4 Awesome Tom Petty Riffs You Need to Know [Guitar Lesson]

[@philm.6113]

The 'You Need To Know Now' is how I can justify watching this at work!! Thank you.

[@MarkZabel]

LOL! And how I can justify responding to comments at work as well!

[@MarkZabel]

More Classic Rock: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ef_4... Get TAB and more: tinyurl.com/ybpzjuwm More famous players: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNuFG... Please help support my lessons by donating here: www.paypal.com/paypalme/MZabel335

[@streetbrite7668]

Glad to see you kept the new camera perspective - very cool. Appreciate your instruction, and presentation! See ya on down the road!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks man! It's not going to be 100% for a while, because I record way in advance (when I take a day off work I record as many videos as I can), but I'm liking it as well. It will get even better over time. Thanks for watching!

[@robino0821]

This is so great! May the guitar gods someday bless you with that Rick!

[@MarkZabel]

LOL!

[@williamthomas2729]

This is one of the best help videos. Great choices of riffs. Thanks for this.

[@mattkozink7488]

Thanks for the fun video. How about some Mike Campbell riffs? So many to pick from but I nominate his outro solo on "American Girl."

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Great suggestion. Love MC's play - very under-appreciated. Unrefined, but just hits you in the gut doesn't it? He always plays the right thing for the song. He and Tom were a match made in heaven. Sure, American Girl outro ... sounds good!

[@Edward-MTBKR]

Also at that age where I probably bought everything Tom Petty recorded, so you can't go wrong covering his music. Also a Mike Campbell fan, very few guitarists can add value to a song without dominating it. I play "The Waiting" at least once a month, never get tired of it.

[@MarkZabel]

Totally agree on Mike Campbell. He's so under-appreciated. Players who just make every song better were the real heroes of guitar. MC was one of those for sure!

[@glassslide]

Mark---as the 16 year old kid who with his 2 buddies were literally the first people to arrive at Brendan Byrne Arena in July '81 (parking lot was not open thats how we know we were first, lol) to see Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers on the "Hard Promises (amazing record) Tour", thank you so much for this lesson which I just stumbled upon, great job!!

[@MarkZabel]

Glad you stumbled on it. Thanks for watching and cool story!

[@maxiumus4510]

Love your content, your good to be king video was the best online guitar lesson I ever had

[@MarkZabel]

Wow, thanks! Let me know if you have any suggestions for me!

[@maxiumus4510]

@@MarkZabel Louisana Rain would be a awesome lesson one of my all time favorites,something big off hard promises would be cool too,Thanks for sharing your petty knowledge Rock on Brother

[@briangorian918]

I'd love to see you do this for Petty's acoustic songs, or even his electric ones that sound great on acoustic. Thanks for the great work.

[@MarkZabel]

Great suggestion! I'll consider doing that. Thanks for watching!

[@gloriathompson1234]

Love Tom petty thank you so much for this

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Thanks for listening!

[@Johnny-lr5jt]

That top-down view is a good idea for video guitar tutorials.

[@MarkZabel]

I agree. I should use it more, but it's kind of a pain to shoot. But I definitely like it.

[@johnsee7269]

Ahhhhh, interesting perspective on the "break it down" part! Don't remember seeing it before and I've watched so many instructional videos you'd think I'd have learned something by now... Rock on!

[@MarkZabel]

Hi John. It's actually how a person sees the guitar. I did a video about it a couple of weeks ago and the response was generally favorable. I have to improve it a bit, but generally it seems to work. Some who play left-handed may not like it.

[@autocrow]

I love Tom Petty songs! Music that makes you feel good, like the Rolling Stones. Hey, I can finally solo over chord changes in a 1,4,5!!! after your excellent explanation. I've been trying for years off and on to do it with little to no success. (I've watched TONS of videos on the topic) Now I can, I'm starting with the roots and it's like plugging in the first position of the pentatonic, and how excited I was when I found out how to play that and plug in the root. If I can find root notes all over, I can easily play something there out of the pentatonic and emphasize that root over the corresponding chord. The difference in sound is amazing. I am also practicing the 3rd, 5th and 7th to get used to what that sounds like. I'm seeing how the puzzle fits together. Another thing you taught me is, you can even play the exact same lick and play over the chords! Amazing!! That's when the light came on. I thought you had to change the entire key and scale when the chord changed. I ordered a couple things in appreciation. (looks like me on the front with the glasses) haha.

[@MarkZabel]

Glad to hear things are coming together! Thanks so much for the support!!

