Always liked his playing - not just his tone quality but I thought he had an interesting approach to melody/harmony. Distinctive sound, whatever the case may be.
Found a few articles if anyone's interested.
https://www.guitarplayer.com/lessons/ex ... -chemistry
https://jenslarsen.nl/allan-holdsworth- ... -voicings/
https://unlocktheguitar.net/blog/allan- ... th-chords/
The Alan Holdworth sound
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- Banned
- 282 posts since 4 May, 2022 from drippy, rainy wet western Oregon, USA.
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- KVRAF
- 26033 posts since 20 Oct, 2007 from gonesville
At like age 20, 21 before I went down a classical guitar rabbit hole, I wanted to get that Holdsworth legato and vocabulary. Day late and a dollar short in both cases, tragically.
I resemble Frank Zappa on electric and kind of always did. Holdsworth was in Frank’s top three, along with Jeff Beck and Johnny Guitar Watson btw.
I know exactly one player that resides up there in Holdsworth sky, technically (and then some, believe it or not) and harmonically. I pretty much guarantee you never heard of her. I know of her because of an invitation to hear her recording of FZ’s Amnerika live on solo guitar at Soundcloud, oddly enough. As technically impossible as that is. Then because a guy I know has collaborated with her on… other things not like this or the other thing.
“You’re about to be subjected to a very long guitar solo. I suspect Allan Holdsworth fans may like it”
give it a minute, it gets insane
I resemble Frank Zappa on electric and kind of always did. Holdsworth was in Frank’s top three, along with Jeff Beck and Johnny Guitar Watson btw.
I know exactly one player that resides up there in Holdsworth sky, technically (and then some, believe it or not) and harmonically. I pretty much guarantee you never heard of her. I know of her because of an invitation to hear her recording of FZ’s Amnerika live on solo guitar at Soundcloud, oddly enough. As technically impossible as that is. Then because a guy I know has collaborated with her on… other things not like this or the other thing.
“You’re about to be subjected to a very long guitar solo. I suspect Allan Holdsworth fans may like it”
give it a minute, it gets insane
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 282 posts since 4 May, 2022 from drippy, rainy wet western Oregon, USA.
I love the percussive sound she gets at around 4:30 - great contrast to that effortless Holdsworthian legato. (like shredding yet somehow smooth:)
Awesome player!
Awesome player!
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- KVRAF
- 26033 posts since 20 Oct, 2007 from gonesville
As pertains to his voicings I think guitarists with all this sort of entrainment and conditioning in normal idiomatic guitaring are more limited than one who’s worked more abstractly.
The way Allan Holdsworth thought about chords is quite a simple concept to grasp once you realize that he saw them as groups of notes from a scale, rather than a construct based on stacking diatonic intervals. In other words, he would think of a Dm or Dm7 chord as being the D Dorian scale the length of the neck, or perhaps the D Melodic Minor the length of the neck, or any number of other scales he knew that contained a Dm or Dm7 chord.
This exactly FZ’s basis for the Chord Bible, which exists from the late 70s for the orchestral music. So, first (and more directly pertinent to our guitarisms) the full chord is a seven note deal. Then we can realize [up to] the “full chromatic” can be lush rather than harsh, through judicious voicings.
But I never had the mind to be any kind of harmonic improviser. I learned to cut losses and play to my stengths.
The way Allan Holdsworth thought about chords is quite a simple concept to grasp once you realize that he saw them as groups of notes from a scale, rather than a construct based on stacking diatonic intervals. In other words, he would think of a Dm or Dm7 chord as being the D Dorian scale the length of the neck, or perhaps the D Melodic Minor the length of the neck, or any number of other scales he knew that contained a Dm or Dm7 chord.
This exactly FZ’s basis for the Chord Bible, which exists from the late 70s for the orchestral music. So, first (and more directly pertinent to our guitarisms) the full chord is a seven note deal. Then we can realize [up to] the “full chromatic” can be lush rather than harsh, through judicious voicings.
But I never had the mind to be any kind of harmonic improviser. I learned to cut losses and play to my stengths.
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- KVRAF
- 43890 posts since 11 Aug, 2008 from clown world
John Vullo - A comprehensive study of Allan Holdsworths improvisational ideas, patterns, scales, charts & tunings
Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
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- KVRAF
- 5375 posts since 22 Jul, 2006 from Tasmania, Australia
Pat Metheny is the other famous synth/MIDI guitar player.
