Added: 2 years ago
From: Lowdenjim
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  • It doesn't quite sound like the original recording to be perfectly honest : /

  • @smallestmanonearth "Not quite" sounds close enough for me - without going to the time and expense of finding out exactly what guitar was played, what recording mics were used, proximity of guitar and voice to mics, nature and dimensions of recording studio etc... but that would be dedication too far for an amateur like me (to be perfectly honest)!

  • This is great and it really helped me get to play this song, but... I think there's someone behind you...

  • great video, but still it is hard to know wich chord you are going to play.. especially for me, for beginer.. would be better if you have marked on the video wich chord are you going to play

  • @Zelmanful You are brave to attempt this song if you are a beginner, as it is intermediate to advanced - but good luck to you for having a go at learning it. Do you mean that it would be helpful to have the chords shown on screen just ahead of them actually being played?

  • @Lowdenjim , well yes, because i dont even know well what chords are in this song and i dont have enough time to find out which chord i have to play, I would appreciate if you do that :)

  • nice vid but would be helpful if you put part l/ll etc in the title so they can be located easily in sequence

  • @TheCitizenmax Thanks for the suggestion - have done as you request.

  • Great lessons, have you considered doing a lesson on Dylan's cover of Can't Help Falling in Love? I know he didn't write it but it's still a great song.

  • man i think your a legend great teacher hope to get back to you soon with this

  • What type of guitar is that? The inlays look fantastic!

  • @Shepardman1983 It's a Washburn 125 year celebration special edition - model R314KK

  • You, sir, are the greatest teacher on Youtube. There's no controversy about it.

  • realy good and proffesionel teacher. I wonder if you can put how to play harp to this too ?

  • Great job! I'm only at part one so far but have been trying to get this song down for at least a few months and this is really helping me to get the timing down.

    Thanks again!

  • @Shepardman1983 Glad it's helpful to you; very good luck with it, and let me know if you need any further help.

  • Awesome. It's very emotive how you say 1-2-3-4. Awesome song. Awesome interpreter. Thank you

  • @Lowdenjim could we have the tab for this please..?

  • I don't use tab, but you can get some here at

    dylanchords.info/02_freewheeli­n/dont_think_twice.htm

    I have uploaded both a slow mo and an ultra slow mo video so you can follow the picking easily. Good luck!

  • Ha, Tom Jones :D Thanks for lessons :)

  • @Lowdenjim Hello again - I just came across something I thought you might want to read: dylanchords.info/pr​ofessors/tt/ttch13.html

  • Thanks stefan - I read this lovely piece of amusing fiction quite some time ago; Eyolf Ostrem attempts to argue the case that Dylan must have played this song on the premise that the harmonica was played at the same time Dylan sang the song, but ignores the obvious answer that the harmonica track was probably overdubbed - it certainly sounds as though it was. The real evidence for me is listening to Dylan's rendition of this song on the bootleg tapes.

  • why are you saying 1234, that's not even the picking pattern?

  • .......because the count of 1,2,3,4 is the TIMING of the song (4/4 time) within which the picking pattern is to be developed.

  • Awesome video! Mastered the song thanks to these vids, Thank you!

  • Thank you very much - and very well done!

  • When he talks he sounds exactly like the prime minister of New Zeeland in Flight of the Conchords!

  • Hi, great tutorials, one and all. Could you let me know the chord you play at 4.03? I can't spot it as one of those gone over earlier in the vid. Thanks very much, and keep up the great work!

  • Hiya - thanks very much. It's just a "G7" chord, but I'm not fretting the 1st string at the 1st fret on this occasion.

  • Hi, wanted to say a big thanks for these lessons, I've studied finger picking for a year using the dvd'd by S. Grossman and other sources on youtube. These videos are without a doubt the best source for laying down a foundation in finger picking, your detailed explanations are great, the way you break things down is so helpful. Also been deliberating a new guitar for well over a year, saw your Washburn and it made my mind up, R319 arrived yesterday, its amazing, v lucky to have found this! :)

  • Thank you for your very kind words - good luck with your new guitar!