[@cnelsonlifson]

i have been trying to figure out the riffs from "A Thing About You" off Hard Promises and i am stumped!

[@ericwiese7479]

You did some justice oh Hard on me. Good job. Crawling back to you is my all time favorite

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! Crawling Back To You is a great one too!

[@michaelmendillo7513]

Tom Petty,,,like many other bands, really shows how creative you can be by using basic chords, CCR,,,Neil Young, AC/DC,,,,all made great music with the basics,,,So guy's, it goes to show you that you can also do the same and create your own great songs as well. !!!! TY Mark. !!! 😎👍💕

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Mike! That's exactly right - guys like TP, Neil, Keith/Mick ... it's only rock and roll, but I like it!

[@michaelmendillo7513]

@@MarkZabel Absolutely, Mark!!!! Hail to the Garage Band Warriors!!! Lol,,, 😎✌✝💕💕💕

[@johng2880]

There's some killer riffs and jams in Mudcrutch, which was Petty's alternative group. Crystal River off of Mudcrutch (2008) is a great example of where he could go if he wasn't trying to write a single.

[@MarkZabel]

Wow, thanks! I didn't even know about Mudcrutch reforming in 2007. I only knew if was the band that more or less became "The Heartbreakers".

[@leahlindycampagna]

I love this ❤

[@MarkZabel]

Fantastic!

[@GearGasms]

Dude - the new camera angle is brilliant!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! Glad you dig it. Loved your review of the Spark Amp BTW! I'm working to improve the view as well by putting a less distraction floor covering down. (I.e., something called a "rug" LOL!) It really is better I think!

[@charlescrooks7891]

Thanks for the camera pov. I often wonder why more videos don’t do it.

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. I got mixed reviews with it, and it's a much harder camera shot to get, so I ended up usually dropping it. I did like it though.

[@jameschurch5574]

Great ! Thanks .Open riffs to The Damage That You’ve Done .. Please

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll put it onto the songs to consider!

[@jameschurch5574]

@@MarkZabel thanks for the response ! Seems like you were a fan of TP so I asked and , you are a great teacher ! I’ve played for years so the chords are easy , just can’t quite capture the opening groove /riff ; minor or major . One song that stil intrigues me is Ride My Seesaw / Moody Blues . Not a real tutorial that I can find . Anyway, thanks for all you do !

[@scotttrezak6558]

How much of those riffs were MIke Cambell? I'm thinking a lot

[@AnomieTrain]

I grew up in the 70s, and I remember when Damn the Torpedoes came out, I liked it, but the album that really turned me into a Tom Petty fan was Hard Promises. When I heard the opening chords to The Waiting--that just blew me away. My favorite Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album is Long After Dark. Every track on that album is brilliant. When Tom Petty started working with Jeff Lynne though, my enthusiasm waned. I think Lynne ruined his sound.

[@MarkZabel]

I hear you. I love Damn the Torpedos. Is "The Waiting" the one where they all switch instruments in the video? TP broke right as MTV broke, so I associate so many things of his with MTV. The album of his I listen to the most is no question "Wildflowers". I think only Mike Campbell played from the Heartbreakers. It has such a raw, unrefined sound in some of the tracks and some of the songs are so filled with desperation bordering on depression. Not sure why I'm attracted to it, but there you go. I agree on Jeff Lynne. He's actually another of my favorites, but I don't love what he did with Tom Petty. Still, there were some great TP songs from the Jeff Lynne era. I mean, Running Down a Dream is incredible (and doesn't really feel "Jeff Lynne" to me) and Free Fallin' is a classic, even if you can clearly hear Lynne's influence. Plus, that scene in Jerry McGuire is great too, right?

[@joedecker3900]

Well Said!!

[@slowuncle]

Tom adored Jeff; he came along during a creative crisis for Tom and he helped revitalize the enterprise. Many of us appreciate all the aspects of Tom's muse and I for one refuse to join the Either/Or club.

[@iannicholls7476]

Great stuff Mark! I saw Tom and the Heartbreakers on their first UK tour back in 1977. They were supporting Nils Lofgren. I’ve always felt that Nils is a very under-appreciated player. It would be great if you could take a look at some of his solo output.

[@MarkZabel]

Cool! That sounds like a good time. Nils Lofgren? Yes, that sounds like a good plan! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@lennylehnertz]

Mark, we should start a band. Also, the song “Fault Lines” on Hypnotic Eye is great. The Waiting is also wonderful as is Nightwatchman.

