Shut Up and Dance (Walk The Moon) Guitar Lesson with Backing Tracks + TAB

In this guitar lesson, we analyse the chords and look at TAB for all sections so you can play this perfectly in a party band - Practise with Backing Tracks in two keys!

Shut Up and Dance | TAB

Walk The Moon’s smash hit Shut Up and Dance has a very intricate arrangement that must be played exactly as is, or it’ll be a car crash on the night—trust me!

When playing riffs and power chords like this, there really is nowhere to hide. You must have done your homework so the tune can be performed with absolute confidence. Let’s go over each section using TAB.

The intro—which becomes the chorus and later returns—is based around chord I being suspended up and down, like this:

What’s going on rhythmically here is a 1 2 3 – 1 2 3 – 1 2 pattern. Count along and you’ll hear it clearly.

Next, the verse uses a similar concept, now over 16th notes grouped in threes, starting on the upbeat.

Even though the syncopated riff stays static, the bass moves around, and I feel it’s important to know how—so that’s been included, like this:

The bridge is where most bands clash. That initial Gb5/F chord is difficult to hear. Later, during bridge 3, we repeat the first two bars three times.

The chorus (not the first one, which uses the same chords as the intro) is a classic I – IV – VI – V progression, played using power chords reminiscent of Green Day.

Finally, the solo. Here we’ve got the same chords as the chorus, just reordered to VI – I, IV – V. Both these movements sound triumphant. The reversed minor fall is uplifting, and IV – V is always a strong lift.

The final stabs move the IV chord back. This also marks the end of the tune.

Overall, Shut Up and Dance is a great lesson in how to arrange a hit. Perhaps the producer Tim Pagnotta (Weezer, Blink-182, The Strumbellas) had a thing or two to do with it!

Here’s the same backing track again – in the key of D, can you transpose the parts? Is it easier, even better? Should you have. a second guitar tuned down a semitone with you at all times?