if the people were smarter and understood what allan accomplishes on the guitar in terms of pure genius and musicality, he would be more famous than jesus, but thats what i love about allan, he hates his playing, even tho deep down, im sure he knows no musician touches him in terms of harmonic awareness and musical exploration
“Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh. It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now. As I slooshied, I knew such lovely pictures!”
it's all about the feeling you get when you listen to it.. who cares if you can't get a hook of some song out of your head.. this is the kind of music that really gets you to a special place if you just relax and feel it. even if it's not a catchy hook, the feeling that stay with you will do so in a much more persistent and significant manor.
@Maglioso non melodic? NON MELODIC? are you fucking deaf? i'm a drummer and i get this! even without drums on it, and its not "odd music" its felt music without restraining yourself to certain conventions (that end up making everything sound the same)..
this is like background music for a glassy place, dont pay attention to the music just picture a cold glass thing and forget about the chords and fingers and all that musical bullshit
but i must say that this music is not catchy at all... i couldn't get into it until i listened to it for half a dozen times and i still dont remember anything of it.... its ok when it plays that's all...
@iamthesasi Ah, you need to close your eyes when you listen, 'looks' like you mayn't have heard his earlier stuff - stuff from 'Sand', maybe. A 'good' starting place since you're not into musical 'bullcrap'. But remember to close your eyes!
It's such a shame well thought out music, as opposed to the ever present I-IV-V pattern, is shunned. It's magical to listen, a bit odd, yes, but fantastic.
@Jesuselpacifo lol and what is the message / emotion? this aint a fucking book you cant read a chord, ill watch any video i want you and holdsworth can share my cock, figure out the message/emotion in that you fuck. only holdsworth knows his message/emotion in this song you hypocital
@Jesuselpacifo lol and what is the message / emotion? this aint a fucking book you cant read a chord, ill watch any video i want you and holdsworth can share my cock, figure out the message/emotion in that you fuck. only holdsworth knows his message/emotion in this song you hypocital
@Bloodlust42513 what is the emotion? U FUCKING MISSERABLE PRICK, THIS MAKES ME CRY, U ARE A FAWKING LACK OF FEELINGS PERSON. THIS SONG IS AMAZING, THE CHORDS ARE SO DARK
@Bloodlust42513 The point of music is not to sound "good". Music is an art. All art either conveys a message or an emotion. If you can't find the message or emotion in Holdsworth's playing then you shouldn't be watching, let alone breathing.
he uses the same ambient sound over and over and over again, all his stuff sounds the same like one huge never ending song. He plays the same enigmatic solos with a few tonal highlights every other album.
@RaymondFRevalee All his songs sound the same?Speaking for myself,that's a very good thing.It guarantees that all of Allan's music will be excellent and will NEVER disappoint me!
@RaymondFRevalee You're incredibly stupid...I own every album holdsworth's ever done. If you're tone deaf I guess it all sounds the same, but I can attest that almost every album is incredible in it's own right.
@RaymondFRevalee Like Frank Zappa said: "most people wouldn't know good music if it came up and bit them in the ass!" You're DEFINATELY A MEMBER OF THAT CLUB, FUCKWORM~! CHEERS, MATE! :-D
@CYCLOPSONE The answer always seems to be either god or drugs when it comes to musicians. You know, I'm going with lots of talent nurtured with 30 years of experience and 40 years of practice.
@boertush if you start messing around with harmonic minor harmony:minor major seventh and all the altered major seventh forms that come from harmonizing that scale you will get that sound...the thing you need to practice is dexterity with a bit of finger contorion,with out forgeting total fretboard mastery.....The harmonic minor produces that cool dissonant sometimes disturbing sound.,
@IIuneXpectedII what?!...that's amazing...actually i saved like 450 bucks for a new guitar, but in south america it's pretty impossible to find that brand...try to keep it for you pal...=P...
@FreedomZealot Either you are you are lying little toe rag... or fairly unusually for him... Alan likes a chord that a normal person can understand and play.
@FreedomZealot Michael Tsarion is the worlds premier conspiracy reseracher/lecturer/author. Leo Zagami, Jordan Maxwell and Alexandre Dumas pere are highly informative as well. p.s. Melting Euphoria is similar to Ozric Tentacles and Gong.
@FreedomZealot 'It is my opinion that if the liberties of this country(USA) are destroyed, it will be by the subtlety of the Roman catholic Jesuit priests, for they are the most crafty, dangerous enemies to civil and religous liberty. They have instigated most of the wars of Europe.' Marquis de LaFayette
@FreedomZealot 'I do not like the reappearance of The Jesuits ... If ever there was a body of men who merited damnation on earth and in hell, it is this society of Loyola's. Nevertheless, we are compelled by our system of religous toleration to offer them an asylum.' John Adams, 2nd President of the U.S.A
Helps that his hands are ridiculously long...the stretches aren't as taxing on him... although, Phil Keaggy has ridiculously small hands and can amaze in the same way....think I'll buy some "Extends"....oh, wait, that's the other Jimmy Johnson.
