|
B|-15b(17)-----15b(17)r---13h15--------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------|

   On and on we'll win the fight
e|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-16--16---16--16-16-16-15-13---------------------|
G|-------------------------------15----------------|

   It's always been our dream
e|------10-------8---------10----------------------|
B|---13-13b(15)r-11b(13)r -13b(15)r----------------|
G|-15----------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chorus
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Po-ke-mon                    It's you and me
   Po-ke-mon  go-tta catch em all
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|----10--12-----------10h12-----12--10---12--10----|
D|-12---------12--12-----------------------------13-|

 
   I know it's my des-ti-ny     Po-ke-mon
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-12-12---14--15--14-12\10-----12-10h12------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|

   ooh you're my best friend
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--12--12----10------------------------------------|
D|----------------12---10---------------------------|

   In a world   we must de-fend
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|----10-10h12--12--10--13-10h12--------------------|
A|-13-----------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   Po-ke-mon                    A heart so true
   Po-ke-mon go-tta catch em all
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|-----3h5-------------3h5-------5-5/7--5\3p0-------|
A|-5----------5--5----------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   Our cou-rage will pull us through
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--5----5h7//////8/10-----8\7-8\7\\----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   You teach me and I teach you  Po-ke-mon
   ooh oooooooh  ooh oooooooh    Po-ke-mon 
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------8/10/12-|
D|-----8----[n]8------10--[n]10---3--5--7-----------|
A|-/6------6-----6\/8-----8-------1--3--5-----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bridge
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

G|-(12)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------22\\\\\\\\\\\\\|

D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------22\\\\\\\\\\-0-|

   Gotta catch em all
D|-------3~~~~~h5--5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5\\-|
A|-5--5---------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------0-|

   Gotta catch em all
D|-------8~~~~~h5--5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~5\\0-|
A|-5--5---------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   2:25 (on video)
e|----------------------17b(18)r--15\\\\------------|
B|---------8h11p8-----------------------------------|
G|-//8--10------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|

   2:28
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-///15--15p13p11-----11h13p11---------------------|
D|-----------------12-----------12-12~~~~\\\\\------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   2:31
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------10/12----------------------------|
D|-//10---10-10-------------------------------------|
A|--------------10----------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   2:33
e|----------8h10h11-11--11--11b(12)p10--------------|
B|--8h10h11-----------------------------11---8\\\---|
G|--------------------------------------------------|

   2:37
e|--------------10h11p10~~~~~-------------10h11p10--|
B|-/10-11-13-13---------------10-11-13-13-----------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|

   2:40
e|-10-11-13--11-13-15--13-15-17~~~-19b(20)~(20)~(20)|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chorus
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Po-ke-mon                    It's you and me
   Po-ke-mon  go-tta catch em all
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|----10--12-----------10h12-----12--10---12--10----|
D|-12---------12--12-----------------------------13-|

 
   I know it's my des-ti-ny     Po-ke-mon
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|-12-12---14--15--14-12\10-----12-10h12------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|

   ooh you're my best friend
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--12--12----10------------------------------------|
D|----------------12---10---------------------------|

   In a world   we must de-fend
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|----10-10h12--12--10--13-10h12--------------------|
A|-13-----------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   Po-ke-mon                    A heart so true
   Po-ke-mon go-tta catch em all
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|-----3h5-------------3h5-------5-5/7--5\3p0-------|
A|-5----------5--5----------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   Our cou-rage will pull us through
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--5----5h7//////8/10-----8\7-8\7\\----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

   You teach me and I teach you  Po-ke-mon
   ooh oooooooh  ooh oooooooh    Po-ke-mon 
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------8/10/12\|
D|-----8----[n]8------10--[n]10---3--5--7-----------|
A|-/6------6-----6\/8-----8-------1--3--5-----------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------