My TAB of "Runnin' With The Devil"

[garbeaj]

I've been wanting to share some of the TAB's I have done here and if you have seen the "Help With Posting a pdf?" thread, you'll know that I am fairly computer illiterate and I've been having trouble posting complete TAB's.

With the help of rgorke, I have been able to get the TAB's I recently did for "Runnin' With The Devil" from the Van Halen LP into a pdf format that hopefully will be easily viewed by everyone. I used the "Guitar Track" only clips that are available on YouTube as the main reference (the one posted by YouTube user "Hazardous Youth" is the best one because it features the rhythm guitar under the solos). I have also used my DCC Compact Classics 24K Gold Master Recording CD of Van Halen to compare to all these "Guitar Track" only clips and the pitch matches identically as far as I have been able to determine. I have been using my 1975-1976 era Ibanez Destroyer for working out this TAB if anyone cares to know.

So here goes the first page:


I think this song has been underserved by those who usually transcribe it and play it. The official Cherry Lane/Wolf Marshall transcription leaves out alot and it uses repeat instructions for whole phrases, even when some of the repeated phrases of the main riff are not played quite exactly the same way every time.

As with anything I post, I must say that this is my interpretation of what I have found. I am absolutely open to any other observations that anyone else has. I am not saying that this is what Eddie played and all others are wrong and must "Kneel Before Zod". This is simply my interpretation of what I hear at this moment. For example, efraser already caught an error that occurred when this was first posted as a test run in the "Help With Posting a PDF" thread. Part of the first solo had been cut off in the scanning process, but Eric spotted it right away. I totally welcome and appreciate opinions and thoughts on this TAB. I'm always open to learning more.

[garbeaj]

And here are the other three pages. This also has a correction at the beginning of Page 3 that efraser caught earlier at the end of the first solo:

RWTD2.pdf

(280.4 KiB) Downloaded 405 times

RWTD3a.pdf

(316.06 KiB) Downloaded 385 times

RWTD4.pdf

(288.86 KiB) Downloaded 364 times

[garbeaj]

Now for some comments on my take on "Runnin' With The Devil"...

This song is often thought of as one of the most simple songs in the Van Halen catalog. But, in my opinion, it is also one of the least understood songs in the catalog.

I'll start with the tuning (which you will see has been perplexing me for 30 years and especially lately in dazzlindino's "Van Halen 1 Tuning" thread http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=39387")

I had been tuning to this by ear for 30 years, but I never got it right until recently. In the "Van Halen 1 Tuning" thread you will see that I have finally gotten a Peterson StroboClip virtual strobe tuner, and after many attempts, I think I have zeroed in on the tuning that was used on the record. (I'm still looking for someone with a "real" strobe tuner with cent values represented to check my tunings to a cent by the way...) *EDIT* I later got a Peterson Strobo Plus HD and have checked and notated these tunings in cent values

Many have supposed that the guitar was simply tuned down 1/2 step and then the B string was tuned to or near a "beatless third" for the three note major chords that are present so often in the main riff. Some of these people also suppose that any variation in pitch from this "1/2 step down with a 'beatless third to taste' tuning" was due to tape speed manipulation or accidental variations in pitch from the tape/analog recording process. I had long supposed that it was down to Ed's whim and that he had Michael Anthony tune his bass to whatever Eddie happened to be tuned to at that moment. I don't know the answer to that question definitively, but my guess is still the latter.

Using my ear to tune to notes from the recording and double-checking it against the Peterson StroboPlus HD in it's "Sweetened Guitar" mode and using it's variable cent mode, I have come up with the following pitches. (these are referenced at the top of Page 1 of my TAB)

Tune down 1/2 step in "Sweetened Guitar" mode:
6th string (Low E)......+29.0 cents
5th string................+35.0 cents
4th string................+35.0 cents
3rd string................+35.0 cents
2nd string................+29.0 cents
1st string (High E)......+15.0 cents

It seems crazy, and I've gone over this many, many times, but this is what I have.