Truly a unique player even if this is beyond the ears of some folks here who have commented. I don't know if I would call this Jazz exactly but there certainly are elements of that in his approach. Soft Machine and Bill Bruford progressive influences are here as well. Holdsworth has been on the scene for many years and I'm sure his influences are many also. He's what, 64 now and can still wipe the floor with just about any guitar player. I will say his music really reaches me. Beautiful stuff.
Exemplifies the term 'muso' in its very worst sense ... just plain boring! 'Ooh, but the chords are so interesting!!!!' But if it fails to move the listener beyond how big the finger stretches must be, what is the point?
I just can't like Holdsworth. He is so unmelodic it bores me to tears. I am stunned by his amazing chops but his playing lacks musicality; like he's just putting together a bunch of chords in no particular order and calling it a song. Been playing for 35 years, by the way.
@beeroosterm well obviously thats not enough to understand that he knows what the fuck hes doing. each and every chord is selected for a reason. it maybe bore you but the complexity of this is ridiculous. not only is are there tons of inversions and weird voicings, but the chords themselves change keys in way you would never think of doing.
@A7Xmatt343 I didn't say he doesn't know what he's doing; only that it's "unmusical". Complexity by itself is boring, no matter if there are large quantities of inversions or weird chord voicings/key changes. His music sounds more like guitar exercises. Please get to the melody, Allan! Oh, wait - it never arrives. Never. It's like reading Milton: hopelessly complex - and by the time the period arrives, you forget the original point.
@beeroosterm what your listening for is mainstream music. mainstream music is music that you like right when you hear it, with a hook or catchy melody. music like this is almost impossible to like right away. it takes awhile to get to like, but once you do you will like it for much longer. also he isnt randomly thowing chords together, and by saying that you prove your lack of musical knowledge.
@A7Xmatt343 Mainstream music, my ass...And you're right: this music is impossible to like...period. And it SOUNDS like he's randomly throwing chords together - what's the difference? Holdsworth is as boring as can be; is that clear enough?
@gitarmats Look, if you play what seems to be random chords like Holdsworth does here, does that make it music? No. As for having the audacity to decide what's musical: If you will kindly direct me to the authority on "what is music?" I'd be glad to acquiesce. Otherwise, the bottom line is that Holdsworth is brilliant technically but absolutely nowhere musically. He needs to stop his narcisssistic playing and get some heart. No one can relate to his playing.
@gitarmats Look, if you play what seems to be random chords like Holdsworth does here, does that make it music? No. As for having the audacity to decide what's musical: If you will kindly direct me to the authority on "what is music?" I'd be glad to acquiesce. Otherwise, the bottom line is that Holdsworth is brilliant technically but absolutely nowhere musically. He needs to stop his narcissistic playing and get some heart. No one can relate to his playing.
Does it matter if it is random if it sounds good? and for the record, yes I think this sounds good.
"He needs to stop his narcissistic playing"
What? He can't play the guitar the way he wants because you don't like it?
Wow..
My point is, you can not decide what is musical like "this is musical, but this is not" Every person has a different taste and will like different stuff. Can you not see that? are you really that close-minded?
@gitarmats Not close-minded. Heaven forbid if someone should state the obvious: Holdsworth plays boring, complicated...shit. Who cares if it's intricate shit that's difficult to play? I just want to stab my ears with icepicks...
@gitarmats Never said that no one can like it, dickwad. You're just being argumentative. Holdsworth sucks - not because he cannot play, but because he cannot play anything that stirs me. He does not hit the spot. I'm bored immediately. Yes, he plays interesting chords. Ho hum. That's all. I'm done with this line.
@gitarmats Never said that no one can like it, dickwad. You're just being argumentative. Holdsworth sucks - not because he cannot play, but because he cannot play anything that...stirs me. He does not hit the spot. I'm bored immediately. Yes, he plays interesting chords. Ho hum. That's all. I'm done with this line.
@beeroosterm What you are referring to as random chords is actually well thought out voice leading. If you've been playing for 35 years, then you've just exposed your lack of knowledge about your instrument and music in general. Do songs need to be diatonic and have a catchy melody to keep your interest? Allan understands harmony at very high level. Zappa, Vai, Satriani, Van Halen, Lane and countless others said that Allan was the best. Nothing gets more musical than this in my opinion.
@austin33309 Well...I didn't want to attempt to get technical/deconstruct his guitar playing - as if that would convince anybody to change their respective opinion anyway. I do indeed understand voice leading and even if you know nothing of voice leading, Holdsworth still sounds random and unmelodic. And yes, I believe there should be some melodic component to keep things interesting. I disagree that Holdsworth is "the best". If he was, then I believe more would think so.
