Sometimes the instruments seem to have a life of their own. I am thinking of certain tracks on Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, such as “A Simple Twist of Fate” or “You’re a Big Girl.” The musicians play with that spontaneous confidence that comes from extraordinary natural ability combined with long study of the great American (and foreign) folk idioms. Most guitarists are terrified of playing something on an acoustic guitar that demands an instinctual and unplanned response to the other instruments. A few decades ago, before the polish of modern production, it was obvious whether you had it or not.

Here’s an example of the living, breathing sound from the later Dylan album, Oh Mercy, (ironically, one of his more "produced" albums) where the three guitars maintain a tense, lush, and dark atmosphere around the voice:

“What Was It You Wanted”