Harmonica Teacher Reacts to Bob Dylan - Blowing In The Wind
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2024
- Today I’m going to listen to Bob Dylan’s playing on Blowing In The Wind.
Original recording - • Bob Dylan - Blowin' in...
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singers say Bob Dylan can't sing
guitarists say say Bob Dylan can't guitar
harmonica players say Bob Dylan can't harmonica
BUT somehow he makes all 3 together work perfectly.
It's like Bob Dylan magic
One the one hand, no; one will never confuse Dylan's harp work with Howard Levy's. Similarly for his voice; he was never called to fill in at the Met when Pavarotti came down with a cold. BUT! His compositions and performances absolutely defined an era in music. To paraphrase Tomlin, his harmonica playing was exactly what the song needed.
Isn't it? Neither the greatest singer, nor the greatest guitarist nor the greatest harmonica player. But throw in a great songwriter and the combination of skills is special and will be remembered for a long time.
And, yes, Dylan made me want to learn the harmonica!
Hi Tomlin, I agree with you. Bob Dylan does a nice job in his songs.
Good assessment. I used to be a Bob harmonica critic. Now I appreciate his playing for what it adds to his songs. I like how you also mention what Bob does well. He keeps it simple and memorable, and for him the dirty notes bring out the character of a harmonica and his flavor of the song; whereas, clean single notes might sound too sanitized.
I agree Tomlin 👍. Dylan's playing does what it does. It worked for Dylan's career.
I agree with you 100%
Thank you for commenting on Dylan and your harp expertise in general. I too was inspired by Dylan and other folks artists.
Bob Dylan sometimes plays DGA Bm chords without guitar capo, along with D harp. Sometimes, he plays GCD Em with capo on 7th fret, along with the same D harp. Both deliver the same vocal pitch. The latter one can play guitar base run down from C to D chord, and base run up on G chord.
He's also in the Harmonica Hall of Fame, pal
Dear God ~ thank you for Bob Dylan
I wanted to play better harmonica because of Bob Dylan. You show me how! Thank you! 😀
100% in agreement, I think you nailed this assessment 👍🏼
Great run through! Thank You!
BOB Dylan is a great songwriter
I heard Dylan play live in about 2006 and also about 2010 and his harmonica playing sounded smoother and almost jazz like compared to the past.
The first song I ever played to an audience was Tambourine Man a la Bob Dylan. I rocked it and they loved it. Thank you Bob for inspiring me and thank you Tomlin for teaching me.
You're welcome Ed! 🙂
Good assessment.
I enjoyed that Tomlin. It's obvious to me your not a Dylan fan as you added an extra note into your shot when finding the key. There are so many Dylan harmonica tunes bouncing about inside my head it's a good job I dont have to pay copyright for them although I have paid for the L.P. or CD version. Blowing in the wind must have been one of the first songs he ever wrote. Sara, tangled up in blue and desolation row (an 11 minuter) are some of my favourites. Keep up the great work.
I’m actually a massive Dylan fan :-)
I do agree. His harmonica playing is supplemental to the song without upstaging the way he's performing it.
That's just my opinion.
Right on my man, not only is his H playing fitting & not spectacular, but also his singing/voice. He was just doin it! His craftsmanship on creating the songs was truly remarkable. What an inspiration & a musical gift to us.
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My first inspiration: Little Stevie Wonder--- "Finger Tips". Bob Dylan's Harmonica was mainly-- mostly used for "harmonizing" along with the melodies in his songs. And he did it so well that he inspired millions to go out and buy one of those little rascals, mostly a marine band hohner. No telling how much Hohner must owe him in royalties!! HA! Keep learning and sharing your teachings.
I am sure I will! 🙂
You were just fine. I couldn't agree more. Dylan songs are iconic as you said and his music and playing go along with.
Yes, music should be inspirational, emotionally engaging, and/or telling a story. Dylan works with all of these facets and his clean and 'dirty notes' on the harp contribute to the quality of his music. A relatively obscure Dylan track on which he uses the harp wonderfully to add to the tale he is telling is 'Billy 1' from the soundtrack of Billy the Kid. Happy harping - dirty notes and all! Best wishes, Peter
I've never been much of a Bob Dylan fan so never really listened to his music. I've had people ask me what I thought of his harmonica playing. So now may I use your comments to reply to people that ask particular question? Thanks.
