A comprehensive study of Allan Holdsworths improvisational ideas, patterns, scales, charts & tunings

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Pgh_flamenco

Posts: 1506
Joined: Dec. 5 2007
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A comprehensive study of Allan Holds...

A YouTube user named TurrigenousOfficial spent 19 months going over Holdsworth’s recordings and his analysis is eye opening. The video he uploaded a few days ago is over five hours long and is bookmarked by topic in the description. I’ve never seen anything like it. Enjoy!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 12 2022 3:08:27

Ricardo

Posts: 15316
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: A comprehensive study of Allan H... (in reply to Pgh_flamenco)

I watched it. Very well done, lots of work and aficion for the guy. I was never a huge fan but admit I was always impressed. I did have a book about him from the 80’s that was interesting but I never studied it deeply. I liked the mystery in his playing, it was clear he was different, and that was always impressive. Now that this guy has revealed those 3note jumping patterns, the mystery is totally gone for me. In every example I literally hear the symmetry in his fingering. Without the mystery it is now boring to me. I guess every player has their go to licks and once you recognize them you can predict them and once a musician is predictable, they quickly get boring. At least with “soloing” or improvisation. Unless of course they tease you and use that predictability as a form of desired expectation. Then it is interesting again.

Here is an example, maybe boring to folks. Only lydian licks for 15 minutes, but this one spot really grabs me, and it is full of just his typical go to things..in context it is very exciting to me. At 11:13.

I deciphered the thing here, and I still love it.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 14 2022 19:34:00

TrickyFish

Posts: 55
Joined: Dec. 7 2018

RE: A comprehensive study of Allan H... (in reply to Pgh_flamenco)

What a crazy effort! I skimmed some of the 5 hours, but its not my style of music / not my cup of tea.

I question whether this effort was worth it. Or would his time be better spent on other areas of focus? Curious to hear what others think of this.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 16 2022 10:20:18

devilhand

Posts: 1707
Joined: Oct. 15 2019

RE: A comprehensive study of Allan H... (in reply to TrickyFish)

Definitely something for Holdsworth's hardcore fans. Obvisously he didn't do this in one take. I think many separate videos are merged into a big 5 hour video. It's Holdsworth's way of looking at scales and improvisation. One of many. Everyone can come up with their own concept.

quote:

Or would his time be better spent on other areas of focus?

I'd rather learn to improvise like her and play it on guitar. No need to study scales extensively.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 16 2022 20:51:31