Author/Artist: Kansas
Title: The Devil Game
Album: Song For America
Transcribed by: J. Chitty
Email: jchitty_16@yahoo.com
NEXT SONG: Show Me The Way (Solo) - Styx
This is an awesome song that I had never heard before
until someone requested to me to tab it out. Now I
love the song.
In the recording, there is only one guitar until the
solo, where one guitar does the background riff and
the other one does the solo (there’s also the short
harmonized solo, the only place Guitar 3 comes in).
I’m going to tab it just like it’s recorded. But if
you’re playing it in a band, just have both guitars
do the same thing until the solo and then you can
split them up, obviously.
********************************************************
Like most Kansas songs, “THE DEVIL GAME” IS MUSICALLY
COMPLICATED AND I STRONGLY RECOMMEND LOOKING AT THE SONG
ORDER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TAB SO YOU DON’T GET CONFUSED.
********************************************************
Guitar 1 – Everything else
Guitar 2 – Solo Guitar
INTRO (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------0----0----------------------------------------|
D|---------0--------0-------0-2----------------------------|
A|-------2------------3-2-3-----3v--3v---------------------|
E|-(3)-3---------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------0----0----------------------------------------|
D|---------0--------0-------0-2----------------------------|
A|-------2------------3-2-3-----3v--3v---------------------|
E|-(3)-3---------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------3----3-----------0----------------------------|
A|-------0-3--------3-1-0-1-3---1v--1v---------------------|
E|-(1)-1---------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------3----3-----------0----------------------------|
A|-------0-3--------3-1-0-1-3---1v--1v---------------------|
E|-(1)-1---------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|-3-5-5-5v--3----3-5-5-5v-------3-5-5-5v--3----3-5-5-5v---|
VERSE 2
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------(0)--------------|
D|---7--7p5--------5v--5--7--7----5--5--7------------------|
A|----------5-7v----------------5----3--5------------------|
E|-5--------------------5----------------------------------|
CHORUS 1
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------0-2-4----------------------------|
D|------------------0-2-3-------------------7-----7--------|
A|-----0-1v---3v--3----------------0-2-3--0-5--5--5-5------|
E|-1-3---------------------------3-------------3----3------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------0-2-4----------------------------|
D|------------------0-2-3-------------------7--7--5--------|
A|-----0-1v-0-3v--3----------------0-2-3--0-5--5--3-5------|
E|-1-3---------------------------3------------------3------|
INTERLUDE
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------(0)--------------|
D|---7--7p5--------5v--5--7--7----5--5--7------------------|
A|----------5-7v----------------5----3--5------------------|
E|-5--------------------5----------------------------------|
VERSE 2
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------(0)--------------|
D|---7--7p5--------5v--5--7--7----5--5--7------------------|
A|----------5-7v----------------5----3--5------------------|
E|-5--------------------5----------------------------------|
CHORUS 2
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------0-2-4----------------------------|
D|------------------0-2-3-------------------7-----7--------|
A|-----0-1v-0-3v--3----------------0-2-3--0-5--5--5-5------|
E|-1-3---------------------------3-------------3----3------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------0-2-4----------------------------|
D|------------------0-2-3---------------7--7---5-----------|
A|-----0-1v-0-3v--3--------------5--5---5--5---3-5-7-------|
E|-1-3---------------------------3--3------------3-5-------|
BRIDGE/INSTRUMENTAL 1 RIFF (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------9~--7--------9~--7--------9~--7--------7----------|
A|-7-7-7-7~--5--7-7-7-7~--5--7-7-7-7~--5--7--5--5----------|
E|----------------------------------------5--3-------------|
PM . . . . . . . . .
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------9~--7--------9~--7--------9~--7--9--7--------7----|
A|-7-7-7-7~--5--7-7-7-7~--5--7-7-7-7~--5--7--5--7--9--5----|
E|----------------------------------------------5--7-------|
PM . . . . . . . . .