  • I'd just like to add my thanks for explaining things so simply, these four videos have been a great help. Keep up the good work.

  • I'll sure try - and thanks. I hope maybe some of my other Dylan tutorials help out too...

  • Thank you very, very much. This is extremely helpful. I doubt the Bruce Langhorne attribution, though.

  • Thanks - you're very welcome. It's contentious I know but I was 98% certain Dylan didn't play it on the Freewheelin' track, but then heard his efforts on the Witmark demo track and became 100% certain. Back in the 60's I could never understand why he always strummed it.

  • @Lowdenjim Thanks for responding. But I am confused now... Are you saying the Witmark demo made you become 100% certain Dylan did NOT play it himself?

  • Yes - the earlier (Nov '62) version is top class - "Clean pickin' " - whereas the later 1963 version is still "work-in-progress" as you can clearly hear a number of "fudged" notes. You know from learning songs how your playing develops as you move up the learning curve, and then finally "nail it". Once you're there, you don't go backwards.

  • @Lowdenjim That's interesting. For me, the publisher demo was definite proof that it was indeed Dylan himself. I imagine that for the album recording, he just put far lot more time (takes) and effort in it, maybe even recorded guitar and voice/harmonica seperately. (There is no harmonica on the demo, and an unusual amount on the record.) One day we may get to know about that... But then again, what does it matter. You worked it out, and you show us. Thanks again!

  • It is interesting, and a fascinating debate (for Dylan, guitar & recording anoraks like me anyhow!) - I would have said the same as you regarding over-dubbing vocals/harp and several takes, but the Coloumbia recording notes apparently logged this as just one take. I always figured that the harmonica was a separate track, but then listening again the panning switch from centre to left at the end of each verse suggests not.

    Enjoy the song - it's well worth the effort of learning.

  • hi. thanks for a lot of tips you have definately got that original ring. Im struggling with a non barred f : It makes my hand seem clumsy (because of the thumb over) like im using a pick axe.One can use the more classical position lifing the top part of the barr just prior to lifting the middle finger, also using this technique to gain a pull off up on the second a little later. It always surprises me the differences in peoples hands and how this is never mentioned , despite being so important.

  • You're absolutely right on that point; I recommended it to a player sometime ago as he couldn't use the thumb-over technique. It's just that the classical method is difficult for many people to achieve without lots of practice - the Bm6 in Girl from the North Country creates similar problems for folks (as it probably did for Dylan himself!)

  • it is really really tuf :( ! although its a great song !

  • Yes - very tough to master, but well worth the time and effort as it improves your technique overall. Good luck (stick with it - I'm sure you won't regret it!)

  • @Lowdenjim @Lowdenjim yea, im currently learning the 2nd part of the bach's bourree. So I will try this along which should vastly improve my right hand technique.

  • thank you for playing the original!!!!!!

  • You're welcome ...and thank you for taking time to comment!

  • thanks dude. you make the hard songs easy

  • fine work, Jim (season´s greetings)

  • Thank you and Merry Christmas to you too ("...play a song for me")

  • Thanks Jim! Very thorough and easy to follow! Just what I was looking for :) Hope all is well -Pix

  • You're welcome Pix - good luck with it...

  • Thank you for this thorough lesson, very easy to follow, but.. Tom Jones.. He is staring right into my soul!

  • Thanks - good luck with it (sorry about Tom - I've turned his face to the wall now...)

  • awesome!!!

  • Thank you!!!

  • Hi Jim,

    I'm from Austria and began to play guitar 40 years ago. I think I'm one of the earliest Dylan-fans of Austria and I never thought that I'll find out the Bmin-6-chord of Girl from the North Country . So I'm so thankfull to You that You gave me the chance to perform this wonderful song. I'm exercising each day now ( don't think I'll be ever half good as You). My wish is that You would explain the order and strings of the picking fingers for each song - especially Don't think twice.

