Haunted House Music

Halloween "haunted house" music and sound effects are an essential feature of any Halloween attraction. Whether you're handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, or planning a full-scale "haunted house", the right sounds and music can make all the difference.

Spooky sounds and music - single-track CDs

If you're looking for one CD that will play continuously with a mix of music and frightening sounds, Martha Stewart Living: Spooky Scary Sounds for Halloween is probably your best choice. Whether you're creating a haunted house or handing out treats at Halloween and want "spooky sounds" in the background, this CD provides a little of everything. The CD also includes a booklet of Halloween decorating ideas and recipes.

Scary music

If you're looking for music, anything dark and eerie will work. For many people, that means Bach's darker, classical music played on an organ or even a harpsichord. Others prefer soundtracks from classic, scary movies. And, there are albums that feature dark and Gothic music in general.

The 13th Hour is one of the most chilling collections of music that we've heard. We highly recommend this if you're planning a truly scary haunted house or Halloween event. Click on the album cover to hear some of the tracks at Amazon.com. We're sure you'll agree that this is an eerie, disturbing, must-own album.

Not-so-scary music

As your guests approach your haunted house, or as they're leaving, you may want to feature some fun, Halloween-themed music. Whether it's the theme from The Exorcist or one of Rob Zombie's over-the-top ghoulish tunes, these albums provide smiles, chills, and perhaps a few nervous laughs:

	Only Rob Zombie could assemble a Halloween rock album like Halloween Hootenanny. This album is especially good for outside your haunted house, as guests are arriving. Click on the album cover to visit Amazon.com and listen to some of the soundtracks.
	Many people pick up cheap CDs near the register at Halloween-related stores. The music is okay, but not great. Why settle for a second-rate sound track? If you're looking for fun songs such as "Monster Mash" and the Ghostbusters theme by the original artists, Halloween Hits is a smart choice.
	Very Scary Music: Classic Horror Themes is an inexpensive album with light treatments of classic horror movie themes. Played quietly as people leave your house, guests can tell each other what scared them the most, while this background music maintains the spooky mood.

Spooky sound effects

Do you need spooky sounds, such as creaking doors, eerie moaning voices and clanking chains? You'll probably need just one or two CDs that offer a good variety.

	Ghost & Ghoul Sounds offers every classic sound effect you'll need for your haunted house. The tracks include creaking stairs, demonic laughter, tolling bells, howling wolves, and clanking chains.
	101 Digital Sound Effects: Sounds of Horror has been highly recommended by haunted house designers. It offers some different and interesting sound effects, and it would be a good combination with the Ghost & Ghoul Sounds CD, above.

Spooky MIDI music

If you're on a budget, or want something specific for your haunted house, you may find what you need online. Spooky music can also "jazz up" your ghost-related website. (Make sure that visitors can easily turn the sound off if they've heard enough.)

Here are a few classic MIDIs* that you can download (right-click and save on your hard drive):

Haunted House Music online

Spooky music and Halloween sounds are online elsewhere, too. Here are a few sites worth visiting:

• Countess Blood's Spooky MIDI, WAV and MP3 page
• Haunted Bay's Spooky Sounds
• Goober Graphics' Halloween MIDI page

*The MIDIs were collected from a variety of sources represented as being in the public domain. If you have other information, write to copyright at our domain name, and put "copyright" in the Subject line. Thank you!