(Guitar 2)
e|-12~--------12-------pb----------------------------------|
B|-15b17v~----15b17----17r15--12---------------------------|
G|-------------------------------14p12-----14p12-----------|
D|-------------------------------------14--------14--------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-12--12b14----------------12b14-12-----------------------|
D|----------14p12----12--14----------14-12-----------------|
A|----------------14-----------------------14-13-12-10-----|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12p10----10----10----------10---10-12p10-12p10----------|
E|-------12----12----12-10-12----12------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------12----------------12----12------|
D|----------12--12-14-12-14--14p12-14--12-14----14---------|
A|-12/14-14---14-------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-12b14r12b14r12b14r12b14r12----12b14r12------------------|
D|----------------------------14----------14-12-14-12-14---|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-12-14—14b16v---12-14-12-14-12h14-12---12^--12^----------|
D|-----------------------------------------14---14---------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------11-12----11-12-14b16v---14b16v----------|
D|-12-14--11-12-14-------14--------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------15~-----------------pb--------pb---------pb-----|
G|-14b16v----pb16r14~--12h14---16r14-----16r14------16r14--|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-pb-------pb-------pb------------------------------------|
G|-16r14----16r14----16r14---12-14-12-14—12h14-14----------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-12^-----------------------------------------------------|
D|----14-12------------------------------------------------|
A|----------x-13-12--10-12-10v-----------------------------|
E|------------------------------12\-5-7--7\\---------------|
GUITAR SOLO 2(also BRIDGE)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-15b17-b17-b17-15v--12----15b17-b17-b17-15v--12----------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------15b17-15v----------------------|
B|-15b17-b17-b17-15v--12-----------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------pb--------------------------------------------|
B|-15b17vv---17r15-12--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------14b16-14-12------------------12------|
D|--------------------------------14-12-14-x-12-14----14---|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-12b14--12---------------------------12------------------|
D|-----------12v-14v-------12vv--12-14----14---------------|
A|--------------------14v----------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------12----12-15p12-15-15b17vv----15^---------------|
G|-14p12-14----14----------------------------14------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|-15b17~---15-12-15-12----------12------------------------|
B|----------------------15-12-15-12-15-12h15-12------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12------------------------------------------------------|
G|----14-12------------------------------------------------|
D|----------14-12-14~-14v--14v-----------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
INTERLUDE (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-9----7~--------9----7~----------------------------------|
A|-7----5~--------7----5~----------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
INSTRUMENTAL 1 (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------7---7---7---7---7--9----------------|
A|-7----7--7-7----7--7-5---5---5---5---5--7----------------|
E|-5----5--5-5----5--5-------------------------------------|
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/k/kansas/77134.html ]
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------7---7---7---7---7--9----------------|
A|-7----7--7-7----7--7-5---5---5---5---5--7----------------|
E|-5----5--5-5----5--5-------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------7---7---7---7---7--7-------------|
A|-7----7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-5---5---5---5---5--5-------------|
E|-5----5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5----------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------7---7---7---7---7--7-------------|
A|-7----7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-5---5---5---5---5--5-------------|
E|-5----5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5----------------------------------|
BRIDGE 1 (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|-7--------7-7-7-7---7-7---7-7-7-7---7-7------------------|
E|-5--------5-5-5-5---5-5---5-5-5-5---5-5------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------5--------------------|
A|-7--------7-7-7-7---7-7---7-7-7-7---3--------------------|
E|-5--------5-5-5-5---5-5---5-5-5-5------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--------7-7-7-7---7-7-----7-7-7-7---7------------------|
A|-5--------5-5-5-5---5-5--7--5-5-5-5---5------------------|
E|-------------------------5-------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------5--------------------------------|
D|-7--------5-5-5-5---5-5-3--5-5-5-5---5-5-----------------|
A|-5--------3-3-3-3---3-3----3-3-3-3---3-3-----------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--------7-7-7-7---7------7-7-7-7---7-------------------|
A|-5--------5-5-5-5---5------5-5-5-5---5-------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-9~----9~----10~----10~-------------------7-7------------|
A|-7~----7~-----8~-----8~---------5--5---5--5-5------------|
E|--------------------------------3--3---3-----------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--9--9--7-9------7--9-9-------7------------------------|
A|-5--7--7--5-7------5--7-7----5--5------------------------|
E|-----------------------------3---------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--9--9--7-9------7--9---------7------------------------|
A|-5--7--7--5-7------5--7------5--5------------------------|
E|-----------------------------3---------------------------|
BACKGROUND RIFF to G. Solo 3
