Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream - Guitar Lesson

Practice Studio

Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E major
Tom Petty - Runnin' Down A Dream guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 123Kviews
Creator Page →
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Listen on Spotify
Tom Petty Rock E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

Runnin' Down A Dream

"Runnin' Down a Dream" is a rock track co-written and recorded by Tom Petty, released in July 1989 as the second single from his debut solo album Full Moon Fever. It reached the top of the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and has remained a staple on classic rock radio ever since. For electric guitar players, the song offers a driving, riff-based structure and a confident rock feel that makes it both fun and practical to learn.

  • The song peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also reached number 23 in Canada upon its 1989 release.
  • It appears on Full Moon Fever, Tom Petty's first solo album, recorded without his longtime band the Heartbreakers.
  • The song lent its name to a 2007 documentary film about Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Mike Campbell uses the Stratocaster for its versatile single-coil tones, delivering the jangly chime and smooth lead work central to Heartbreakers songs. Its bright character complements his minimalist effects approach, letting natural tone shine through.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Tom Petty's blonde Telecaster became iconic for its raw, twangy bite and natural attack on rhythm parts. Campbell's 1950 Broadcaster (proto-Telecaster) uses its original single-coil for that signature edge-of-breakup crunch heard across classic Heartbreakers tracks.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Mike Campbell's 1959 Les Paul Standard with PAF humbuckers delivers warm, fat lead tones with smooth sustain for solos. Its thicker voice contrasts beautifully with his single-coil guitars, giving the band tonal variety across different songs and moods.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While not specifically documented in Campbell's main arsenal, the Les Paul Custom shares the humbucker warmth and sustain that defines the band's heavier lead tones. Its darker character works similarly to the 1959 Standard for creating fuller, more aggressive solos.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

The Twin Reverb's clean, sparkling reverb tone provides the crystalline foundation for Petty's rhythm work and ballads. Running at moderate volume, it delivers natural tube compression while preserving the bright attack of his Rickenbackers and Telecasters.

Fender Deluxe Reverb
Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

Campbell relies on the Deluxe Reverb for its sweet, responsive reverb and manageable wattage that breaks up naturally at performance levels. Its warm, slightly compressed tone pairs perfectly with both single-coils and humbuckers across the Heartbreakers' catalog.

Recommended for You