[EJSLPlexi]

is it true to play this track the B string actually has to be tuned so that a bar chord on the ADGB strings will ring intonated?
what i mean is when i tune regular with a tuner the B string is always out of tune for the E chord(b string included in chord)

[garbeaj]

My next point...

I believe that the power of the recording and of the song has a lot to do with sustaining the chords of the riff as long as possible and also letting the power slides linger as long as possible before recovering to start the chords again. Eddie was usually so concerned with cramming in all the natural harmonic phrases and dive bombs in live versions that I always felt the song and riff lost it's power.

The really tricky part of the riff (once you have the tuning sorted) is the "power slide" segment that occurs at various points in the riff as it repeats throughout the song. Most often, the power slide down begins at the 19th fret of the low E string, but sometimes it begins at the 17th fret of the low E. This has been often debated and I offer my take on it here. I'm not saying this is the only way to get this portion right, but it is the best I have been able to come up with. Some have tried to notate a quick pick slide before the power slide. I did that for many years, but it never seemed to work quite right.

I have notated a very quick "accidental-on-purpose" backwards strum of the open D and A strings which is then muffled quickly as I move my left hand index finger up to begin the slide (either from the 19th fret or the 17th fret as I mentioned). This noise that happens before the slide is the key to making this riff work as powerfully as it does on the record. I think that when I do this quick strum and mute of the open D and A strings, combined with the noise of my left hand moving up to begin the slide may give me what I think is happening on the record. I could be 100% wrong, but this is how I see it now. Bear in mind that this part is really wide open to interpretation.

I did not include left hand fingerings for this tune, but left hand fingering is very important to executing this properly. I may add left hand fingerings at some point, but I use my left hand index finger to make the barre chords in the main riff. This is how Eddie does it in the Warner Bros. video and in the live clips.

I then use my left hand index finger to finger the power slides in the main riff as well. I can't tell how Eddie does this part in the Warner Bros. video, but I'm sure he uses some other finger than what I have chosen when he plays this live. I chose to use my left hand index finger for the slides like this because I like to "draw out" the power slides down as long as possible (down to the 5th fret of the low E string as I have notated it). Using my left hand index finger allows me to sustain the slide all the way down to the 5th fret and then quickly move my left hand index finger to bar the D,G and B strings at the 5th fret for the C maj triad that begins the riff again. You may find some other way of doing it that is more comfortable, but I have chosen this left hand fingering because it is another thing that allows me to sustain the chords and power slides in the riff as long as is humanly possible. And as I've said before, the "drawing out" or sustaining of the ringing chords and power slides is a big part of what makes this seemingly stupid-simple basic riff have the power that it does on the recording (in addition to other factors like the recording/mixing process).

The left hand fingering is crucial to playing the solos properly too. Maybe at some point I will add the left hand fingerings, but I'm still fighting with learning how to post pdf.'s!

[garbeaj]

is it true to play this track the B string actually has to be tuned so that a bar chord on the ADGB strings will ring intonated?
what i mean is when i tune regular with a tuner the B string is always out of tune for the E chord(b string included in chord)

The basic answer is yes, though the bar chord actually only covers the D,G and B strings during the main riff. He does play a full 7th position E bar chord with the open low E ringing on the very last notes of the song though and it still works. (This final chord was also not transcibed correctly in the Cherry Lane TAB...they have it as a continuation of the major triad on the D,G and B strings as it was played during the main riff throughout the song followed by the ending slide of all the barred notes downward that closes the song.)

If you look at the reference pitches that I have left in the above post and at the top of Page 1 of my TAB, you will see that the Low E, the B string and the High E are tuned to a completely different pitch reference than the 5th, 4th and 3rd strings.

The B string (2nd string) pitch reference is A=448 and the pitch reference for the 4th and 3rd strings is A=449. This in effect gives you, more or less, a "beatless third". But again, remember that the B string isn't the only string that is out of tune with the rest of the strings.

The High E string is tuned way off from the other strings at A=444. I have no idea why this is, but I have checked this with the very few times in the song that he actually plays notes on the high E...the backwards strummed open Em at the end of the quiet verses going into the choruses, the natural harmonic runs in the quiet verses and in the solos.