@beeroosterm What(besides this)have you heard from Holdsworth that turned you away? It took me awhile to get into him, but when I started to hear all that was going on, I was amazed. I'm going to correct what I said before about him being"the best." I feel that there is no"best." Each player is unique in their own way. With that said, you can't rate Holdsworth's playing on the size of his following. That's like saying Slash is the best guitarist because he is on the cover of the most magazines.
@austin33309 I've listened to/seen about 30 of his videos - never heard anything off an album. And I've read/heard of him for the last 25 years. I too am amazed by his amazing chops/technique but am unmoved by his music. I think that says it all. And Slash sucks - and he knows it.
@beeroosterm Although he has chops, most people listen to him for his knowledge of the fretboard. I feel that you can hear it in his playing. He explores all of the possible sounds you can get and he's not afraid to color outside of the lines. There are very few cats out there that can play around fast-moving tonal centers like he can. The only man that could come close is John Coltrane himself. You may disagree and that's fine, but those are just a few reasons why I love his playing.
@austin33309 I understand that opinion, but it is not enough for me to enjoy his music. I have to feel it in my stomach as well as my head, and Holdsworth's music doesn't cut it. He plays the most complicated stuff out there, but that alone is not art. I'm not jazz oriented at all as well, possibly contributing to my boredom with his endless weirdness.
@beeroosterm As far as I am concerned, I am the type of guy who listened to him for 2 years non-stop, for purely emotional reasons. It's all matter of taste and perception, but I'm just saying, he got me emotionally/mentally high for a very long time, complicated, sophisticated or not. I happen to be bored by blues-based patterns.
I'd like to hear that dry (without reverb). Some of his haunting tunes are drenched in reverb. So much so that the tune is fighting the reverb to some extent. Just saying. He's one of my favorites, but I find I'm starting to nitpick his stuff as my own musical sensibilities develop. Everyone has their own voice and there is no denying that his is a great one.
@GoodMetalFTW@GoodMetalFTW Don't get me wrong, the song is very unique in a good way. the guitar itself just doesn't make sense to me. it seems so small and incomplete.
yea, but i have seen weirder guitars. the buckethead signature is GIANT!!! then again it has to be. if you have ever seen buckethead play a regular sized guitar you would realize he makes the guitar look microscopic. i envy the length of his fingers.
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For those of us not musically tuned...explain what this boring shit is and why it's so fucking amazing so that we won't think is' boring shit and will think it's amazing.
@CarnivalNights Wtf are you on about.. it's just amazing his technique, his style, everything is very hard to match, he isn't a carbon copy of everyone else. His stuff is so far out it is really easy to draw inspiration ..
If any other guitarist had just played that song for me, I'd slap him in the face and tell him to stop playing random notes. Allan Holdsworth is possibly the only person in the world that could have made that musically enjoyable.
He's using a lot of spread triads with an added 4th or 11th. The first chord is B (add4) from lowest to highest B F# (on D string) D# (on G string) E (on B string)
2nd chord is G#m (add4) same string set low to high G# D# B C# then EmMaj7 to GmMaj7(both drop 3 5th in bass) then D#(add4) same voicing as B(add4) root at 11th fret then Cm(add4) same voicing as before root at 8th fret that should get you started...
This is so beautiful I honestly almost started crying although It's basically the first time I hear about this guy. Holdsworth + Thordendal = too awesome.
man its like Fredrik THordendal has the shining and tunes into A.H. for his melodic parts, this song sounds particularly like Sum, and most melodic parts on Sol Niger.
Its not the usual barre chords most guitarists learn but what i call closed chords(or maybe inversions of chords). Some of them are extended,. I can hear a A minor 11 and recognize the shape of it
@iselldummysmacks He can have that effect on people. However, you should find new ways to make your own ideas this intricate. Music comes from the soul and no two musicians are alike. Alan may inspire you to take different directions but what you learn from him should help... and not hinder you. Feel every melody in your heart and then have the confidence to play your own thoughts as masterfully.
I think it would be super funny to sneak into his house at night and cut off his thumbs and little fingers. And his dick. No doubt he'd find a way of using his dick to play guitar, hence its need for removal. Imagine his face? Ha Ha i'd be like "Well Allen...it looks like you're fucked now pal, eh?" Ha Ha Ha
Theres nothing nutty about his chord voicings. They'er the most unique inversions ive heard.
