This video lesson breaks down Honey Bee from Tom Petty’s Wildflowers album — a swaggering rock tune built on pentatonic riffs, slide-inflected fills, and deep pocket rhythm guitar. We’ll cover the main riffs from both Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, how the choruses lock in with the groove, and each solo section note-by-note.
What You’ll Learn
- How to anchor rhythm riffs from the E minor pentatonic box.
- Where Tom Petty and Mike Campbell vary their parts to create motion.
- Pocket awareness: sitting just behind the beat for attitude.
- Combining open-string licks with fretted riffs for a swampy sound.
- Slide-in phrasing and unison bends in the solo.
Quick Practice Plan
- Riff Accuracy: Work each main riff slowly with a metronome. Focus on muting and right-hand attack.
- Groove Lock: Loop the verse riff against a drum groove or backing track. Aim for a relaxed push-pull feel.
- Solo Phrasing: Break the solo into four-bar phrases. Practice bending into target notes and letting bends breathe before resolving.
- Tone Matching: Play along with the original recording to dial in feel, timing, and phrasing — especially how Petty’s rhythm hits the pocket.
Course Content
Tom Petty – Honey Bee: The Complete Guitar Lesson
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