[@MarkZabel]

LOL! Yeah!!

[@geraldbrown2875]

Love the shirt!👍❤️🎸 🇨🇦

[@MarkZabel]

Me too!

[@rodders51]

Great video Mark, Can you do a video on the solo from Jack on Highway Companion as its one of my favourite solos and was actually played by Tom and not Mike as was the norm

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! I'll put "Jack" on the list to consider. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@on_the_edge_of_time7921]

What amp are you using here?

[@MarkZabel]

Blackstar ID TVP 15.

[@Valaraukar8187]

Can’t talk Heartbreakers guitars without Mike Campbell. The jangle on American Girl is his and it’s a Fender Broadcaster he bought from a dude from the Pennysaver so they had 2 six string guitars because Tom wanted to play too.

[@tbone2451]

Really loved Tom Pettys music with the heartbreakers and much crutch.

[@MarkZabel]

Me too. Such great stuff.

[@ThisSheetB4RealYo]

The tile woulda done though too though, right? Anyway, awesome insights

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@lynxone7039]

For the E voicing on Refugee, you get exactly the same effect by simply playing the normal E open chord and deadening the G sharp. Much easier to play, specially if you have arthritic hands like I do!

[@MarkZabel]

Nice! Not exactly, but very close. In some ways it's more of a "Tom Petty Chord" than what was played, as it leaves open, ringing strings on the B and E. It's a good alternative for sure!

[@lafreeway]

If you like Tom Petty, Tommy Emmanuel and Merlefest, you will love this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKnHoKKafdGNl7s

[@MarkZabel]

Cool!

[@7Roeth]

That beard and hairstyle is working for you in a very Rock n Roll sort of fashion, which is a good thing.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks brother! Trying my best to work it in my "old man" sort of way. LOL! :) Thanks for watching!

[@7Roeth]

@@MarkZabel I agree that Even the Losers is a great song, probably a bit overlooked by major radio airplay.

[@MarkZabel]

@@7Roeth Yeah, great song. Very definitive of his style too.

[@jhowe5571]

Nowhere. An outake from the, "Damn the Torpedoes" album. Added back years later.😁

[@stkbkr1]

Very beautiful Mr. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZabel

[@MarkZabel]

Thank you!!

[@thekidbehindthecomputer8761]

Yeah man petty and the fuckin stones turned simple shit into magic, love finding new shit by both. Kind of a hobby digging through all of their material

[@MarkZabel]

So many great hidden gems to find!

[@richardternan8848]

You know those are Mike Cambell riffs right? You really should give him some credit, Mike is a guitar genius. Tom usually would have a song written and come and play it for Mike on acoustic and then Mike would turn it up with the riffs.

[@steveshepherd3271]

I like your way of teaching,but as a lefty I find this angle very difficult to master 👎

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks. I'm left handed too, so I'm aware of the issue. This might be a viable solution for you in the following video. It switches the perspective for lefties. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3O4mIeYbb97rc0

[@Jimmyprice258]

I'm left handed, this angle throws me off....

[@MarkZabel]

I'm left handed too, so I've got you covered brother! kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3O4mIeYbb97rc0

[@whisperingmike9424]

You’re going to go make me get a capo?

[@MarkZabel]

Nope. You can use a pencil or a stick and a rubber band or nothing.

[@thorpenator9148]

You look like a new dude. Thinner, great head of hair, and beard. Paul was replaced, and now you....wow, what next.

[@MarkZabel]

Why thank you!!

[@thorpenator9148]

@@MarkZabel Thanks for your hard work. Cheers from Ohio.

[@MarkZabel]

@@thorpenator9148 You're welcome. Cheers from Central NY. I used to live in Columbus years ago.

[@thorpenator9148]

@@MarkZabel I had a prog metal band back in the day, did quite alot of great gigs. I dated a girl from Columbus, she was a real looker. She worked in German Village. I live in a suburb called Rocky River. Some friends and I are putting together a copy band, and your videos keep popping up, and I am great full for the help on these cover tunes. Since I have been at this for awhile, I tend to gravitate to only a handful of teachers that I know did the heavy lifting. Carl from 365, priveticker, James james, shut up and play, and now your channel. Thanks again.

[@MarkZabel]

@@thorpenator9148 That's great! I lived on North High St in Clintonville, just north of OSU. Good times. Saw lots of bands at Stache's and The Newport. Come back any time and often ... and don't be shy about a suggestion or two or three!