DownSouthable 1 day ago
it's just a pretty, odd, little song, evocative and dense
jamesedwardtheobald 4 weeks ago
This is a truly enchanting piece of music
RobertsConquest 1 month ago
Tripply vaguely beautifull
preetmendiratta 1 month ago
if the people were smarter and understood what allan accomplishes on the guitar in terms of pure genius and musicality, he would be more famous than jesus, but thats what i love about allan, he hates his playing, even tho deep down, im sure he knows no musician touches him in terms of harmonic awareness and musical exploration
paisteguy799 2 months ago 2
hahah the face at the end xD now it comes to my mind each time I make mistakes in playing...
Vestu 2 months ago
Ferenc Liszt sometimes used his nose for that 11th note. Allan still not using his nose. Be afraid, guitarists, be VERY afraid!
SDSLSD 3 months ago
“Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven! Oh, it was gorgeousness and gorgeousity made flesh. It was like a bird of rarest-spun heaven metal or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship, gravity all nonsense now. As I slooshied, I knew such lovely pictures!”
tonyblake69 3 months ago 2
Allan sure could play the Shawn Lane's impossible chord...with pain
112358miau 3 months ago
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it's all about the feeling you get when you listen to it.. who cares if you can't get a hook of some song out of your head.. this is the kind of music that really gets you to a special place if you just relax and feel it. even if it's not a catchy hook, the feeling that stay with you will do so in a much more persistent and significant manor.
NostalgicProcrast 3 months ago
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NostalgicProcrast 3 months ago
@Maglioso non melodic? NON MELODIC? are you fucking deaf? i'm a drummer and i get this! even without drums on it, and its not "odd music" its felt music without restraining yourself to certain conventions (that end up making everything sound the same)..
carcassgrindcorpsesc 4 months ago
this one's from "Hard Hat Area". It is a doozy. Thanks for posting!
ntesslafan 4 months ago
i mean, really, does it get any better than this?
tritoneblues33 5 months ago
@tritoneblues33
well, maybe not, but I'll tell you something that's "almost" as good, check out Tim Halcomb!
okay, maybe not! But he good though! :-)
GuyFawkesGuitar 5 months ago
I have the tabs for this song, I can play the parts from the beginning to 0:11 but I'm way too lazy to learn the rest haha...
rololoo 6 months ago
Such a beautiful piece.
LunarLionheart 6 months ago
the CORDMAN
Batoo21 6 months ago
Not a fan of Holdsworth, but hell I love music on clean electric guitar..
majav15mg 7 months ago
@iamthesasi kill yourself
OreinaO 7 months ago
@OreinaO
Its just his opinion for fucks sake. Deal with it.
ChainsawVsGod 7 months ago
this is like background music for a glassy place, dont pay attention to the music just picture a cold glass thing and forget about the chords and fingers and all that musical bullshit
but i must say that this music is not catchy at all... i couldn't get into it until i listened to it for half a dozen times and i still dont remember anything of it.... its ok when it plays that's all...
iamthesasi 7 months ago
@iamthesasi I love reading this. How beautifully you express yourself. Keep on writing.
fenderbender92 7 months ago
@iamthesasi Ah, you need to close your eyes when you listen, 'looks' like you mayn't have heard his earlier stuff - stuff from 'Sand', maybe. A 'good' starting place since you're not into musical 'bullcrap'. But remember to close your eyes!
shailenkarur 5 months ago
@iamthesasi fucking deaf
ReyCarmesi97 2 months ago
now this sounds f'n awesome. so out there feeling. outstanding.
gscash 7 months ago
It's such a shame well thought out music, as opposed to the ever present I-IV-V pattern, is shunned. It's magical to listen, a bit odd, yes, but fantastic.
I find my generation to be silly to ignore this.
kibijit 7 months ago 5
hearing this makes me wanna learn all the chords he used ! and makes something of my own
TheVashz 8 months ago
@TheVashz Buy the just for the curious book...it comes with this exact transcription.
dreamforfreedom 7 months ago
I tried to play this song for me those were some very akward voicing, guess I have to practice harder
powersoftritone 9 months ago
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@Jesuselpacifo lol and what is the message / emotion? this aint a fucking book you cant read a chord, ill watch any video i want you and holdsworth can share my cock, figure out the message/emotion in that you fuck. only holdsworth knows his message/emotion in this song you hypocital
Bloodlust42513 10 months ago
@Jesuselpacifo lol and what is the message / emotion? this aint a fucking book you cant read a chord, ill watch any video i want you and holdsworth can share my cock, figure out the message/emotion in that you fuck. only holdsworth knows his message/emotion in this song you hypocital
Bloodlust42513 10 months ago
@Bloodlust42513 what is the emotion? U FUCKING MISSERABLE PRICK, THIS MAKES ME CRY, U ARE A FAWKING LACK OF FEELINGS PERSON. THIS SONG IS AMAZING, THE CHORDS ARE SO DARK
jumatm 9 months ago
i dont care how technical it is and if he is hitting multiple notes at once. if it sounds like shit it is shit, the point of music is to sound good
Bloodlust42513 10 months ago
@Bloodlust42513 The point of music is not to sound "good". Music is an art. All art either conveys a message or an emotion. If you can't find the message or emotion in Holdsworth's playing then you shouldn't be watching, let alone breathing.