You will really hear this High E string resonate just so with the G and B strings in the natural harmonic runs in the quiet verses.

Ordinarily, it would seem crazy to tune the high E string completely out of whack with the other strings, but it works.

I think this high E at A=444 tuning is also evident because he chooses not to add the high octave G note in the open G power chord during the rhythm track of the solos. He instead plays that chord by muting and/or omitting playing the high E string at all. This way he avoids the obvious out of tune sound that would result if he added the high G on the 1st string against the D on the 2nd string and the rest of the open G power chord. He also plays the three note power chord that closes the solo rhythm using the open Low E and 2nd fret of the 5th and 4th strings...NOT the full open E power chord that would add the B and high E as many would normally play it.

I think he gets away with strumming the full, open Em with the high E, the open B and the open G ringing (along with the rest of the Em chord) at the end of the quiet verses even though the high E is way out of tune with the rest of the strings because the guitar's volume is lower and because he exaggerates the open Em chord by using a "backwards strum/rake" and picking the backwards strum/rake close to the bridge. Just a theory and I know it may not hold up in a court of law, but again, this is my take on what I'm hearing.

[garbeaj]

Next point...

Until the "Guitar Track" only clips became available through Guitar Hero, I never heard the behind the bridge rakes that occur during the riff in some spots. These rakes occur at various points when the D major triad is sustained. As you hold this barre chord, strum a backwards rake behind the bridge as you do on the intro and you will have it. You have to listen carefully to the recording to really hear it, but playing along with the guitar track will help.

The opening behind the bridge rake that kicks off the song is obvious. Of course duplicating that rake is only possible on a Tune-O-Matic style bridge, such as the one that Eddie had on his Destroyer. Once the strings are tuned correctly, you will find that you will be able to identically duplicate this rake if you have a guitar with a Tune-O-Matic style bridge like a Les Paul,an SG, an Explorer...or a Destroyer like mine, or Strat78's or Ed's.

[garbeaj]

Next point...

When the "Best of Van Halen" compilation first came out, there were some instances of riffs and vocals that were inserted in the wrong place in the mastering. In my mind, this may lend credence to what I believe about the sequencing of this recording.

The instances where the main riff of "Runnin' With The Devil" occurs is stunningly powerful and consistent. I believe a lot of this consistency in attack and power throughout all these repetitions of the riff comes as a result of the riff being played only once or a few times and then the various repeated sections of the riff were flown in during the recording process.

To back up what I'm saying, I hear the behind the bridge strum that occurs during the riff in places seems to happen with the identical timing and attack in several spots. I also hear the power slides maintain a level of "power" for lack of a better term through out the song (although as I have pointed out there are differences in this "power slide", especially when they start at either the 17th or the 19th fret of the Low E string.)

I think the mastering process on the first runs of the "Best of" CD show were easily screwed up because they may have mis-labelled a track or two of the playing of the main riff that they may have used to compile the complete track on the initial recording.

Anyway, it is fucking difficult to keep the excitement consistently up as far as the "power slide" segment of the main riff goes, even for Eddie in a live situation. If you listen to the live versions of the song, you can hear the slide being somewhat flaccid, especially upon being repeated so many times. Eddie tries to keep this simple riff from sounding boring when he plays it live by cramming in all the natural and artificial harmonics and whammy bar squeals that he can. I don't think the results end up being as powerful as the record though (just my humble opinion). I think the recording process kept the enthusiasm of the power slides and the main riff in general up very high and more consistent than would ordinarily be possible when tracking the song in one complete and continuous live take.

You have to really commit to making those power slides exciting to keep this riff from sounding half-assed and weak. Just check out virtually everyone's clips of "Runnin' With The Devil" on this forum or on YouTube, including mine

[garbeaj]

Next point...

I used my 1975-1976 era Ibanez Destroyer to work out this TAB and that guitar has a new Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge. I also used my Rockstah modded Marshall JCM800 2 x 12 combo and my 1965 Fender Super Reverb connected via a David Bray Line-Out box when I worked on this song plugged in.