  • Hi Walter - this was posted a while back:

    C 5464 G7 6464 Am *2 5454 F*2 6464 C5464 G7 6464 C5464 G7 6464 Am *2 5454 D7 *2 6464 G7*2 6464 C*2 5464 C7 *2 5454 F*2 6464 D7*2 6464 C 5464 G7 6464 Am 5454 F6464 C 54 64 G7 6464 C 5464

    (mr114019 7 months ago 2)

    The picking pattern basically is Thumb; 2nd finger; Thumb; 1st finger; Thumb; 2nd finger; Thumb; 1st finger etc....

    You can see exactly how in my Video No 5 which is a practice video is slow motion. Get back to me if you need more help.

  • Great job !

    Is it the Washburn R314K?

    Im pretty sure i wanna buy it :-)

  • Thanks a lot! - yes it's an R314K; good luck with it if you buy one.

  • Hi, I think i have the picking down thanks to you. I have spent weeks working on it then found your videos and learned well enough to practice in a few hours. I did have one question what key harmonica should i use because i was thinking of buying one and they are quite expensive and I'm not sure whether to get one in A or E

    also if you could make a harmonica tutorial that would be amazing

  • Thanks Dark Stan and well done with the song; I hope it gives you many years pleasure playing it. The harp used on Dylan's recording was a Hohner Marine Band in key of "A" played "blues style" in so-called "cross-harp" (the guitar played in "E" of course). If you buy an "E" you will find it is pitched quite high (you can buy an E in low octave which is a nice sound). It's down to personal choice. It's easier to learn to play standard before learning to play cross-harp. I buy Lee Oskars.

  • Thanks a million for this brilliant series of lessons ,I've learned to finger pick from you and it's brilliant ! I'm performing both the bob Dylan tracks next week and can't wait ,you're my hero baby !

  • That's great "Rhino" - thanks for taking time to comment; very good luck with the gig and please let me know how it goes (any chance you might video it?)

  • Not trying to be incompetent, but what order are they played in? You vary them when you tell what to use, and when you actually play the song.

    Is it C, G7, F, D7, C7?

    I think I just screwed myself up. If you could reply, that'd be great. Also, watched the entire video series of this, fantastic stuff.

  • Intro.... C G7 C F C G7 C

    Well it (C) ain't no use to (G7) sit and wonder (Am) why babe,

    (Am/G) (F) If''n you dont know by (C) now (G7)

    An' it (C) ain't no use to (G7) sit and wonder (Am) why babe,

    (D7) It'll never do some(G7)how..

    When your (C) rooster crows at the (C7) break o'dawn,

    (F) Look out your window an' (D7) I'll be gone

    (C) Youre the (G7) reason I'm (Am) a-travellin' (F) on

    (C) But don't think (G7) twice, it's all (C) right

    Hope that helps - good luck!

  • Looking forward to part two!

    Good effort mate

  • Thanks and very good luck with it - let me know how you progress....

  • It's going to take me ages to get this but your's is by and far the best lesson i've seen on this incredible song.

    Many thanks for taking the time mate.

    Top bloke.

  • You're most welcome - I hope you nail it much quicker than you anticipate!

    Good luck!

  • Thanks!! I was looking for a quality lesson of this song for a while! I'm not really that great of a guitarist but I've started playing everything with my fingers since a few months back when i misplaced my last pick :) Haven't gone to the music store to get more of em since fingerstyle is so much fun!

    Again, thanks!

  • You're welcome.... no going back now; play the "Slowhand" way - just like Eric!

  • Great tutorial, been playing fingerstyle for 20 years and Bob Dylan is my all time favourite musician. This classic Dylan song has been on my To Do list, but been avoiding it as its tricky, but can tell your teaching style has been honed to perfection.

    PS: why do you keep refering to Bruce Langhorn, this song is purely Dylan, he learned this style off his girlfriend at the time the established folk singer Joan Baez who gave Dylan his first big break at the Newport Festival.