Jesuselpacifo 10 months ago
Raymond Raymond Raymond. Listen to the music. Sit back and listen. On a good system that is.
chuckbyf1 10 months ago
I would crawl over broken glass just to stick flags in this guys shit
Traitor73 10 months ago
Man, this is like being depressed and strung out on drugs in an 80's horror movie.
Apathesis0 10 months ago
I agree with Raymond, his music all sounds the same.
LTDGuitars420 1 year ago
@LTDGuitars420 To you ;)
Guitareben 10 months ago
To people with ears ; )
LTDGuitars420 10 months ago
@LTDGuitars420 Hahaha!!! Sometimes i agree :D
Guitareben 10 months ago
he uses the same ambient sound over and over and over again, all his stuff sounds the same like one huge never ending song. He plays the same enigmatic solos with a few tonal highlights every other album.
RaymondFRevalee 1 year ago
@RaymondFRevalee All his songs sound the same?Speaking for myself,that's a very good thing.It guarantees that all of Allan's music will be excellent and will NEVER disappoint me!
gebass6 1 year ago
@RaymondFRevalee You're incredibly stupid...I own every album holdsworth's ever done. If you're tone deaf I guess it all sounds the same, but I can attest that almost every album is incredible in it's own right.
BrianGuitarShred 11 months ago
@RaymondFRevalee Like Frank Zappa said: "most people wouldn't know good music if it came up and bit them in the ass!" You're DEFINATELY A MEMBER OF THAT CLUB, FUCKWORM~! CHEERS, MATE! :-D
InstrinsicallyCorrec 11 months ago
With Holdsworth, nothing is forbidden.
Bass5el 1 year ago
What video is this from?
VesterDude 1 year ago
@VesterDude His REH instructional video...very likely outta print...made probably 15 or more years ago.
999manman 1 year ago
How the hell do you come up with a chord progression like that?
boertush 1 year ago
@boertush The grace of God.
CYCLOPSONE 1 year ago
@CYCLOPSONE The answer always seems to be either god or drugs when it comes to musicians. You know, I'm going with lots of talent nurtured with 30 years of experience and 40 years of practice.
boertush 1 year ago 2
@boertush if you start messing around with harmonic minor harmony:minor major seventh and all the altered major seventh forms that come from harmonizing that scale you will get that sound...the thing you need to practice is dexterity with a bit of finger contorion,with out forgeting total fretboard mastery.....The harmonic minor produces that cool dissonant sometimes disturbing sound.,
cyberflea07 1 year ago
@boertush Acid
cerelilqt 1 year ago
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
1komanche 1 year ago
I'd be smiling after that too.
ExtremeBogom 1 year ago 16
thumbs up for Steinberger =P
Psycopatologic 1 year ago
@Psycopatologic ugghhhh I want one sooo bad, I actually got to play one at a used guitar store, It was only $500! 'twas so beutiful
IIuneXpectedII 1 year ago
@IIuneXpectedII what?!...that's amazing...actually i saved like 450 bucks for a new guitar, but in south america it's pretty impossible to find that brand...try to keep it for you pal...=P...
Psycopatologic 1 year ago
a state of mind
donottawaguitar 1 year ago
Hey, @ 1:03 he played a chord I recognized! How'd THAT happen?!?
FreedomZealot 1 year ago 72
@FreedomZealot
Sometimes he CAN be human....LOL
glnrjoop 11 months ago
@FreedomZealot Either you are you are lying little toe rag... or fairly unusually for him... Alan likes a chord that a normal person can understand and play.
;O)
dudemusicspace 9 months ago
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@FreedomZealot Michael Tsarion is the worlds premier conspiracy reseracher/lecturer/author. Leo Zagami, Jordan Maxwell and Alexandre Dumas pere are highly informative as well. p.s. Melting Euphoria is similar to Ozric Tentacles and Gong.
augustmaquet 3 months ago
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@FreedomZealot 'It is my opinion that if the liberties of this country(USA) are destroyed, it will be by the subtlety of the Roman catholic Jesuit priests, for they are the most crafty, dangerous enemies to civil and religous liberty. They have instigated most of the wars of Europe.' Marquis de LaFayette
augustmaquet 3 months ago
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@FreedomZealot Great holistic bands are---Melting Euphoria, Ozric Tentacles, Gong, Mother Gong, Acid Mother's Gong, Magma, Aphrodities Child, Jade Warrior, Steve Tibbetts, Patrick Bernard, Lost at Last, Larry Coryell, Shakti, Oregon, Kazumi Watanabe, Toninho Horta, Egberto Gismonti, Eat Static, System 7, Lisa Gerrard, Dead Can Dance, Magma, Sphongle, Bill Laswell, Stomu Yamashta, Here and Now band, Steve Hillage.