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--9--9--7-9--------------------------------------------|
A|-5--7--7--5-7----5-7-5-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------7-5~--7-3~--5~--------------------|
GUITAR SOLO 3 (Guitar 2)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------5b8~--r5\\-------------------------|
A|-x--[7]--[7]-[5]-x-x-------------8--x-8--7-{7}//---------|
E|-------------------x------------------------------12\\---|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------pb------------------------------|
G|--------------{7}--{9}--{12r9}-7h9p7h9p7h9\\-4//---------|
D|----------7/9--------------------------------------------|
A|-5h7b9r7-------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------{15}--b16-15b17r15b17r15--------------------|
G|-{12}--{12}----------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------12------------------------------------|
G|-14b16vv--14-12-14----12^--------------------------------|
D|--------------------------14v-\\-------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------15b17vv-----15-12-15p12--------------|
G|-----------12----12-------------------------14-----------|
D|-----12-14----14-----------------------------------------|
A|-/14-----------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12h15-15--12--------------------------------------------|
G|--------------14-12-14b16v--r14\\------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------0\\\-----------------|
*divebomb with whammy bar
BRIDGE 3 (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--9--9--7-9--------------------------------------------|
A|-5--7--7--5-7----5-7-5-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------7-5~--7-3~--5~--------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-7--9--9--7-9--------------------7~------7~----7---------|
A|-5--7--7--5-7----5-7-5-------5~--5~--5~--5~--5-5---------|
E|-----------------------7-5~--3~------3~------3-----------|
INSTRUMENTAL
(same as instrumental 1)
GUITAR SOLO 4
|(Guitar 2)
| A5 D5
e|--------------------------19-17----19-17-----------17--17|
B|--------------------------------19-------19--19----------|
G|-19b21-21v----19b21-21v-------------------------19-------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
|(Guitar 3)
e|--------------------------19-17----19-17-----------17----|
B|-------pb-----------pb----------19-------19--19--------17|
G|-16b18-18v----16b18-18v-------------------------19-------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
|(Guitar 2)
| A5 A5
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-20b22--17---------------pb-----------pb-----------------|
G|------------18-----19b21-21v----19b21-21v----------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
|(Guitar 3)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|-14b15--14---------------pb-----------pb-----------------|
G|------------14-----16b18-18v----16b18-18v----------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
|(Guitar 2)
|D5 A5
e|-19p17-19p17--------------17--17-------------------------|
B|-------------19-17--19---------------20b22--17-----------|
G|-----------------------19----------------------18--------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
|(Guitar 3)
e|-19p17-19p17--------------17-----------------------------|
B|-------------19-17--19--------17-----14b15--14-----------|
G|-----------------------19----------------------14--------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
BACKGROUND to Violin Solo (Guitar 1)
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-3~--------3-5~------------------------------------------|
A|-1~--------1-3~--------0--1-3v---1v--0-------------------|
E|--------------------3------------------------------------|
CHORUS 3 (Same as chorus 1)
VERSE 3
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---7--7----------5v-----7--7----5--5--7------------------|
A|----------5-7v----------------5----3--5------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
CHORUS 4 (same as chorus 2)
OUTRO
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------10--9--7--5--4--7----------------------|
A|-7---5-7----5-7---8---7--5--3--2--5----------------------|
E|-5---3-5----3-5------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|-9---7-9----7-9------------------------------------------|
A|-7---5-7----5-7---12--10-9--7--5--4--3--2--5-7-7--5--7\\-|
E|------------------10--8--7--5--3--2--1--0--3-5-5--3--5\\-|
SONG ORDER
Intro 1x (Guitar 1)
Verse 1 4x (Guitar 1)
Chorus 1 1x (Guitar 1)
Interlude 2x (Guitar 1)
Verse 2 4x (Guitar 1)
Chorus 2 1x (Guitar 1)
Guitar Solo 1 1x (Guitar 2)(Guitar 1 instrumental 1 riff 3x under G. solo)
Keyboard Solo 1x (Guitar 1 instrumental 1 riff 1x under K. solo)
G. Solo2/Bridge1 1x (Guitar 2)(Guitar 1 bridge riff 2x under vocals g.solo)
Interlude 1x (Guitar 1)
Instrumental 1 1x (Guitar 1)
Bridge 2 1x (Guitar 1)
Guitar Solo 3 1x (Guitar 2)(Guitar 1 background riff 4x under G. Solo)
Bridge 3 1x (Guitar 1)
Instrumental 2 1x (Guitar 1)(repeat of 1st instr., ONLY FIRST HALF OF IT)
Guitar Solo 4 1x (Guitars 2&3)(Guitar 1 does power chords written above
solo)
BG to Viol. Solo 1x (Guitar 1)
Chorus 3 1x (Guitar 1)(same as Chorus 1)
Verse 3 4x (Guitar 1)
Chorus 4 1x (Guitar 1)(same as Chorus 2)
Outro 1x (Guitar 1)
KEY/LEGEND
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| // slide up to infinity
| \\ slide down to infinity
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| b bend
| r release bend
| pb pre-bend (appears above pre-bent note)
| ^ micro-bend
| PM... Palm mute – notes w/the dots directly beneath them are P.M.
| v vibrato
| x Mute note
| x\ pick slide down
| x/ pick slide up
| ~ let note ring
| (+1/2) up (+)or down (-)on whammy bar, number indicates amount of whammy
(1/2=1 fret)
| (5) Ghost note
| <> natural harmonic (finger touches string lightly above fret-
usually the 5th, 7th, or 12th fret)
| [] artificial harmonic (picked usually at 5, 7, or 12 frets above the
note being played, thumb follows through with
pick attack)
| {} pinch harmonic (thumb follows through in pick attack at place
where the pinch harmonic is found)
