Here are a couple of songs I have learned last month after watching the film “A complete Unknown”. There has been some discussion about the pros and cons of the film elsewhere, no need to repeat that. But what watching the movie did for me was to create context for the earlier Bob Dylan songs. I never liked the old recordings much - there’s just something about the sound of his guitar and voice that has always put me off. Hearing these early songs but much better produced made me enjoy and like them - they clicked for the first time really. So here I am, several songs in.
Buckets of Rain is of course from a decade later than shown in the film but it is such a great song and had been sitting on my bucket list (hehe, little pun here ) for a while. This year is the Open D year and so it was the first one up.
As for Girl from the North Coutry I used to only like the Johnny Cash version (because of the above) but the song was featured in the film in a relatively short clip but it sounded really good, so I gave it a try and it has grown on me - I think only play the fingerpicked version from now on.
Really, really nice Molly. I’m looking forward to the time when I’m able to play and sing as well as you do! But, sooner than that, I’m looking forward to other postings of yours.
Really enjoyed these Bob Dylan covers. Personally I really enjoyed the film, perhaps hearing all those great songs coming over the sound system at the cinema!
Fingerpicking and singing most impressive, thank you
Richard
Those were really good Molly. I am most familiar with the Wood Brothers version of Buckets of Rain. Your finger style playing is wonderful and voice compliments the playing very well. I quite enjoyed both songs.
Wow Molly! Beautiful singing and playing. In many AVOYPS you can see and hear some student tension coming through in the notes and the voice. Not yours - so smooth and relaxed. Keep the songs coming.
Thank you @mundeli, RIchar @Richtrfc, Joe @frito, Jason @J.W.C, Tomasz @Coda, Michael @mfeeney0110, Deborah @GrumpyMac and Michal @Carreta for stepping by and leaving a comment! I am glad you enjoyed the songs! But belive me, there still is tension and adrenalin pumping when I hit the record button, and mistakes all over and messed up lyrics - but with these two songs in particular I found it easier to get into the flow of things and just “go with it”.
And thank you also Richard @Richard_close2u for your comments! I will definitly watch out for that Open D Vintage Club. When I started learning Buckets of Rain that was the first time I had tuned my guitar to Open D and woooowww it sounds so cool. I’m already on the next Open D song and have set my eyes on a few more …
Sounds all too familiar to me… I become particularly tense when I’m about to overdub a perfectly recorded first track… It’s strange, since I know I can delete a track with some mistakes and make another attempt. I don’t have to pay for the studio time, there’s no audience and still something like stage fright gets in the way. After all these years…
Your playing is truly up to snuff and beyond. Hey, I come here to listen to guitar music, so these tracks are worth the price of admission.
I do think that the keys may not be the best for your vocal range. Know that you are not bound by the key that the song is originally played or whatever tutorial you worked with. Consider moving that capo around to find a more comfortable key for your singing. The chords remain the same as you move your capo around the neck. Feel free to consider or disregard, as your playing is truly a cut above.
Thank you so much Clint @CT for stopping by, watching the videos and leaving a comment!
And yes, choosing a key was a bit of a challenge here - I’ve gone even beyond capo in the past and transposed songs so they suit me better, so no stranger to that. But these Bob Dylan songs a miles away from my vocal comfort zone. Always too low, and then an octave higher too high. Buckets of Rain was recorded in Open E and uses 12 frets so that limits my options. I could have put a capo high up, but my guitar has no cutout and in the end I decided to go down one tone and have the guitar in Open D and sing high. For Girl from the North Country same challenge, I started out with Capo two frets higher up but still had to change the melody a bit and after that I went back to the recording key as I find that more comfortable for singing - even though it sounds better with capo two frets higher. Maybe do one thing for practise and another for performance
Molly, your playing is fantastic! Flying and floating all over those strings. Vocals too. Great songs. I’ve never gotten into Bob Dylan, which is my loss. I do plan on watching the movie and sad I missed it in theater. You have given me even more desire to check out his music. Also looking forward to your next performance.
) for a while. This year is the Open D year and so it was the first one up.
It’s strange, since I know I can delete a track with some mistakes and make another attempt. I don’t have to pay for the studio time, there’s no audience and still something like stage fright gets in the way. After all these years… 
. That was very enjoyable.