This gear run down is relevant to the volume swells...I have notated that I put the guitar's volume down to about 4 or 5 on the volume knob when I roll the volume down. This setting allows me to get a very accurate approximation of the quiet sounds in the verse sections including the natural harmonic runs and the double-stop trill. I then raise the volume to full after I backwards strum the open Em chord and lead into the choruses.

This works for me and my setup. If you have different pickups and amps and other factors, you will likely need to experiment with the guitar's volume knob setting and how far you may need to roll down your volume knob to clean up properly.

[uiovbged332]

Jordan 11
Air Force 1 Low
Nike Air Max
Nike Shoes For Women
Pandora Charms
Basketball Shoes
Red Bottom Shoes For Women
Yeezy
Nike Factory Store
Nike Air Max 270
Christian Louboutin
Nike Outlet
Fjallraven Backpack
Christian Louboutin Shoes
Pandora Jewelry Official Site
Nike Sneakers
Louboutin Outlet
Louboutin
Air Max 95
Nike M2k Tekno
Nike Outlet Store Online
Nike Outlet
Pandora Canada
Louboutin Shoes
Yeezy Boost
Christian Louboutin
Yeezy Boost 350
Adidas Yeezy
Nike Air Uptempo
Nike Running Shoes For Women
Nike Outlet Store
Yeezy Shoes
Yeezy Boost
Nike Clearance
Nike Air Force 1
Pandora Jewelry Official Site
Nike Store
Christian Louboutin Shoes Outlet
Nike Free
Pandora Necklace Women
Christian Louboutin UK
Stan Smith Adidas Sneakers
Cheap Nike Shoes
Nike Factory Outlet Store Online
Nike Clearance Outlet
Lebron 16
Asics
Air Force Ones
Pandora Jewelry
Nike Clearance
Nike Air Max 720
Air Max 720
Nike Shoes Cyber Monday
Nike Air Max 98 Gundam
Nike Factory
Louboutin Outlet
Jordan Kids
Air Max 98 Gundam
Air Max 2019
Red Bottom Shoes
Nike Outlet
Red Bottom Heels
Jordan Retro 13
Nike Cortez
Pandora UK
Nike Air Presto
Nike Shoes
Nike Factory Outlet
Pandora Bracelets
Womens Nike Shoes
Yeezy 500 Blush
Lebron 17
Nike Factory Outlet
New Nike
Pandora Charms
Christian Louboutin shoes
Nike Factory Store
Adidas Sneakers
Nike Outlet Store Online Shopping
Jordan Sneakers
Louboutin Shoes
Nike Outlet Store Online Shopping
Pandora
Nike Zoom Winflo 5
Ferragamo
Adidas NMD
Pandora Bracelets For Women
Ferragamo Belt
Adidas Ultra Boost
Jordans Retro
Nike Shoes
NMD
Pandora Rings
Air Jordans Sneakers
Nike Clearance Store
Lebron 16
Nike Huarache Men
Nike Shoes 2019
Nike Shoes
Pandora Bracelet Charms
Ferragamo
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36
Basketball Shoes
Pandora Necklace
Cheap Nike Shoes
Pandora Jewelry Store
Adidas Ultra Boost
Lebron 16
Nike KD Shoes
Nike Clearance Store
New Nike
New Nike Shoes 2019
Nike Shoes For Women
Valentino
Nike Sneakers
Kyrie Irving Shoes
Nike Shoes Outlet Online Store
Moncler Outlet
Nike Free
Nike Air Max 95
Louboutin Heels
Pandora
Air Jordan Sneakers
Nike Yeezy
Yeezys
Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
Nike Sneakers For Men
Michael Jordan Shoes
Christian Louboutin Outlet
Nike Air Force
Nike Sneakers For Women
Jordan Shoes
Pandora
Kyrie Irving Shoes
Vans
Adidas Yeezy
Lebrons Shoes
Nike Outlet
Jordan 11 Gamma Blue
Yeezy Boost 350
Nike Factory
Golden Goose