Nothing in this song sounds like it was altered or sped up to me.

PM me with your email if you want the powertab for Ants. It might still be in the musitions corner acaually if you can be bothered looking. Great song, its so poppy even while being so strange.

Probably his most technically demanding song, those guitar licks are pretty crazy.

bump.

Probably his most technically demanding song, those guitar licks are pretty crazy.

You think? I heard "War" has something like 25 guitar tracks on it! That's crazy!

Anyway, remember the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, or cartoons in general, where someone would go on a picnic and lay out all the food, then they'd show that marching army of ants coming to steal all the food...I cannot help but imagine that everytime I head "Ants." It's a fucking brilliant song!!

As much as I love the song, it's really a style tribute to the UK band The Cardiacs. I presume most people here know of them.

Anyway, remember the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, or cartoons in general, where someone would go on a picnic and lay out all the food, then they'd show that marching army of ants coming to steal all the food...I cannot help but imagine that everytime I head "Ants." It's a fucking brilliant song!!

You just made the song 20 fucking times better for me!

Anyway, remember the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, or cartoons in general, where someone would go on a picnic and lay out all the food, then they'd show that marching army of ants coming to steal all the food...I cannot help but imagine that everytime I head "Ants." It's a fucking brilliant song!!

You just made the song 20 fucking times better for me!

Hahaha! I'm serious, it fits perfectly!! =)

When I was sent Infinity, this was the first song I listened to while I went out on a walk, and I started laughing hysterically, walking up the street while people looked at me strangely.

when I hear that song, I just picture a whole bunch of crazy things at once with Dev's face popping out of random corners singing! I think now I'll try to add Ants into my vision of the song.

I showed my friend the song, and just commented on how progressive it was. I don't know if I should be mad, but everytime i show him a Dev song, he only cares about the level of complexity the song is (in level of guitar/drum playing). I always feel like he should just listen to the song itself because it's brilliant, but thats just me.

i know you could probably find this in musicians corner but i couldn't so i'll put it up here for anyone that wants it some of it doesn't sound right to me but if you want to make some changes very welcome just put it back in musicians corner then only txt version dont know how to put powertab version up! you also have to cut paste txt to notepad and change font to courier. enjoy hopefully!!


ANTS
As recorded by Devin Townsend
(From the 1998 Album INFINITY)


Transcribed by Michael Johnson

Words and Music by Devin Townsend
Arranged by Devin Townsend


Gtr I (C G C G C E) - 'Dev'


Intro
Q=122
13/16 15/16
Gtr I
S S E E E S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S E
|---------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
|-----4---------6-7---|-----4-----6-7-------|-----4-----6-7---------|
|-6-----5-6---------5-|-6-----5-6-----8-8-5-|-6-----5-6-----8-4-8-4-|
|---5-------5-5-------|---5-----------------|---5-------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|


3/4
|-3-| |--3--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|----------------------------------|
|-6h7---9h10--------------------11-|
|-----8------11---------9h11h12----|
|---------------9h11h12------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|


13/16
S S E E E S S S S S S S E E E S S S S S
||----------------------|---------------------|
||o-----4---------6-7---|-----4-----6-7-------|
||--6-----5-6---------5-|-6-----5-6-----8-8-5-|
||----5-------5-5-------|---5-----------------|
||o---------------------|---------------------|
||----------------------|---------------------|


15/16 5/8
|-3-| |--3--|
S S E E E S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----4-----6-7---------|-6-7---9-10--------------------|
|-6-----5-6-----8-4-8-4-|-----8------11---------9h11h12-|
|---5-------------------|---------------9h11h12---------|
|-----------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------|-------------------------------|


1.
4/4
|--3--| |--3--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S Q
|-------------------------------------------14-----||
|-11h12----12h13----13h14----------14h16h17-17----o||
|-------13-------14-------14h16h17-----------------||
|--------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------o||
|--------------------------------------------------||


2.
6/8 4/4
|--3--| |--3--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S H. +Q
|-------------------------------------------|-14-------(14)--|
|-11-12----12-13----13-14----------14-16-17-|-17-------(17)--|
|-------13-------14-------14-16-17----------|----------------|
|-------------------------------------------|----------------|
|-------------------------------------------|----------------|
|-------------------------------------------|----------------|


