IntermediatefolkKey: D115 BPM4/4

How to Practice Mr. Tambourine Man

Bob Dylan's 'Mr. Tambourine Man' is one of the most-played folk-rock songs ever written. The simple chord progression, the imagistic lyric, and the universally familiar chorus have made it a cornerstone of folk and singer-songwriter repertoire for sixty years.

Song Details

Key
D
Tempo
115 BPM
Time
4/4
Style
boom-chuck

Structure

ChorusG | A | D | G | G | A | D | D
VerseG | A | D | G | G | A | D | D

What to Focus On

Simple chord changes through G major. Steady acoustic strumming. Singing the imagistic lyric with reflective phrasing.

Practice Tips

  1. 1

    Three or four chords, no excuses. Master the changes and the lyric is what's left.

  2. 2

    The Byrds' arrangement is the more-streamed reference; Dylan's original is the songwriter's reference.

  3. 3

    The chorus is what people sing along to. Practice it confidently.

Why This Song

It's the great Dylan folk-rock standard — and a singer-songwriter milestone.

Practice Mr. Tambourine Man Daily

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