Bob is an intuitive player not a technical player, and he chooses simple harp routines to accent his music. The other key thing is that he is playing guitar, singing AND delivering harp licks with no hands. That's a much under-appreciated set of skills. His peers in that regard (to my mind) include Neil Young and Tony Joe White. Tomlin - grateful of your thoughts on putting it together as a harp playing 'one man band' !
I think Tomlin's critique is right on. I would add that those who badmouth his singing and harp/guitar musicianship miss the point. His brilliance, in my opinion, is not as a musician per se, nor a singer, but as an artist. He paints pictures with brilliant songwriting and through now 7 decades has genuinely taken on the personae of an Americana folksinger, protest songster, country singer, rock 'n roller, gospel singer, American songbook balladeer, talkin' blues singer-- to name a few. I'm curious if other folks have heard "More Blood, More Tracks"-- a recently released "bootleg" of outtakes from the album of nearly the same name. My take (on the album): he's seriously trying harder to be at his very, very best with regards to singing and harp playing.
I agree, Bob Dylan’s not an amazing technician or whatever. But the important question is: does that really matter? Nah man, because he plays what is strictly necessary for his songs.
Right on!
Check out Bob Dylan's harmonica playing on "Pledging My Time" from Blonde on Blonde, particularly the playing in the second half of the song. Pretty cool playing, and much more sophisticated than "Blowing in the Wind."
Great review. Tell us what you think about Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen harmonica and their sound. Thanks
Yeah he’s the reason I picked up harmonica because I got right into his music and wanted to learn to play like he did accompanying the guitar.
😅 That's why I put my harmonica playing on RUclips. If Bob Dylan can do it, so can I.👊😎
How about Dr Feelgood BoomBoomBoom Mick Greene playing possibly
Eu também,quando eu ouvi pela primeira vez "Tambourine man", senti uma vontade enorme de tocar gaita ,a forma simples como Bob Dylan toca o vilão e a gaita, assim como,a sua forma de cantar ( a letra da música) , é uma obra prima.
Parabéns Dylan,parabéns Leckie, o mundo precisa cada vez mais de música!
I believe you review was spot on. An important, inspirational player whose tootling fit the song. I picked up the harmonica in the mid-60s when Dylan was still emerging and it's likely he inspired me to do so. I played it on a rack with guitar and attained his skill level pretty quickly, and emulated it. It wasn't to sound like him, but I did play his songs and the harmonica parts weren't hard for a learner. I knew that blues harmonica was something different, but I hadn't a clue at the time, as a self-taught by-ear player, about second position playing. Your review was entirely fair.
IMHO, a very fair and balanced view. 👍👍👍👍👍
I agree,but my thing with him is,how does he remember all the lyrics.Lots of words.
I enjoy your videos very much so...
I would love to hear you talk about Jethro Tull's "someday the Sun won't shine for you" and Ian Anderson's harmonica playing on it. It's one of my all-time favorite harmonica pieces.
The guy won The Nobel Prize in Literature...not harmonica or music. His music is an accompany to his writings, which are amazing when you take them in the content of the time. Regardless, I enjoy all that he has accomplished...and Tomlin...love the "teacher reacts". Dylans guitar is not Eric Clapton or Classical... but its all Dylan...timeless.
How about what do you think of Neil Young’s harmonica playing.
His stuff is generally simple. But you did choose a piece with one of the simplest parts he’s ever done. He does play a lot of second position/cross harp too. Some impressive train chugging stuff in some early recordings from before his first album. There’s a bootleg where he demonstrates this and it’s truly amazing, can’t think of what the name of it is now. Maybe check out You’re No Good from his debut record for something close to that.