  • Thanks for your comment of my teaching, but I'm only a "beginner" guitar-teacher!!

    I've been learning/studying guitar-playing styles though since 1964, and Dylan's fingerstyle "fingerprint" is not present on "Don't Think Twice" or "Girl from the North Country". Bruce "Tambourine-Man" Langhorne was hired as session guitarist from "Freewheelin'" to "Bringing it all Back Home". The difference in style can be seen & heard clearly on the "Quest" tape of Dylan playing GFTNC. He always flatpicked DTT

  • Still speculation that Langhorn played this? It may be so, but according to Bootleg Series lit, Dylan played this and anther song in picking style. In any case, it is  burned in my brain. Your tutorial is fabulous. I never got the bits 45 yrs ago. I just started playing again, so appreciate your help. Still hesitation at HO 1st fret 1st string on F chord -- sounds like 2nd HO w/o plucking B string as move to Am? My Dad took me to '63 Newport Folk Festival -- lucky 10 yr old. Cheers!

  • You lucky feller Lance! Thanks very much for your endorsement of my video. Since first hearing this song in '63 I was 90% certain it wasn't Dylan playing it. After studying finger-pickin' styles all these years I'm now convinced 100%, but it's a "hot potato" I've discovered! The hammer-on is slowed down in Video No 5 so should be easy to follow, but get back to me if not. Cheers to you too...

  • Comment removed

  • Great How to play "Don't Think Twice" tutorials. I found showing the letters of the chords in your Part 5 tutorial very helpful. What make and model of webcam are you using to record your tutorials? Are you using the microphone of the webcam? Also, what model and how old is your newish Washburn parlour guitar?

  • thanks loads but where is part 4 for all the fancy bits cheers

  • Thank you for this. I don't know if i could have figured this out on my own and definitely not as fast as I am with your instruction.

  • Thanks - you are very welcome and I'm glad it's help speed up the process for you.

  • charming guitar, what is it? it's a good one to capture the spirit of the original which was a small guitar as well, Martin size 1, it was a 1-21, 1919 or 1920, somewhere around then. Anyway, i love the sound of your guitar (and your playing).

  • Thank you - It's a Washburn 125 year celebration special edition - model R314KK

  • thanksssss :)

  • You're very welcome...

  • Thanks so much for this post! I was trying to play this song off of tabs, and I had difficulty with the timing. The way you break down the baseline and the picking really helped me to understand the construction of the song. I think I am going to have to work on this for a while but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. :)

  • That's great to hear Webpilot - your fingers will be flying soon!

  • do i really need one of those clamp things???

  • A "Capo" is not essential - but is a very useful and inexpensive accessory that brings great versatility to playing acoustic guitar. It allows you to change pitch/key to suit your voice, and also enhances the sounds you can get from the instrument.

  • oh. lol sorry i didnt know what it was called. But thank you once i learn how to even play i will check into one of those!

  • Comment removed

  • This is quite excellent.

  • Hi Jim, is your guitar a washburn r320 swrk ? I've been looking at one on ebay. cheers Carl.

  • Hi Carl - it's marked R314KK

  • C 5464 G7 6464 Am *2 5454 F*2 6464 C5464 G7 6464 C5464 G7 6464 Am *2 5454 D7 *2 6464 G7*2 6464 C*2 5464 C7 *2 5454 F*2 6464 D7*2 6464 C 5464 G7 6464 Am 5454 F6464 C 54 64 G7 6464 C 5464

  • Brilliant tutorial! Here's what's explained in the tutorial written down! I found it useful when trying to follow along. Cheers.

  • mmm. The word limit is tiny...

  • Thanks for that - it will help others too I'm sure, and I'll take it on board for future reference.

  • Great vid keep it up mate!

  • Thanks very much - I'll try....

  • thanks you are very good teacher could you do a tutorial for "blue monK"? I dont find any lesson with this song

  • Blue Monk? - I'm intrigued..... what is it?

