Comments on: Guitar in Two Weeks, day 12: Chords, chords, chords

By: Eyolf Østrem

Eyolf Østrem — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:30:32 +0000

Oh, I'm paying attention alright, although the series stumbled just before the finishing line; I still have a half-written draft of the chapter on open tuning, which was supposed to round everything off. To your question: if you can play those notes comfortably and smoothly with the thumb, then by all means. I would do it with some of the other fingers, for two reasons: (1) it is much easier to get a smooth, even line that way. The thumb is, after all, a bit inflexible. (2) Played with the index and long fingers, you can mute the adjacent string(s) to bring out the bass line even more. In principle, I don't think any more fancy is necessary. Play what the circumstances call for - anything beyond that will produce a more difficult guitar part, and besides, it may draw the attention away from the important parts. That said, it is perfectly fine to play something like:

  :   .   .   .     :   .   .   .    
|-3---------------|-0---------------|
|-0---------------|-0---------------|
|-0---------------|-1---------------|
|-0---------------|-2---------------|
|-2-------1---0---|-2---------------|
|-3-------2---1---|-0---------------|

if you can do that without loosing the smoothness.

By: Scott Miller

Scott Miller — Tue, 03 May 2011 00:42:30 +0000

Hi Eyolf,

I don’t know if you’re still paying attention to this post, but I wanted to thank you for the series. I’ve been switching from right-handed to a more comfortable left-handed position. I used your series to learn better technique from the beginning. It’s been great.

I have a question, I’d be grateful if you could answer. How exactly would you play a climb from G to E, like in All Over You. Usually I just play the bass notes solo with my thumb, but should I be doing something fancier? It sounds like the climb in You’re No Good, but I know its different.

Cheers, and thanks for all the amazing work you do.

Scott

By: Eyolf Østrem

Eyolf Østrem — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 01:36:47 +0000

I’m glad to hear that. But of course you’re right (I think I say that somewhere): you can’t learn to play the guitar in two weeks.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 01:09:12 +0000

I think this series is awesome, although it might more accurately be titled ‘.. in 12 weeks’. I’ve been playing for about 10 months, and have gotten a lot from your writings. I’ve been working with this series for about 2 weeks, but have in no way mastered even the middle lessons, much less the later ones. This last one, on chords, is really great – a lot of stuff I had read before really settled in.

By: lesson_fan

lesson_fan — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:48:27 +0000

Love these articles!

It’s been 10 months since the last installment! My girlfriend is going to leave me! Help!

-lesson_fan

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:01:01 +0000

Sir,

I have not fingerpicked for about 15 years, and have started to re-learn again. My neuromuscular issues have weakened my hands, but I am building them up again. The “F” on the 6th string is a real challenge at this time, not to mention thumbing the 5th string. I want to thank you for all your hard work which I’m sure is a labor of love.

I’ve started going through the “Anthology of American Folk Music” where I hear Dylan and Dave Van Ronk to name two sort of “cut their teeth”. That collection would be a worthy task (as though you aren’t already busy enough).

Anyhow, your work has accelerted my learning both physically and as regards music theory. God Bless and thanks.

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 07:36:30 +0000

Awesome Eyolf. Ended up at your Dylan site last night whilst looking for help with “Is Your Love in Vain?” I really like your writing style and range of material you’ve covered in your guitar lessons. I’ve already learnt a lot reading them for a few hours today, and look forward to digesting them in greater detail over the next month. (As well as learning some more Dylan songs!)

Thanks heaps for all your time and effort.

By: Bill Connor

Bill Connor — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:49:14 +0000

I have been following your lessons and was wondering what ever happened to Days 13 and 14? I can not tell you enough how much I appreciate your site.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:58:13 +0000

Hey, just thought if you were interested I’ve rerecorded a lot of those songs and have some new ones at this link http://superdoor.bandcamp.com/ if you wana check them out! Any constructive criticisms is appreciated!
Thanks again for these lesson!
Kevin

By: David

David — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:53:34 +0000

Thank you for all of the songs and the guitar lessons. It all has made playing Dylan tunes a pleasure. I’ve listened to Dylan for 35 of my 50 years and now to be able to play and sing the songs; WOW!
thanks Eyolf
Dave

By: Tyler

Tyler — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 20:26:32 +0000

I’ve noticed that there has been quite a wait for the next article and just wanted to tell you that we do appreciate these articles. They are always well written and very interesting.

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:44:11 +0000

Thanks for a nice guitar lesson! When you are finish practise, I recomend at visit at dylan.com, where they have posted all the videos that used to be at youtube, but that we in Europe coudn’t watch (due to youtube restrictions).

Probably the best music video ever:
http://www.bobdylan.com/#/media/videos/most-likely-you-go-your-way-and-ill-go-mine

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:41:47 +0000

Ha ya I get what you mean. But I got to say I love how Dylan sounds, in fact I once had an English teacher who said “Dylan plays with sounds just as much as he does with words” and I can’t help but think of that when listening to things like “See the primitive wallflower freeze/When the jelly-faced women all sneeze”, its got like a beautiful dripping quality to it I find!

But ya thanks for even taking time to listen to any of it! Glad you liked it even a little bit! I always find you can’t dwell on Dylan’s amazingness much or you just won’t write or play anything! Thinking of recording an album properly with some more musicians though! And yup I’ve played her the song, and we are now actually happily going out :D

Just read through your lessons again, thanks so much!

By: Eyolf Østrem

Eyolf Østrem — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:17:50 +0000

Not bad. Not bad at all. For the record, I don’t consider “Hey, you sound like Dylan” a compliment (“Hey! You express like Dylan!” might be one, but I don’t think anyone expresses like Dylan), so you deserve better than that. :) So you’re right: you don’t come close, and be grateful for that… :)
(Re. your bluebird: you really should ask… Or at least play her the song.)

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:28:28 +0000

Thanks! Its all making sense now, i think! Dylanchords has taught me a lot on its own, so this blog is great! Thanks!

And might as well plug it, check out some of my quite badly recorded songs on http://www.superdoor.bandcamp.com people say I sound too Dylan like so you might like it :P Though i admit I don’t come close!