Runnin' with the Devil

How to play Runnin' with the Devil by Van Halen on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 1 you play D, Dm, Cm, Em, G, F and more, the shapes the player above shows.

This song is a great one to learn if you want a steady, driving rock feel that locks in fast once you catch the groove. It sits at a moderate tempo, so you can focus on clean changes and a tight rhythm without feeling rushed.

The chart is built from barre shapes, so your fretting hand needs to stay relaxed and accurate. The main change to watch is the opening move from D# to D#m and then into C#m, since that shift can feel abrupt if you lift too much between shapes.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly: D# - D#m - D# - C#m. Once that feels smooth, add the full song in small sections, keeping your strums even and your chord changes minimal. When the shapes feel automatic, bring the tempo up to match the track.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.