For his role as Bob Dylan in the 2024 movie A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet had to learn the intricate guitar methods of the renowned singer-songwriter in addition to mimicking Dylan’s voice and distinctive style. To accomplish this, Chalamet sought the assistance of seasoned guitarist Larry Saltzman, who taught him how to play like the legendary musician. To portray Dylan’s early days as a folk artist and his dramatic transition to electric guitars at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, Chalamet had to have impeccable guitar technique.
Breaking Down Dylan’s Unconventional Guitar Style
In an interview with MusicRadar, Saltzman shared how he approached teaching Chalamet the ins and outs of Dylan’s distinctive guitar style. “It happened organically,” Saltzman explained, detailing how he started by reading the script to understand the music in the film. He made a list of the songs and ranked them from easiest to hardest, then began to teach Chalamet the guitar parts. “I probably started with ‘Masters of War’ because maybe it had two chords, E minor and D,” he said. From there, they worked through 30 to 40 tracks, with Chalamet gradually learning more complicated pieces.
Learning Dylan’s guitar style was no easy feat. The legendary singer’s technique is known for being “idiosyncratic and surprising,” as Saltzman put it. “Dylan had to be, in this era, until he went electric at the very end of the film, he had to be his own one-man band,” he explained. Dylan’s songs often incorporated quirky, unconventional elements, which were essential for Chalamet to master to fully embody the role. Saltzman would often have to remind Chalamet of past lessons, like revisiting the C chord progression from earlier songs, but with different variations in later tracks.
“This concept would appear again two songs later,” Saltzman said. “So I would be able to say to Tim, ‘Remember that thing we did with the C chord? Hit a C bass note and strum, then we descend into B then an A?’” It was all about building a cumulative understanding of Dylan’s guitar techniques.
A Humble Start with a $200 Yamaha Guitar
One memorable moment in Chalamet’s guitar journey occurred when he showed up to his first lesson with a humble $200 Yamaha acoustic guitar. “When he first came over we used my guitar. I told him, ‘Show up without a guitar. I have a couple of guitars for us.’” But Chalamet didn’t arrive empty-handed. Instead, he went to Guitar Center in New York and bought the affordable Yamaha, surprising Saltzman with his down-to-earth approach.
Saltzman recalled sharing this with the film’s director, Jim Mangold. “I spoke to Jim Mangold, the director, about that. Jim was asking, ‘Does he have a guitar?’ I said, ‘Yeah, he went and bought a $200 Yamaha guitar.’” Saltzman explained that Chalamet could’ve easily bought a high-end guitar, but the actor chose the more practical option. “It was very playable and sounded good,” Saltzman said. “And the other thing that was good about it was that you don’t really have to worry about an instrument like that if it falls over. It’s not the end of the world.”
Saltzman found this choice refreshing. “I loved that he showed up with a $200 guitar. He didn’t show up with a $2,000 guitar and he could have. I just loved that he did that. It’s humble.”
Chalamet’s Big Debut on SNL
After working hard to perfect his guitar skills, Chalamet had the chance to showcase his newfound talent on Saturday Night Live following the release of A Complete Unknown. The actor took on double duty as both host and musical guest, performing live renditions of Bob Dylan’s songs, including “Outlaw Blues,” “Three Angels,” and “Tomorrow Is a Long Time.” Fans were amazed by his guitar skills, and his performance demonstrated the effort and commitment he put into learning Dylan’s distinctive approach.
It took a lot of work for Chalamet to go from actor to guitarist for the part of Bob Dylan. Chalamet was able to fully commit to the character with Saltzman’s tutelage and his own dedication to the craft, learning not only Dylan’s voice and demeanor but also the nuances of his recognizable guitar approach. Chalamet’s musical journey in A Complete Unknown is nothing short of remarkable, starting with modest beginnings with a cheap guitar and culminating in strong performances on a national scale.