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Bob Dylan's: Folk Guitar Style

10 Oct 05 - 10:08 PM (#1580636)
Subject: Bob Dylan's: Folk Guitar Style
From: GUEST,Susan Scott

When watching Bob's latest documentary, I became interested in what style of picking and strumming Dylan was using at the time. I'm "only" interested in Bob's folk guitar accompaniment from 1962-1966 (his folk years). What type picking style did he use? Did he often use the walking bass line when strumming?

I'm a budding guitarist who likes the way he played/plays.

Thanks,
Susan


10 Oct 05 - 10:50 PM (#1580666)
Subject: RE: Bob Dylan's: Folk Guitar Style
From: Bobert

Well, a hundred folks will wait in line to tell me just how wrong I am but as a blues player and a folk player, Dylan was usin' a combo of blues and folk pickin'... Sometimes with the blues thumb heavy, other times pickin' from the bottom up...

BTW, why limit yerself to early Dylan???

He's just gettin' bettwer... Try "Time Outta MInd"....

Bobert


11 Oct 05 - 01:32 AM (#1580739)
Subject: RE: Bob Dylan's: Folk Guitar Style
From: DonMeixner

I don't disagree Bobert, I think I'm hearing exactly the way Woody
played which sounds just as you described.


11 Oct 05 - 04:10 AM (#1580771)
Subject: RE: Bob Dylan's: Folk Guitar Style
From: GUEST,Tunesmith

Dylan was obviously a great absorber of influences. He would have arrived in the early 60s with a number of pop/rock guitar techniques, and to those he added what he came across on the folk/blues scene. Certainly, he picked up what we used to call "clawhammer" style ( listen to, "Don't think Twice" ). He also played in a "loose" Carter Family strumming style - which also relects Woody's guitar style. He had a general blues finger-picking style - I remember trying to work out how he played " Baby Can I Follow You Down". Also, he did some "so-so" bottle-neck playing. One thing I noticed, watching the recent documentary, is that in some of the early folkie footage, his guitar was invariably a bit out of tune, but. as time passed. the tuning became pretty much spot on.