Alan is difficult for me to listen to, but deffo caps off to him and his playing
Alan is difficult for me to listen to, but deffo caps off to him and his playing
I wonder what I want in here
-my site is gone and music a mess
-my site is gone and music a mess
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Chandlerhimself Chandlerhimself https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=318799
- KVRAF
- 1817 posts since 19 Dec, 2013 from Japan
I made a few videos on Allan's style over the years including chords and leads. If you like holdsworth check it out.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTlI ... 5ikpA36zQY
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTlI ... 5ikpA36zQY
My Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarChandler
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Winstontaneous Winstontaneous https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=98336
- KVRAF
- 2589 posts since 15 Feb, 2006 from Another Green World
I still remember my first time hearing Allan, on Tony Williams' Lifetime "Believe It" album. To play like a horn melodically or a piano harmonically while exploiting the guitar's unique strengths, with such incredible tone and an ever-questing sense of adventure - wow! And whatever gear he played over the years - Gibson SG, Stratocasters, Ibanez, Carvin guitars; and tube, solid state, or digital modeling amps; with or without FX - just a monster sound. And one of the few guitar synthesists with an equally majestic tone. Didn't Zappa say something about "why does Pat Metheny spend $100K to make a Synclavier sound like a $20 harmonica?" I think Allan used Oberheim Matrix-es with the SynthAxe at one point.
The one time I saw Holdsworth live was about 15 years ago on a tour celebrating the Lifetime stuff with Alan Pasqua, Chad Wackerman & Jimmy Haslip.
Tony, Alan, Tony & Allan...and Fred!
The one time I saw Holdsworth live was about 15 years ago on a tour celebrating the Lifetime stuff with Alan Pasqua, Chad Wackerman & Jimmy Haslip.
Tony, Alan, Tony & Allan...and Fred!
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 282 posts since 4 May, 2022 from drippy, rainy wet western Oregon, USA.
Winstontaneous wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:17 am Didn't Zappa say something about "why does Pat Metheny spend $100K to make a Synclavier sound like a $20 harmonica?"
"yeah, i love that blue box- the gr300 thing. in fact, i think most people seem to think that the sound that i use on tracks like WLH or "r u going w/me" is the synclavier when in fact it's this cheap, obsolete, 1979 technology weirdo guitar synth, the gr300. it's a sound that has got some funk in it." - PM
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- KVRAF
- 26033 posts since 20 Oct, 2007 from gonesville
Zappa couldn’t use the guitar controller for the thing because of his picking technique(s), which attack the strings differently than say people who practice scales a lot and have a consistency in the alternating strokes and whatnot.
(I don’t know from any Synclavier, but I had a “Roland-ready” Strat and the GR-whatever number was the regular one, ca. early oughts. must be “300”. It didn’t track half of what I gave it either. And the sounds were largely mediocre IMO. I thought it could be a MIDI controller for soft synths. Boy was I wrong, entirely useless, it only really spoke to the Roland.)
Holdsworth’s synth sounds, what I heard was ill-advised. Metheny I didn’t follow as closely.
But Holdsworth was just huge for me despite the fact I’d never achieve like that, because he was a horn player on the guitar. This is me all the way. I would still call someone else for rhythm guitar most of the time.
(I don’t know from any Synclavier, but I had a “Roland-ready” Strat and the GR-whatever number was the regular one, ca. early oughts. must be “300”. It didn’t track half of what I gave it either. And the sounds were largely mediocre IMO. I thought it could be a MIDI controller for soft synths. Boy was I wrong, entirely useless, it only really spoke to the Roland.)
Holdsworth’s synth sounds, what I heard was ill-advised. Metheny I didn’t follow as closely.
But Holdsworth was just huge for me despite the fact I’d never achieve like that, because he was a horn player on the guitar. This is me all the way. I would still call someone else for rhythm guitar most of the time.
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- KVRian
- 973 posts since 24 Oct, 2006
I've got to ask: did Allan actually ever play an unaltered, straight-up Strat? I'm only asking because every guitar with a Strat style body I ever saw him play had humbuckers on it.Winstontaneous wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:17 am And whatever gear he played over the years - Gibson SG, Stratocasters....
The Oberheim Matrix 12 and its module the Xpander in particular were wonderful for alternate controllers; it was also Mike Brecker's favorite module for use with his EWI.
“Madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push.”
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- KVRist
- 161 posts since 1 Nov, 2012
Allan has a special place in every musicians heart, for those who admire this kind of music. He put elements together which seem to be impossible top mix, with grace, style and heart. There is more to music and life and he could put it in frequencies, music and a tremendous sound. One of a kind! As a teenager I was obsessed with his compositions, sound and harmonies. Listening to his music on my Sony minidisc player, roaming and walking around my city for hours. A unique and special time which I suppose cannot ever be repeated. Cherish that it all happened.
First and foremost: We need great songs (again)
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- KVRian
- 837 posts since 23 Feb, 2023
Another similar for study is Tony MacAlpine who I know from the group CAB which also featured Bunny Brunel on Fretless Bass & Brian Augur on B3 on one album. Tony been with numerous others as well...
Mustn't forget the now late John Goodsall of Brand X either, been listening to Brand X since late 70's-
Mustn't forget the now late John Goodsall of Brand X either, been listening to Brand X since late 70's-