Chorus
Q=135
4/4
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
||--17-14-14-14-17-14-14-14-17-18-17-14-17-14-14-14-|
||o-------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|
||o-------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|


S S S S S S S S S S S S S E +S 4x
|-17-18-20-18-17-14-14-14-17-18-14-17-14-----------||
|----------------------------------------15-(15)--o||
|--------------------------------------------------||
|--------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------o||
|--------------------------------------------------||


Q=110 Q
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3--| |-3--| |--3--|
E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|----------------------------------------------|
|---------6-------------------------8h11h12-11-|
|-6-6h7h9---9p7-6h7h9--------7h9h11------------|
|---------------------6h8h10-------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|


=135
E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
||-----15-15-19-15----15-19-20-19-15-19-15----15--|
||o-16-------------18----------------------18-----|
||------------------------------------------------|
||------------------------------------------------|
||o-----------------------------------------------|
||------------------------------------------------|


S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-19-20-19-15-19-15----15-19-20-19-15-19-15-----||-|
|-------------------18----------------------15-o||-|
|-----------------------------------------------||-|
|-----------------------------------------------||-|
|----------------------------------------------o||-|
|-----------------------------------------------||-|


S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
||--17-14-14-14-17-14-14-14-17-18-17-14-17-14-14-14-|
||o-------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|
||o-------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|


1.
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-17-18-20-18-17-14-14-14-17-18-17-14-17-14-----||
|-------------------------------------------15-o||
|-----------------------------------------------||
|-----------------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------------o||
|-----------------------------------------------||


2.
3/8
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-11----------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|----12-------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|-------12----------|-12-11-10----------|-11-10-9---------|
|----------13-12-11-|----------12-11-10-|---------11-10-9-|
|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|-----------------|


S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------|----------------|
|---------------|----------------|
|-10-9-8--------|-9h10p9h10p9h10-|
|--------10-9-8-|----------------|
|---------------|----------------|
|---------------|----------------|


7/8 4/4
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E Q. Q. +Q
|-------------------------------5h6h9-/9-|---------------------|
|-------------------------5h6h9----------|---------------------|
|-------------------5h6h9----------------|-10----11----(11)----|
|-------------5h6h9----------------------|--9----12----(12)----|
|-------5h6h9----------------------------|---------------------|
|-5h6h9----------------------------------|---------------------|


4/4
S E S S E S S E S S E S
||--------------------------------------|
||o-------------------------------------|
||--11--9-11-11--9-11-11--9-11-11--9-11-|
||--12-10-12-12-10-12-12-10-12-12-10-12-|
||o-------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------|


13/16
S E S S E S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------o||
|-11--9-11-11--9-<7>-<7>-<7>-<7>-<7>-<7>--||
|-12-10-12-12-10--------------------------||
|----------------------------------------o||
|-----------------------------------------||


Weird Prog Piece
4/4
PM PM PM PM
|-3-| |-3-|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|------------------------------------|----------------------------------6--|
|------11-10-9-7---8-7-5---6-5-------|------11-10-9-7---8-7-5---6-5-6-8----|
|------11--------8-------6-----7-----|------11--------8-------6------------|
|-8-12---------------------------6-5-|-8-12--------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|


4/4
|-3-| |3| |-3-| |3| |-3-|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S a E S S S S E S S S S Q
|-----------------------------------|---------2-4S6-4-4-------------6-6--|
|------11-10-9-7---8-7-5---6-5------|-------3-----------5---------7---7--|
|------11--------8-------6-----7----|-2-4-4---------------6-6-8-8--------|
|-8-12---------------------------/6-|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|


15/16
PM PM PM PM-
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|---------10-9------8-7------6-5-----|---------10-9------8-7------6-5-----|
|------10------12-9-----10-7-----5---|------10------12-9-----10-7-----5---|
|-9-12-----------------------------5-|-9-12-----------------------------5-|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|


-| PM
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|--------------------------------------|
|---------10-9------8-7------6-5-------|
|------10------12-9-----10-7-----5-----|
|-9-12-----------------------------5---|
|--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------|


