Blowin' In The Wind Guitar Lesson

Learn how to play Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan!

Only using the I, IV and V chord, 'Blowin' In The Wind' keep the interest going through bass lines and a mystery half time bar.

However, the constant play on chord IV might be the biggest lesson to be learned here by Maestro Bob Dylan.

As 'Blowin' In The Wind' move to chord IV it goes as far away as possible from chord I, consequentially get the feeling of moving on.

Dylan early on understood the true meaning of seeing the chords as numbers and melodies as intervals on top of those numbers.

In his legendary 'Chronicles' you'll find the story on how Bob was taught the secret to hit writing by a blues man: "You just keep hitting those numbers man..."

Keys, chords and roman numerals

Instead of thinking C F G when you play, there might be a temptation to think D G A since that is the chords that we hear (Capo 2nd fret).

Don't do that, the purpose of the capo is to be able to switch key easily, not to think of irrelevant key signatures.

Using the concept of The Ionian C shape, you should think of 'Blowin' In The Wind' as being in the C shape, using chord I IV and V.

A Capo is then applied depending on what range the singer want to perform in.

Dylan himself has performed this in so many keys Spytunes have had complaints about recording this in the wrong key on Youtube.

So what key is it in?

The answer is D, but think in C, the meaning of the numbers are 'Blowin' In The Wind', catch them and you shall understand.

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C, C shape

F, E shape

G, G shape