augustmaquet 3 months ago
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@FreedomZealot 'I do not like the reappearance of The Jesuits ... If ever there was a body of men who merited damnation on earth and in hell, it is this society of Loyola's. Nevertheless, we are compelled by our system of religous toleration to offer them an asylum.' John Adams, 2nd President of the U.S.A
augustmaquet 3 months ago
Helps that his hands are ridiculously long...the stretches aren't as taxing on him... although, Phil Keaggy has ridiculously small hands and can amaze in the same way....think I'll buy some "Extends"....oh, wait, that's the other Jimmy Johnson.
19FLA69 1 year ago 3
@19FLA69 Even if Keaggy had hands the size of Steve Vai's his chord voicings would be astounding. The same is true of Eric Johnson.
FreedomZealot 1 year ago
Going to see Allan tonight!! To see him play again, and hang and talk with him....can't wait!!!!
MrGuitardudeism 1 year ago
Truly a unique player even if this is beyond the ears of some folks here who have commented. I don't know if I would call this Jazz exactly but there certainly are elements of that in his approach. Soft Machine and Bill Bruford progressive influences are here as well. Holdsworth has been on the scene for many years and I'm sure his influences are many also. He's what, 64 now and can still wipe the floor with just about any guitar player. I will say his music really reaches me. Beautiful stuff.
Joeh1154 1 year ago
DANG look at his hands. And i thought Dm was hard!
TheHornet79 1 year ago
I feel like attending the Church of Holdsworth this sunday.
Listendudeok 1 year ago 3
Exemplifies the term 'muso' in its very worst sense ... just plain boring! 'Ooh, but the chords are so interesting!!!!' But if it fails to move the listener beyond how big the finger stretches must be, what is the point?
leemero 1 year ago
i appreciate allan for his very unique progressive chord voicings. really amazing. i don't no any guitar player using such weird chords
EmotionalShredd 1 year ago
the most crazy nuts player of all, that guy is not from our galaxy
fuzzingaround 1 year ago
allan isnot human
yngwiemalmsteen8 1 year ago
I just can't like Holdsworth. He is so unmelodic it bores me to tears. I am stunned by his amazing chops but his playing lacks musicality; like he's just putting together a bunch of chords in no particular order and calling it a song. Been playing for 35 years, by the way.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm
i agree. 25 yrs of playing.
nixonie 1 year ago
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@beeroosterm
Just because you don't like his music doesn't mean it lacks musicality.
gitarmats 1 year ago
@beeroosterm well obviously thats not enough to understand that he knows what the fuck hes doing. each and every chord is selected for a reason. it maybe bore you but the complexity of this is ridiculous. not only is are there tons of inversions and weird voicings, but the chords themselves change keys in way you would never think of doing.
A7Xmatt343 1 year ago
@A7Xmatt343 I didn't say he doesn't know what he's doing; only that it's "unmusical". Complexity by itself is boring, no matter if there are large quantities of inversions or weird chord voicings/key changes. His music sounds more like guitar exercises. Please get to the melody, Allan! Oh, wait - it never arrives. Never. It's like reading Milton: hopelessly complex - and by the time the period arrives, you forget the original point.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm what your listening for is mainstream music. mainstream music is music that you like right when you hear it, with a hook or catchy melody. music like this is almost impossible to like right away. it takes awhile to get to like, but once you do you will like it for much longer. also he isnt randomly thowing chords together, and by saying that you prove your lack of musical knowledge.
A7Xmatt343 1 year ago
@A7Xmatt343 Mainstream music, my ass...And you're right: this music is impossible to like...period. And it SOUNDS like he's randomly throwing chords together - what's the difference? Holdsworth is as boring as can be; is that clear enough?
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm
Once again... Just beacuse you don't like it doesn't mean it's unmusical.
Who are you to decide what's musical anyways? did you invent music? I don't think so.
gitarmats 1 year ago
@gitarmats Look, if you play what seems to be random chords like Holdsworth does here, does that make it music? No. As for having the audacity to decide what's musical: If you will kindly direct me to the authority on "what is music?" I'd be glad to acquiesce. Otherwise, the bottom line is that Holdsworth is brilliant technically but absolutely nowhere musically. He needs to stop his narcisssistic playing and get some heart. No one can relate to his playing.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@gitarmats Look, if you play what seems to be random chords like Holdsworth does here, does that make it music? No. As for having the audacity to decide what's musical: If you will kindly direct me to the authority on "what is music?" I'd be glad to acquiesce. Otherwise, the bottom line is that Holdsworth is brilliant technically but absolutely nowhere musically. He needs to stop his narcissistic playing and get some heart. No one can relate to his playing.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm
Does it matter if it is random if it sounds good? and for the record, yes I think this sounds good.
