The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: Musical Chairs Alone

by

Previously: Frequently Asked Questions.

Unfortunately I have absolutely no idea from whence Musical Chairs Alone originates. I found it copied and pasted on a few random Wattpad pages; unfortunately, though, there’s no discussion of where it came from, who came up with it, or any other information about the game. I came up empty on Google, too, finding only the same basic set of directions over and over and over again (a true piece of creepypasta if ever I’ve seen one, albeit a somewhat poorly written one). I still find the ritual itself kind of interesting, though, so I’ve attempted to clean up the instructions a bit — here are the results.

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I should probably note here that I’m also not totally clear on why you’d want to play this game. It’s high risk — if you invite something into your home and it doesn’t want to play, you’re probably going to have a difficult time getting rid of it — but with absolutely no reward. Maybe it’s for the thrill of it — that whole “tempting fate” thing we’ve talked about before.

In any event, here — have at. Like The Gambler’s Game, it’s short and sweet. But as always… play at your own risk.

Players:

  • 1 principal.

Requirements:

  • A chair.
  • A match.
  • Something with which to play music.
  • A recording of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.”
  • A quiet, dark room — empty if possible.

Instructions:

  1. Begin at midnight.
  2. Prepare the room: Draw the curtains. Make sure no light leaks into the room. Set up your music-playing device — whether it’s a CD player, a computer, a smartphone, an MP3 player with a speaker, or something else is up to you. Cue up “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” Place the chair in the middle of the room. Turn the lights off.
  3. Hold the match in your hand, but do not light it.
  4. Play the music and begin the game. Walk around the chair six times.
  • If the music stops: Sit down and light the match. Congratulations — you win.
  • If the music keeps playing: You’ve invited something into your home… but it doesn’t want to play.
  • If the chair falls over on its own: Leave the room. Do not look at the chair. Do not enter that room alone again — ever.  

Additional Notes:

The instructions do not specify what to do in the event that the music continues playing. This is what makes the game so dangerous: It has too many unknown quantities. In the event that this outcome occurs, I would recommend aborting the game and performing a purification ritual (burning a sage stick, spreading salt, etc.); however, there is no guarantee that whatever you’ve invited in will leave, even if you perform such a ritual.

In Case You Need It:

Musical Chairs Alone: FAQ.

***

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[Photo via Bertsz/Pixabay]

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Based on the lack of information available, it seems this “game” is relatively new. I tried researching it myself and got the same results. I can’t even find any experiences of people playing it. I’m pretty positive that if the chair falls or the music keeps playing, you’ve 1) put yourself in EXTREME DANGER and 2) allowed a demon or evil entity into your home. This one will probably result in something like death or a disappearances if you can never enter that room alone should something go wrong. If you ask me, if you can’t enter that room alone ever again then you should just move out since it’s inside your home. This one leaves me with so many questions…

    Reply

    • Me too. I feel like the safest option would be to play it in a room that’s not in your home… but if you do that, there’s no telling what might happen to anyone else who enters that room without any knowledge of what transpired in it.

      Reply

      • Well, the best option would be to just not play the “game”. Unfortunately, there are people who would play it so they should have some type of plan. All I can come up with is performing purification rituals like you said. I’d also recommend leaving the home immediately and taking occupants and pets with you. Then, return in the morning and PURIFY YHE HOUSE! I think this is game one should play when no one is home. I agree with you completely about the risks of playing this in a room that isn’t in your home. With a lack of information, there’s WAY too much dangers involved which makes me worry about what could happen to the players or to those who enter the game room. It makes me wonder how people make this stuff and how it ends up working.

        Reply

      • Wait, I think it meant that only you specifically can’t enter the room alone…? No? Yes?

        Reply

  3. I use to played this game a lot when I was young but I never play it alone or with that song we just use some childish song we knew that time whoever still stand is done

    Reply

  4. This one seems really ominous… you’ve invited an entity in your home, and you don’t know if you can abolish it, and there’s no way to know if you’ll escape unscathed if you get either the second or third result.
    The third result seems new-levels-of terrifying. I’d just move out, and never say a word.

    Reply

    • That reddit post was deleted, which leads me to believe it was “fantastical” as the rules do state that “really far out fantastical tales may or may not be removed by the moderators”

      Reply

  8. Has anyone actually tried this game? At the moment it seems people are scared of the concept of playing, but there is no evidence anything happens. I don’t live alone so I can’t try it, as the only room I could use with nobody in it is the bathroom and I can hardly sacrifice that if something goes wrong.