4/4
|3| |-3-| |3| |-3-| |3| |-3-| |-------7-------|
E S S S S S E S S S S E S S S S a S S S S S S
|-----------2-4S6-4-4-------------6-8S10-8-8------|
|---------3-----------5---------7------------9----|
|---2-4-4---------------6-6-8-8----------------10-|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|


9/8
|3-| |--3--| |3-| |--3--| |3-| |--3--|
E S S S S E S S S S S E S S S S S Q
|---------------10-12S14-12-12-------------------14-14---|
|------------11----------------13-------------15----17---|
|---10-12-12----------------------14-14-16-16------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|


4/4
PM PM
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|---------10-9------8-7------6-5-----|---------10-9------8-7------6-5-----|
|------10------12-9-----10-7-----5---|------10------12-9-----10-7-----5---|
|-9-12-----------------------------7-|-9-12-----------------------------7-|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|


S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|--------------------------------------|
|---------10-9------8-7------6-5-------|
|------10------12-9-----10-7-----5-----|
|-9-12-----------------------------7---|
|--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------|


9/8
|3| |-3-| |3| |-3-| |3| |-3-| |3| |-3-| |-3-|
E S S S S S E S S S S E S S S S E S S S S S S
|-----------2-4S5-3-3-------------5-7S9-7-7-----|
|---------3-----------4---------6-----------8---|
|---2-4-4---------------5-5-7-7---------------9-|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|


|3| |-3--| |3-| |--3--| |3-| |--3--|
E S S S S S E S S S S E S S S S S a Q
|--------------9-11S13-11-11-------------------13-16S17\----|
|-----------10---------------12-------------14--------------|
|---9-11-11---------------------13-13-15-15-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|


Ending Sweeps
15/16
|---3----| |-----3-----| |-----------6-----------| |-----3-----| |------------6-------------|
S S T T T T T T S S S T T T T T T S S S T T T T S T T T S T T T T T
|-------------------13-16-17-16-13-13----------------------------------14-16-18-17-16-15-15-------------|
|----------------14-------------------14----------------------------14----------------------16----------|
|-------------15-------------------------15----------------------15----------------------------17-------|
|----------15-------------------------------15----------------15----------------------------------18-15-|
|-13-16-16-------------------------------------16-14-13-16-16-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Q
3/4
|----------6----------|
+S S T T T T S S S S T T T T Q
|------------------15-18-20-18-15-15----------22--|
|---------------16-------------------16-----------|
|------------17-------------------------17--------|
|-(15)-18-18-------------------------------18-----|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|


=135
4/4
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
||--17-14-14-14-17-14-14-14-17-18-17-14-17-14-14-14-|
||o-------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|
||o-------------------------------------------------|
||--------------------------------------------------|


S S S S S S S S S S S S S E +S 3x
|-17-18-20-18-17-14-14-14-17-18-14-17-14----------||
|----------------------------------------15-(15)-o||
|-------------------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------------------o||
|-------------------------------------------------||


Outro
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-17-14-14-14-17-14-14-14-17-18-17-14-17-14-14-14-|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|


T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T E Q
|-22p20p18p17p14h17h18h20-22p20p18p17p14h17h18h20-22p20p18p17--------*|
|-------------------------------------------------------------15-14--*|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------*|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------*|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------*|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------*|




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff

Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
<n> - natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash

Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - <E/E./Q/Q./H/H.> = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
[/img]

Totally off topic,

Try listening to Infinity and especially Ants on your Xbox 360 if you have one.

The visulisations add a little pizzaz to the music, it looks like the inside of Devin's mind!!

There's no other song like Ants in any of the Devin collection. It's so different, you don't know what to make of it, but different in a good way.

I love this song's insanity so much, I complemented it with an insane music video last year. Not many people have seen it though. Tell me what you think.

http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/brainsandwitch

Woah, that was totally berserko! *still twitching*

Well done.

There's no other song like Ants in any of the Devin collection. It's so different, you don't know what to make of it, but different in a good way.

I love this song's insanity so much, I complemented it with an insane music video last year. Not many people have seen it though. Tell me what you think.

http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/brainsandwitch

Briliant. It completely visualises the song for me.