Piano chords · Dreamy ballad
How to play If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets) on piano
By Joe Diffie
- G major
- 4/4
- 138 BPM
- 1989
- Easy
Learn If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets) in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: E – A7 – D7 – G
If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets) sits in G major: G is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: E is E, G# and B; A7 is A, C#, E and G; D7 is D, F#, A and C; G is G, B and D. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
EVIA7II7D7V7GI- EE · G# · B
- A7A · C# · E · G
- D7D · F# · A · C
- GG · B · D
- 2
Left hand: Tumble down
Three notes falling down the chord, one per beat, then a rest. Musicians call it broken chord 8-5-1 (broken chord), an easy pattern heard in 635 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Run-up chords
Four steady chords plus a quick extra one leading into the next bar. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 138 BPM
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: A7 – D7 – G
The last chords are II7 – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
A7D7G
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Questions about If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)
What chords are in If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)?
The loop is E – A7 – D7 – G (VI – II7 – V7 – I) in G major, and the song ends on A7 – D7 – G.
What key is If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets) in?
G major, at about 138 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)?
Tumble down: broken chord 8-5-1, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets) easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.