Strumming with Walking Basslines (feat. Blowin' in the Wind by Bob Dylan)

Lesson #493 • Jul 14, 2023

In this week’s lesson I’ll answer a question about combining strumming with walking basslines — using Bob Dylan’s classic Blowin’ in the Wind as an example. This will help you capture the distinctive guitar sound Dylan is using during the chorus, which goes a long way in elevating a 3-chord song. And of course, you can use this technique in plenty of other songs & situations – so it’s absolutely one worth getting the hang of.

I should note, this is not a tutorial for the full song! Rather, in answering the question sent in by Song Notes member Michel, I show exactly how I integrate walking basslines into the strumming of the chorus section. This may not be the exact notes Dylan plays, but it captures the essence of the song all the way.

  • 0:00 Overview
  • 1:06 Chords, Progression & Strumming
  • 3:41 Bassline Tab (Key of C chords)
  • 9:41 Bassline Tab (Key of D chords)

Instructional PDF 1 page

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Exercise Playthrough (Key of C)

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Listen to Bob Dylan’s Version

Here’s Bob Dylan’s album recording of Blowin’ in the Wind:

Interested in a Full Lesson for Blowin’ in the Wind?

I’d love to make a full video lesson for Blowin’ in the Wind at some point – along with a print-friendly song sheet including all the lyrics/chords/etc. If you’d like me to get it done sooner than later, let me know by clicking the button below.

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In the meantime, here’s a few tutorials teaching the full song from other teachers I trust and recommend:

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