    Reply

    • I have not tried it yet. YET. I’ll try this game, NOT in my home, but in my friends home- with her consent. If any result happens, I’ll be sure to come back to this page!

      Reply

  9. Guys…. Why not just do this in an abandoned building or lot? The only real danger then would be you seeing a demon or a hobo! And if you even do, it won’t happen again if you never return!

    Reply

    • hmm good idea. but the possibility that there’s a spirit or demon in the room with you and you have no way of defending against it. it could be implied you should light the match should the music continue playing. or i guess you could make a salt circle and remain in it until six am but that could be risky.

      Reply

    • Tiptoe through the tulips is a summoning song for evil entities and demonic spirits, which is why it is the recommended song choice for the ritual, as it would probably yield the best result as for the ritual actually working as it should. Hope this helps!

      Reply

    • Maybe because you need to walk around the chair- almost like tiptoe around the tulips
      I mostly recommend you to not use other songs
      Because
      1.) the ritual might not work
      2.) something might go wrong, maybe the summoning of a demon that is NOT the right one
      3.) maybe other danger… illness or/and death

      Reply

  12. What danger could come from walking around a chair 6 times while listening to a weird-ass song? I don’t believe anything would happen. All of these games sound scary, but I don’t think there’s anything to them. It’s basically a poor person’s roller coaster- done for thrills and to get a rush. I tried a couple of them out, exactly as instructed, and I’m still here; no curse, no broken leg, no shadows visiting me at night, nothing. Same old s*it, as they say.

    Reply

    • I just did it! Hahaha quite fast 😛 Really though, I’m not lying, nothing really happened, it was quite creepy because of the song and because you have to play in a dark room, the thing that worried me the most was tripping over because of the chair and hitting my face, but nothing really happened. I’m off to sleep now!

      Reply

  17. How can the music stop playing? I mean… I’m not dissing this but it seems… I don’t know… Very hard to win?

    Reply

    • Possibly, though it sounds highly unsafe. If the entity wants to play, it will stop the music. What could it do to stop your voice? Cut your vocal chords? Knock you out? Kill you? And are you really willing to find out?

      Reply

  23. I played this game, the chair fell over amd seemed to be pushed harshly into he wall, I ran for it.
    That room gives me a horrible vibe whenever I walk past the closed door.

    Me and my sister went into the room, it was freezing and there was a very sinister presence. The chair had been broken.

    I wouldn’t recommend playing this, it’s very scary and now there’s something here in the house with us.

    Reply

    • I highly recommend getting an exorcist to try removing it, getting a priest to bless the people that come to your house often, and having 1 or more person(s) come along with you, then make a large salt circle around the room.

      If that doesn’t work… move into a new house.

      Stay safe.

      Reply

  24. Can I carry a matchbook or lighter with me to light the match when I sit down? Also, could I use a lighter instead of a match?

    Reply

    • Think: if you did that and entered the circle, the barrier would break, meaning the entity can get inside with you.

      Reply

  27. Aw, gawd… It ruined my any liking of this song really. I was damn scared when I’ve read a few instructions to some of these eerie games and yesterday I was humming this in the shower. Now I don’t even know what crap to hum if I’m scared. Probably need to switch to Metallica.

    Reply

  28. Personally, I’ve tried it before. The music stopped, so I sat on my chair and burned the match within 6 seconds. So I wonder, if the music stops, how much time do I have to burn the match before the game somewhat ends?

    Reply

  29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJJgSRk0yK8
    I did it and you can watch my video from the link above to see if it worked. I did play Tiptoe through the Tulips when I did it, but I had to cut up the audio in that part to prevent copyright strikes. I instead added some other regular background music. So you won’t be hearing it, but tiptoe through the tulips is the song i actually played.

    Reply

  30. if i do this on another building, is there any chance the spirit will follow me home when the music keeps playing?

    Reply

  31. I’ve played the game and
    The music didn’t stop!
    An I used a lit candle
    An I tip toe around the chair six times.
    After I went around six times the music had ended then I blew out my candle and for awhile nothing happened right away but like has the song goes there was three knocks at the window and I have it recorded. i don’t know And can’t say for sure but I’ve read up on some of it. the three knocks means a sign of death and then on my evp I asked what was that an my evp said “that”not yet have anything happen since but this happened on 12/26/18 and today is 12/27/18 I will try to let you know if anything else happens. I would to like to know if there is more information on the game as well.
    I am on Facebook as Kristen foster an also on snap as Blackskylit85
    Thank you,

    Reply

  32. Does this mean that nobody can be alone in that room again, or that you (player) are the only person who has to be careful?

    Reply

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