Wicked Game — One String Guitar Tab
Chris Isaak
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Practice Tips
- 1Start slow — use the 0.5x speed option
- 2Focus on one note at a time
- 3Keep your fretting hand relaxed
Similar Melodies
About This Melody
Wicked Game by Chris Isaak is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs in rock history. Released in 1989 and later featured in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart, the song became a worldwide hit thanks to its dreamy, reverb-drenched guitar and Chris Isaak's soaring vocals. The melody is pure emotion distilled into the simplest possible form. This one-string version uses the 2nd (B) string and frets 0 through 7 — with only 10 notes, it's the shortest melody on the entire site. Despite its brevity, every note carries weight, making it one of the most expressive pieces you can play as a beginner.
How to Play
- This melody uses just the 2nd string (B string) of your guitar. The fret sequence is: 0, 7, 7, 0, 0, 7, 5, 3, 2, 0.
- The melody has two halves. The first half echoes between the open string and fret 7: play open (0), jump to fret 7 (twice), then back to open (0, twice). This creates a haunting, call-and-response feel.
- The second half begins on fret 7 again, then descends step by step: 7, 5, 3, 2, and finally back to the open string (0).
- That's the entire melody — just ten notes. The first half bounces between low and high, and the second half walks smoothly down to rest.
- Wicked Game is all about mood. Play each note slowly and let it sustain before moving to the next. The space between notes is just as important as the notes themselves. Think of it as whispering, not speaking — gentle and unhurried.
- There's no need to rush to a specific tempo. The original has a dreamy, floating feel at around 56 BPM. Let the melody breathe and focus on making each note ring clean and clear.
Common Mistakes
Rushing through the melody — with only 10 notes, it's tempting to play it fast. But Wicked Game needs space and silence between notes. Let each one linger. Not giving the open string notes enough presence — fret 0 appears four times and anchors the melody. Make sure the open string rings fully each time rather than being treated as a throwaway. Making the descent (7, 5, 3, 2, 0) sound mechanical — these five notes should flow smoothly into each other like a sigh. Keep the transitions gentle and even. Picking too hard — this is a soft, atmospheric song. Use a light touch on the string to match the dreamy mood of the original.