Quick And Easy Mr. Tambourine Man Chords & Guitar Lesson (Bob Dylan)

Just like Jimi Hendrix, one of my favorite artists is Bob Dylan.

For years, I’ve had his records on repeat. His lyrics and the songs can take you away to another world, and today’s lesson is a perfect example of that. 

It’s a simple tune, with a very minimal production, yet it’s had a HUGE impact. 

So grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “Mr. Tambourine Man” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Mr. Tambourine Man? 

"Mr. Tambourine Man" was originally written and performed by Bob Dylan. The song is famous for its vivid, surreal imagery and has been widely interpreted in various ways. Some listeners believe this song is about drugs, particularly with lines like "take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship." However, others argue it’s more about the search for artistic inspiration.

“Mr. Tambourine Man” was recorded on January 15, 1965, at Columbia Studios in New York City, and the production was incredibly simple. 

It only has Dylan on acoustic, vocals, and harmonica. Then Bruce Langhorne on a light electric lead guitar. Langhorne’s playing is tasteful. He fills in the cracks between Dylan’s vocal lines and adds a contrasting flavor to the recording.

Shortly after, on March 22, 1965, “Mr. Tambourine Man” was released on Dylan’s album Bringing It All Back Home.  

There have also been many covers of “Mr. Tambourine Man”. 

For example, In April 1965, The Byrds released their electrified version as their debut single. This rendition reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. and the UK Singles Chart. The Byrds' version was instrumental in popularizing the folk-rock genre, blending Dylan's poetic lyrics with a rock arrangement featuring Jim McGuinn's jangly 12-string Rickenbacker guitar.

Both Dylan's original and The Byrds' cover have received significant recognition. Both versions were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. "Mr. Tambourine Man" was also featured in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Mr. Tambourine Man?

The tuning for "Mr. Tambourine Man”, as recorded by Bob Dylan is in drop D tuning. You can see Dylan play it live in this tuning as well. Drop D tuning on guitar is spelled out as DADGBE.  

Here are the strings:

• D (6th string, lowest pitch) 
• A (5th string) 
• D (4th string) 
• G (3rd string) 
• B (2nd string) 
• E (1st string, highest pitch)  

You can see Dylan tune to this tuning right before playing live at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964:

Pretty cool eh? 

One other thing you can see in the video above is the answer to the question…

Does Mr. Tambourine Man use a capo?

Yes. Bob Dylan uses a capo on the 3rd fret to play “Mr. Tambourine Man”. This gives the chords a slightly higher pitch, and also matches the song to his vocal range. With the capo on the 3rd fret, he plays the song in the key of D major. 

Next, let’s take a look at the…

Mr. Tambourine Man Chords

To play “Mr. Tambourine Man” on guitar you’ll only need to know 3 main chords they are D, G, and A. These are classic folk guitar chords and all be played in open position. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “Mr. Tambourine Man” chords can be played on the fretboard:  

D is played from the 4th string down like this:

G is played using all 6 strings like this:

Finally, A is played from the 5th string down like so:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar and want to discover the simplest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right! Now that you know the "Mr. Tambourine Man” chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Mr. Tambourine Man in?

"Mr. Tambourine Man" as recorded by Bob Dylan is in the key of F major concert pitch. The chords use are F, Bb, and C. However, because Dylan uses a capo on the 3rd fret, he plays it in the key of D. 

So the capo key is D major, while the concert pitch is F major.

Let’s take a look at the chords as they relate to the key of D major and the D major scale. The D major scale uses the notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C#. 

The chords break down like this 

D (D Major)

• Notes: D, F#, A
• Scale Degrees: 1 (D), 3 (F#), 5 (A)
• Function: This is the tonic chord (I) in the key of D major, serving as the home base. It establishes the tonality and is the central chord in the key.
  
  

G (G Major)

• Notes: G, B, D
• Scale Degrees: 4 (G), 6 (B), 1 (D)
• Function: This is the subdominant chord (IV) in D major. It provides a sense of movement and prepares the resolution to the tonic (D).
  
  

A (A Major)

• Notes: A, C#, E,
• Scale Degrees: 5 (A), 7 (C#), 2 (E)
• Function: This is the dominant chord (V) in D major. This chord often increases tension, leading to a strong resolution back to the tonic (D). It’s a cornerstone of folk and popular progressions.
  
  

So that’s the theory, next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for Mr Tambourine Man?

The main underlying groove for “Mr. Tambourine Man” is a steady 16th-note feel.

In 4/4 time, 16th notes divide each beat into four equal parts. This creates a steady and consistent rhythm like this: 

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure. The "e," "&," and "a" are the evenly spaced subdivisions within each beat.

When counted out loud, it sounds like: 

"One-ee-and-uh, Two-ee-and-uh, Three-ee-and-uh, Four-ee-and-uh."

However, I don’t strum all the 16th notes. I would combine 8th notes with 16th notes like this:

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Mr. Tambourine Man” showcases Dylan’s incredible ability to take the listener on a journey in his songs and lyrics. It’s a simple song that’s had a HUGE impact – resonating with listeners for decades across generations.

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:   

Jon MacLennan