"He needs to stop his narcissistic playing"
What? He can't play the guitar the way he wants because you don't like it?
Wow..
My point is, you can not decide what is musical like "this is musical, but this is not" Every person has a different taste and will like different stuff. Can you not see that? are you really that close-minded?
gitarmats 1 year ago
@gitarmats Not close-minded. Heaven forbid if someone should state the obvious: Holdsworth plays boring, complicated...shit. Who cares if it's intricate shit that's difficult to play? I just want to stab my ears with icepicks...
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm
By saying that you are just supporting what I said...
"This music is impossible to like"
Really?! Is that why people put up so many videos of him and listen to his music?!
Get this in your head:
Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean that no one can like it.
You're just making an ass of yourself, you're probably 'trolling'
gitarmats 1 year ago
@gitarmats Never said that no one can like it, dickwad. You're just being argumentative. Holdsworth sucks - not because he cannot play, but because he cannot play anything that stirs me. He does not hit the spot. I'm bored immediately. Yes, he plays interesting chords. Ho hum. That's all. I'm done with this line.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm
You directly said "This music is impossible to like"
He sucks? because you don't like him? oh makes perfect sense...
You really don't understand what I'm trying to say here... it's like talking to a wall that calls you a 'dickwad'
gitarmats 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@gitarmats Never said that no one can like it, dickwad. You're just being argumentative. Holdsworth sucks - not because he cannot play, but because he cannot play anything that...stirs me. He does not hit the spot. I'm bored immediately. Yes, he plays interesting chords. Ho hum. That's all. I'm done with this line.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm What you are referring to as random chords is actually well thought out voice leading. If you've been playing for 35 years, then you've just exposed your lack of knowledge about your instrument and music in general. Do songs need to be diatonic and have a catchy melody to keep your interest? Allan understands harmony at very high level. Zappa, Vai, Satriani, Van Halen, Lane and countless others said that Allan was the best. Nothing gets more musical than this in my opinion.
austin33309 1 year ago
@austin33309 Well...I didn't want to attempt to get technical/deconstruct his guitar playing - as if that would convince anybody to change their respective opinion anyway. I do indeed understand voice leading and even if you know nothing of voice leading, Holdsworth still sounds random and unmelodic. And yes, I believe there should be some melodic component to keep things interesting. I disagree that Holdsworth is "the best". If he was, then I believe more would think so.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm What(besides this)have you heard from Holdsworth that turned you away? It took me awhile to get into him, but when I started to hear all that was going on, I was amazed. I'm going to correct what I said before about him being"the best." I feel that there is no"best." Each player is unique in their own way. With that said, you can't rate Holdsworth's playing on the size of his following. That's like saying Slash is the best guitarist because he is on the cover of the most magazines.
austin33309 1 year ago
@austin33309 I've listened to/seen about 30 of his videos - never heard anything off an album. And I've read/heard of him for the last 25 years. I too am amazed by his amazing chops/technique but am unmoved by his music. I think that says it all. And Slash sucks - and he knows it.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm Although he has chops, most people listen to him for his knowledge of the fretboard. I feel that you can hear it in his playing. He explores all of the possible sounds you can get and he's not afraid to color outside of the lines. There are very few cats out there that can play around fast-moving tonal centers like he can. The only man that could come close is John Coltrane himself. You may disagree and that's fine, but those are just a few reasons why I love his playing.
austin33309 1 year ago
@austin33309 I understand that opinion, but it is not enough for me to enjoy his music. I have to feel it in my stomach as well as my head, and Holdsworth's music doesn't cut it. He plays the most complicated stuff out there, but that alone is not art. I'm not jazz oriented at all as well, possibly contributing to my boredom with his endless weirdness.
beeroosterm 1 year ago
@beeroosterm As far as I am concerned, I am the type of guy who listened to him for 2 years non-stop, for purely emotional reasons. It's all matter of taste and perception, but I'm just saying, he got me emotionally/mentally high for a very long time, complicated, sophisticated or not. I happen to be bored by blues-based patterns.
Listendudeok 1 year ago
I'd like to hear that dry (without reverb). Some of his haunting tunes are drenched in reverb. So much so that the tune is fighting the reverb to some extent. Just saying. He's one of my favorites, but I find I'm starting to nitpick his stuff as my own musical sensibilities develop. Everyone has their own voice and there is no denying that his is a great one.
ironpirites 1 year ago
love the music, hate the guitar.
mrjones918 1 year ago
@mrjones918
by guitar do you mean the insanely weird guitar he is playing, or his guitar playing?