  • thanks! im very happy now!

    i wanted to play more folksy classical dylan songs and i couldnt find any good tabs or lessons..

    but now ive found your vids!

    incredible! its like having a teacher at home :D

  • Don't talk to me about teachers at home!! Married to one for 40 years, fathered one, and even tried it myself for 22 years......

  • hehe okey :)

    got any tips on doing the chords where you stretch your thumb? some of them are really hard to do. maybe i got too small hands :(

  • I got small hands too - so I bought a guitar with very slimline neck; if you don't wanna buy another guitar though you could play "F" without fretting the 6th, and the "D7" by using 1st finger on 2, 2nd finger on 6, 3rd on 3 and 4th finger on the 1st string. Or, you could take the pain and keep forcing that thumb where she don't wanna go! :)

    (Good luck!!)

  • yeah, thanks for the tip!

    lets see where this goes :)

    ill practice with the different methods and see what suits me :)

  • Thank you so much for this.  I have finally learned to play this song...thank you from Wisconsin!!!!!

  • Hey there "Jud" in Wisconsin - you are most welcome; congratulations on nailing this great song...

  • that poster in the background...

    non other then Tom Jones a welsh.

    my fingers start hurting within 2 minutes of playing.I guess it would have to happen after 36 years of playing.

  • Sorry to hear about finger-pain; need to play more often to toughen them up! Tom is my "parrot pn the shoulder" - keeps me focussed...

  • Thank you for your very useful videos! I've been wondering so long about how to play this!!

    Emile, Paris, France.

  • You're most welcome - good luck with it...

  • Love it - see ya on the pickin trail.

  • See ya there Rick!

  • wah,

    thank you so much for posting this fantastic lesson. I just don't have any excuse now!

  • Thanks to you too - you're right, no excuses, just an "I can do this"...

    Very good luck with it.

  • thank you so much

  • .... my pleasure

  • Hi Jim, I'd just like to say thanks so much for taking the time to put together such fantastic lessons. I've watched and followed all 5 in this series of how to play 'don't think twice' and nothing else on youtube comes close. I'd been wondering for ages how to get the picking just right and finally found the way - cheers again mate and keep up the great work!

  • Thanks "Paddy" - send me some of that there Kryptonite; it'll help me speed up and improve productivity!

  • Thank you so much for this video, you have a fantastic technique to your teaching. I very much look forward to more videos.

  • Thanks for your kind comment - and I will work on some more as time permits; meanwhile gotta get back to garden wall & path building so as not to incur the wrath of my boss...

  • great vid, im writing this as im learning/watching you play... so far i feel like i already got the bass down and ive been trying for 10 minutes!

    only thing ive noticed is that when you start counting you gradually speed up. not a big issue or anything

    looking forward to the rest of the vids

  • Yes - sorry about my timing; it was a touch of nerves thing. I need to invest in a metronome maybe...

  • Nah I wouldn't worry about it, you're a pretty good human metronome, plus I don't like the things.

  • Hey! I haven't seen your other videos yet, but this one is very well done. I have decided to start learning this song since Bob Dylan is pretty inspirational for me. I think it is within my capabilities, and I haven't really progressed or learned any new songs for a while now. I am very excited! Thank you in advance ;) I will be coming here very often for the next month or so :D

  • Thanks, and very good luck with it!

  • holly crap

    !! ricky gervais!!!!

  • Ricky Gervais! .... THAT confused eh?!

  • i think this instruction on how to play dont think twice is by far the best ive ever seen. i purchased a rather expensive dvd that was supposed to teach me how to play it & never did. ive wanted to learn how to play this song for SO long! thanks for posting this! I do have one question that is keeping me from getting very far with it right now. I cant figure out what the tab is for the "f chord" you are playing. can you fill me in? thanks again for posting! lookin forward to playing this!

