Practice Studio

Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run - Guitar Tab

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Key A major
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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.

Rock 'N' Roll Rarities album cover
Rock 'N' Roll Rarities
1986 2:46
Chuck Berry Rock 1986 A major
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

About Run Rudolph Run


Few Christmas guitar tracks hit as hard or move as fast as this one. Chuck Berry built "Run Rudolph Run" on the same rolling, double-stop-driven vocabulary he used throughout his career, but at 176 BPM in A major it demands that your right hand stay loose and consistent for the full duration. The signature riff sits in the mid-neck area and leans heavily on the kind of bent thirds and quick position shifts that define Berry-style Rock guitar. Getting those double stops clean at speed is the real challenge here, because even a slight hesitation in the fretting hand makes the groove fall apart. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed right down, building the hand synchronisation before you bring the tempo back up. E Standard tuning means nothing unusual on the setup side, so the work is purely about rhythm, accuracy, and keeping that relentless forward momentum from the first bar to the last.

  • The main riff is built on Berry-style double stops, requiring clean fretting-hand pressure and accurate right-hand picking across two strings simultaneously.
  • At 176 BPM in A major, maintaining consistent pick attack and groove through the full song is the core physical challenge for the guitarist.
  • Looping the riff slowed down with the Practice Toolbar is the most effective way to nail the position shifts before pushing back to full tempo.

How to Play Run Rudolph Run

The song moves through: Intro, Verse 1, Verse 2, Chorus 1, Solo, Verse 3, Chorus 2, Outro.

Tuning: E Standard · Key: A major · Tempo: 176 BPM

The arrangement runs through 8 distinct sections, and the solo is the steepest jump, so isolate it on its own. At 176 bpm it moves fast, so the real test is building picking stamina and keeping every note clean at speed.

Loop the hardest passage and creep the speed up from around 70 percent until it holds at 176 BPM.

Fender Telecaster
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Fender Telecaster

The original solid-body electric guitar. Its snappy bridge pickup and no-nonsense construction deliver a sharp, cutting tone perfect for country, rock and blues. Favored by Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen and countless session players.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)