Later in his career he played a little more with the harp out of the rack. Check out Every Grain of Sand or the live version of What Can I Do For You for some more interesting stuff. Still not any kind of virtuoso, but more meat on the bones to talk about than Blowing In The Wind (which I agree, nothing wrong with what he plays, just not much to talk about)
Thank you for mentioning those titles, I'll check them out! ;-)
I remember once, somewhere in the late 90s, I was listening to an interview on BBC radio with harmonica legend Larry Adler. He said (and I may have a few words wrong here) “I’m a liberal kind of man and am in no way a fascist of any kind. But if I were in charge of the world I’d make it illegal for Bob Dylan to play the harmonica”.😂
My Dad was a big fan of Dylan. I never liked the sound of his voice, or his harmonica playing. I never really found myself relating to a lot of his lyrics. But each to their own.
The man who really influenced me to take up blues harmonica, way back in my teens, was Paul Jones and then Ian Anderson (more well known for his flute playing) and Paul King (ex Mungo Jerry and King Earl Boogie Band - there’s been a few Paul Kings!). A really early influence, in the back of my mind, was Mr Bloe, who had a hit with a harmonica version of Groovin’ With Mr Bloe. The harmonica player on that was Harry Pitch. Pitch was a chromatic player and had to learn cross harp for the recording. Nobody else was available because the only cross-harp players in the U.K. at the time of any note were people like Mick Jagger and John Lennon who weren’t exactly available! And then I found out about John Popper and realised I’d never be a great harmonica player!
Playing with a rack does indeed have its challenges. I’d recommend checking out John Gindick’s channel, Jam Camp. He’s done a few videos where he plays with a guitar and rack (obviously not with the guitar in the rack!) and he’s damn good at it.
Harry Adler said many years ago Dylan couldn't play harmonica, didn't stop Dylan playing. Listen to Every Grain of Sand. He has performed some amazing live harp performances, the greatest lyrist ever. Unique a one off
Great idea! If you can get past the copyright could you do some Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Neil Young and more?
Hey Tomlin: Agree with you completely. One must just ask the question " how would these songs be without the harmonica"?
As you commented. He not a virtuoso but compliments the guitar style very nicely. Not everyone is a Little Walter!
Excellent review of Dylan’s harp playing.
I started playing due to Dylan, Young, Donovan etc Now enjoy Walter, Butterfield, Terry, Ward and You.
Tomlin. I enjoyed your constructive criticism of Bob Dylan. I like his story telling, his laid back style. I like to see you cue in to the Key of his music in an instant. Then you find the position that Bob plays in which is first position like all beginners. I love the song, Blowin' in the Wind. I like the way he plays the single notes kinda dirty. It all seems to fit. I always enjoy your tutorials. Thank you. Ken
You should listen to some of his playing on "Blonde on Blonde," his 1966 double album, especially the end of "Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands," although his playing, I think, is very good, also, on "Absolutely Sweet Marie," during which, I think, he may be using his hands.
His harmonica is sufficient for his folk style music ! I agree he’s not a great harmonica player by any means! However his music has touched the whole world for years ! I’m a fan!👍🏻🎸
What about Neil Young? Is he is a good harmonica player? I Learn because of him..
I'm with Larry Adler, as reported by GrilloThe Flightless. I'd make it illegal for Bob to play harmonica :) :)
Always felt Bobs musical arrangements work well for his particular genre of music! Looking forward to the Mick Jagger commentary! I wasn’t a Stones fan but Mick plays some accompanying licks in a song called Broken Hearts by In Living Color! I was surprised when I read the cassette jacket that listed him for Harp credits! (yes I’m old 😂) it was nice to hear him mix it up! However briefly just good fills
It's simple to play but I also choose to play the harmonica because of him, the guitar I was already playing
Could Bob be a far better player than he lets on? In his first recorded music he is playing harmonica (Harry Belafonte 1962/Carolyn Hester 1962). A quite clever 21 year old harmonica player. Jon
i think he's just a player now that i've listened to a few players but i hop i can reach that level
I agree with you Tomlin. Bod Dylan is not a great harmonica player, but doing it simultaneous with his guitar playing and switching vocals is pretty challenging. He's one of my all time best musician.
