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Soul Asylum - Runaway Train - Guitar Lesson

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Soul Asylum - Runaway Train - Guitar Lesson

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Key C major
Soul Asylum - Runaway Train guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
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Soul Asylum Alternative Rock C major
Capo Advisor 0 C major · Original key

Runaway Train

"Runaway Train" is a power ballad by American alternative rock band Soul Asylum, released in May 1993 as the third single from their sixth album, Grave Dancers Union. It became a worldwide commercial success, reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Canadian RPM 100 chart. For electric guitar players, it offers an accessible yet rewarding study in understated, emotive playing, clean tones, memorable chord progressions, and restrained lead work that serve the song's mood without overcomplicating the parts.

  • The single earned RIAA gold certification after selling 600,000 copies in the United States.
  • "Runaway Train" was the third single from Grave Dancers Union, Soul Asylum's sixth studio album.
  • The song reached number four on the Cash Box Top 100 and number one on Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Dave Pirner uses Strats for their versatile voice across Soul Asylum's catalog, choosing the model when a song calls for bright, articulate single-coil character with smooth tonal blending between pickups.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Dan Murphy's primary choice, the Tele's biting bridge pickup and dynamic single-coils deliver the cutting rhythm attack and responsive overdrive tone central to Soul Asylum's two-guitar arrangements.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard's thick humbuckers and sustain provide a warmer, compressed midrange alternative when Soul Asylum needs fuller-bodied tones without sacrificing the clarity of their amp-driven approach.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Similar to the Standard, the Custom's high-output humbuckers add aggressive push and midrange body for heavier material, allowing the band to achieve crunch while maintaining chord definition.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's natural gain structure and British midrange character deliver the crunch heard on Soul Asylum's harder tracks, pushing single-coils into satisfying saturation while preserving pick dynamics.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Dan Murphy's foundation amp, the Twin Reverb's clean headroom and built-in spring reverb let him achieve bright, articulate tones that sit perfectly in a mix while naturally breaking up when pushed into chorus sections.

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