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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

Tom Petty - Runnin’ Down A Dream Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsE, D, A, G, C
Strumming↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

E
ItwasaEbeautifulday,thesunbeatdown,IhadtheDradioon,IwasEdriving
Treesflewby,meandDelwassingin’,littleDRunaway,IwasEflying
YeahI’mArunnin’GdownaEdream,thatneverwouldGcometoAme
DWorkin’onaGmystery,EgoingGwhereveritAleads,runnin’GdownaEdream
IEfeltsogood,likeanythingwaspossible,IhitDcruisecontrol,andrubbedmyEeyes
Thelastthreedays,therainwasun-stoppable,itwasDalwayscold,no Esunshine
YeahI’mArunnin’GdownaEdream,thatneverwouldGcometoAme
DWorkin’onaGmystery,EgoingGwhereveritAleads,runnin’GdownaEdream
COuouou,Dououou,Eououou,Cououou,Dououou,Eououou
IErolledon,astheskygrewdark,IputtheDpedaldown,tomakesomeEtime
There’ssomethinggood,waitingdownthisroad,I’mDpickingup,whatever’sEmine
YeahI’mArunnin’GdownaEdream,thatneverwouldGcometoAme
DWorkin’onaGmystery,EgoingGwhereveritAleads,runnin’GdownaEdream
COuouou,Dououou,Eououou,Cououou,Dououou,Eououou
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistTom Petty
AlbumFull Moon Fever
GenresPop, Pop Rock, Rock
Year1989
KeyE
DifficultyEasy

How to play Runnin Down A Dream on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Tom Petty - Runnin Down A Dream on guitar requires 5 chords and 8 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓↑-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Runnin Down A Dream uses these transitions most often: D → E (10), G → E (9), and A → G (6). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with E - D chord transition.

1. E → D chord transition

Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

Here's how to move from E to D:

  1. Slide your index finger on G string from fret 1 to fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the verse, played 6 times.

E to D

2. E → A chord transition

Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram
Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram

Here's how to move from E to A:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

E to A

3. A → G chord transition

Guitar A chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-2-0Guitar A chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

Switching from A to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 6 times.

A to G

4. G → E chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar E chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-1-0-0Guitar E chord diagram

Here's how to move from G to E:

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to A string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 2.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 9 times.

G to E

5. A → D chord transition

Switching from A to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on B string from fret 2 to fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

6. D → G chord transition

Switching from D to G:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 3 times.

7. E → C chord transition

Switching from E to C:

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

8. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

This transition appears in the chorus, played 4 times.

Runnin Down A Dream chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Runnin Down A Dream.

  • Runnin Down A Dream includes 60 chord transitions, 8 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Runnin Down A Dream contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Runnin Down A Dream connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After E, the most likely next chords across Chordier are A (25%), D (14%), and B (11%).
    • E → A: 25%
    • E → D: 14%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → A: 6%
    • G → E: 1%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.