Have listen to The River by Bruce Springsteen. Again he’s never going to be considered one of the greats of harmonica playing but he’s the reason I play
Tomlin, do you really think that he was playing with a rack on the studio version?
He did. There’s plenty of photos of him wearing his rack in the studio
As an American...my Harmonica heroes, Delbert McClinton, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, John Lennon....
Probably right on target Tomlin. I’ve never really been a Dylan fan and I’ve never really been inspired to play a harp like he did. Obviously I’m missing the point because so many people love what he does.
It’s fun to play harmonica to Bob Dylan’s songs. I agree, it’s hard to play guitar and harmonica at the same time. It’s hard to sing and play guitar at the same time. I can’t do it. At least not well. And Bob Dylan’s harmonica playing fits really well with his songs. A much slicker harmonica player just would not have cut it.
Not really fair to pick an album from 1963, he improved a lot over the years. Off the top of my head, for example, listen to the intro and outro to Sarah, 1975.
I agree with you. His harmonica playing is just right for his songs, exactly what is needed and it would be wrong to have anything more complex. It's comparable to what Ringo's drumming was for the Beatles.
Furst time you heard it?
Uh it was written 60 years ago
Bob Dylan ? I wish I was £20,000000 behind him in the bank ! great harp player or not :) "It ain't me Babe "my favourite
Great assessment….IMHO Dylan, like Shakespeare, his work and art will out live all of his critics!
He is definitely not my hero nothing like you but I like some of his songs!
It seems strange to me too think that Bob is trying to play single notes. When I have tried to play a bit like Bob Dylan, I tend to try to slide into double stops or chords which is what he seems to do - to my ears.
This was early in his career. While no one played harp like Dylan, no one today can play or sing like Dylan. His later stuff, whether he blows hard, soft or rarely shows off, shows he plays and sings any way he wants to. To say his harmonica is a very small part of his song, well, we wouldn’t have the man known as Bob if he didn’t have his harmonica. You should pick a different song
I'll take a rough sound that sends chills down my spine over sterile virtuosity any day. I'm not saying that all virtuosity is sterile, far from it. But in the end it's more important that the various elements combine to move you somehow. Dylan succeeds more often than not, for me. And he's been doing it since I've been alive. And I'm no youngster.
When you get a Noblel Prize you can rip on Bob, sorry. Quality has nothing to due with influence.
Easy to see how Springsteen's harp playing was influenced by Dylan. The only part of your commentary which may be questionable was the suggestion that Dylan was trying to play single notes here. When he wanted to play clean single notes it appears to me that he did, and when he wanted a dirty double stop he did so intentionally.
Uh this was written 60 years ago.
I agree! But who knows, maybe he’s an awesome player but choose to play in a rustic/dirty way to match his music and his brilliant rate that’s out of tune a bit, who everybody loves.. Just a thought. Either way, he’s a genius in my eyes and ears.. ❤️
Love your videos btw!
It serves the music and his style in particular - Dylan wasn’t one to polish the rough edges.
Bob is a good writer not a particularly good guitar player or singer. He has gotten many awards for his writing skills.
You're just telling the truth
Good video. Your commentary is always just right - while a small part of me wanted to hear you trash his harmonica playing, as a Dylan fan I was pleased that you didn’t do that
Sorry, but this is akin to judging the architecture of St Paul's Cathedral by analysing the light fittings..
If you want to learn about bob & his technique, you gotta go in deep
He plays about as well as he sings LOL
It was Paul Butterfield !!! Dylan was easy to copy.
Good assessment , Dylan does not do well within a ''proper / correct '' confined way of doing a what he does , being different he is best at ....
Bob plays and plays guitar at the same time. His hands are never on the harp.
It was a genius move by Bob Dylan to incorporate harmonica into the songs, but he does not doing it well. Technical, I mean.
I always laugh at blues guys who take off on folk Harmonica as easy but can't do it
I actually find his harmonica playing annoying and difficult to listen to! I'm glad that he inspired others to learn it, but that's about it!
I have to be honest, Bob Dylan never did much for me.His voice sounds like he just saw a grotesque car crash. No offense. I just don't get the "whatever" most people think he had.