  • The F chord shape is 133211 with the thumb on the 6th string at the 1st fret and the 1st finger fretting the 1st & 2nd strings at the 1st fret. The variation then becomes 133011 with the hammer-on to the 3rd string with the 2nd finger. If you look at vid No 5 (Practice) you can see clearly how it's played. Good luck!

  • got it! thanks, that helps!

  • well, if you know how to play lead and rythmn that would be great. desolation row was one of the reason i wanted to start playing guitar....3 months ago. thanks!

  • I've never done the song as it's so lengthy and I never risk getting slung out of a gig, but I'll work on it (pruned to suitable length of course!)

  • well, your obviously a freewheelin fan, but what about a little later dylan? you should teach all the fun little riffs in desolation row.

  • Just the lead guitarist's riffs - or a solo acoustic version that incorporates suitable variation from Bob's rhythm guitar?

  • would this by chance be a washburn r314k?

  • Spot on - 125 year celebration edition repro of their 1880's parlour guitar.

  • what chord is that a 4:03?

  • It's a G chord, but I'm only fretting the 6th & 5th strings. In the other lessons you'll see how at this point you follow with a "roll on" up from the 2nd fret on the 4th string to the 3rd fret on the 4th string, from within the G chord.

    Hope that helps.

  • this is a great tutuorial, kudos haha

  • Hi, thanks for posting this tutorial. Could you please write down the sequence of the chords (c--g--and then???).

    thanks!

  • Intro.... C G7 C F C G7 C

    Well it (C) ain't no use to (G7) sit and wonder (Am) why babe,

    (Am/G) (F) If''n you dont know by (C) now (G7)

    An' it (C) ain't no use to (G7) sit and wonder (Am) why babe,

    (D7) It'll never do some(G7)how..

    When your (C) rooster crows at the (C7) break o'dawn,

    (F) Look out your window an' (D7) I'll be gone

    (C) Youre the (G7) reason I'm (Am) a-travellin' (F) on

    (C) But don't think (G7) twice, it's all (C) right

    Hope that helps - good luck!

  • Thanks, great!!

  • ....and while you specifically mention the thumb hook for the D7th aren't you also hooking the low E in the F chord?

    on a classical guitar...alternatives for the shorter fingered?

  • ... yes, as in electric guitar style. You could try playing a barred F, but then lift up your 1st finger to accommodate the hammer on from open G string to 2nd fret.

  • new to the tubes jim but you're definitely a find....

    highlands huh? several nice references by bob over the years yeah? time to get the fingers back to practicing...

    best wishes...

  • Jim, I usually play D7 as x00212

    What is the half barre numbering here in your tute?

    cheers

    Matt

  • I think it's just me being lazy - leaving the top E string out as it's not picked in this song (other than on a G7) .. so it would be 20021X

  • Cheers

    :-)

  • I've been waiting for a great tutorial like that in a long time for that song! it's better than anything I'd hope for!!!

  • Good luck with learning it - a fantastic song to play & sing... I hope you get the same pleasure from it that I have for so many years.

  • Awesome job, deffo the best video on how to play this song. Thanks a lot for sending me this

  • thanks for this

  • My pleasure

  • Teaching - a job for young folk with boundless energy and the drive to do what works rather than do the bidding of those who think they know....

  • Fantastic! Really useful lesson!..I'll be watching repeatedly for more lessons..

    cheers.

  • Thanks very much - glad you find it useful.

  • Thanks to share this with us. Really useful lesson!

    Can you record more videos on how to play songs of Bob Dylan or others?

  • Will do, as time and the Youtube uploader permits. Thanks for your interest and kind comments.

  • Fantastic! I've been keeping an eye out for this tutorial...we thank you very much. I was plucking through the song on my own and thought, say - I wonder if Mr. Lowdenjim has uploaded his lesson by now? Sure enough, and just one hour ago! Thanks alot...I'll be watching repeatedly, believe me.

  • I hope it helps - it's a great song to play & I've never tired of it over these last 46 years!

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