GoodMetalFTW 1 year ago
@GoodMetalFTW @GoodMetalFTW Don't get me wrong, the song is very unique in a good way. the guitar itself just doesn't make sense to me. it seems so small and incomplete.
mrjones918 1 year ago
@mrjones918
yea, but i have seen weirder guitars. the buckethead signature is GIANT!!! then again it has to be. if you have ever seen buckethead play a regular sized guitar you would realize he makes the guitar look microscopic. i envy the length of his fingers.
GoodMetalFTW 1 year ago
Beautiful, tremendous talent.
CrinkleCutNoNo 1 year ago
This makes me feel weird
Kingding6 1 year ago
What he said he said with his guitar.
ectowle 1 year ago
I would pay $100 just to hear Holdsworth strum a first-position open E major chord for 15 seconds.
kebbs 1 year ago 85
@kebbs I'm sure he couldn't satisfy you even if he didn't have money to feed himself... :))))
fusionakis 1 year ago
@kebbs
ill do it for $50
ibanezxiphos700 1 year ago
@kebbs
I don't think he ever played that one. For a hundred bucks he might be willing to learn it, though.
noteworthiness 1 year ago
@kebbs He says that such first-position open chords are "ugly and dissonant sounding" to him in another part of this very instructional video.
Listendudeok 1 year ago
@kebbs My name is Al N. Oldsworth...can i have that gig? will give you 20 seconds of open E strumming...what a deal
glueforall 1 year ago
@kebbs It'd still sound like jazz.
TreyRoque 1 year ago
@kebbs LOL
patouxa 1 year ago
@kebbs
he can play in Emaj, G#maj, and A#maj at the same time, he is just that good.
Fluffypopcicle 7 months ago
What he said.
karmacannon 1 year ago
I will have to admit that I, too, am flabber-gast-ed by his voicings. They are spectular. We need to call him on that...
karmacannon 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
For those of us not musically tuned...explain what this boring shit is and why it's so fucking amazing so that we won't think is' boring shit and will think it's amazing.
CarnivalNights 1 year ago
@CarnivalNights Wtf are you on about.. it's just amazing his technique, his style, everything is very hard to match, he isn't a carbon copy of everyone else. His stuff is so far out it is really easy to draw inspiration ..
bluebunny61 1 year ago
@CarnivalNights Someone once said;"If I have to explain,you still wouldn't understand"
gebass6 1 year ago
@CarnivalNights
mmm. ever considered just movin on and quit boring people?
noteworthiness 1 year ago
@CarnivalNights You have to learn to like music yourself.
Guitareben 1 year ago
this guy is an alien
yoitzrichard 1 year ago
If any other guitarist had just played that song for me, I'd slap him in the face and tell him to stop playing random notes. Allan Holdsworth is possibly the only person in the world that could have made that musically enjoyable.
Parvenu333 1 year ago
That guitar is SO UGLY! But the man is incredible.
fenderhands1 1 year ago
Apparantly it was Eddie Van Halen who got Holdsworth his warner contract. He took a tape in and told them to listen.
SvenTviking 1 year ago
Mmmmm aaaaaam... I've got to say something negative... but what?
AAAAAH I KNOW!
His guitar is awful!
samsael 1 year ago
why don't we ask him to stop, so we can play without feeling dumb...
IlReCremisi 1 year ago 2
Anyone know the theory behind what he is doing? Like is he doing a chords using a certain scale. Like harmonizing the C major scale.
shadowknight132 1 year ago
@shadowknight132
He's using a lot of spread triads with an added 4th or 11th. The first chord is B (add4) from lowest to highest B F# (on D string) D# (on G string) E (on B string)
2nd chord is G#m (add4) same string set low to high G# D# B C# then EmMaj7 to GmMaj7(both drop 3 5th in bass) then D#(add4) same voicing as B(add4) root at 11th fret then Cm(add4) same voicing as before root at 8th fret that should get you started...
Hungry27 1 year ago
I just got fucking owned with those chords. Dammit Allan you win again....This time..
TubePunch30 1 year ago
This is so beautiful I honestly almost started crying although It's basically the first time I hear about this guy. Holdsworth + Thordendal = too awesome.
rololoo 1 year ago
It's like a flashback seeing those LabSeries amps in the background.
twanghang 1 year ago
Allan Holdsworth IS THE SOUL OF JAZZ. His "Jazz" is alive and breathing. It's far beyond on all levels. I'm grateful he is alive and well.
ReelToReelSound 1 year ago
Lord above! You musos can go on can't you? Just say its in the key of "Q" and very good!
SvenTviking 1 year ago
man its like Fredrik THordendal has the shining and tunes into A.H. for his melodic parts, this song sounds particularly like Sum, and most melodic parts on Sol Niger.
chepe371 1 year ago
I'm not even gonna attempt these chords..
brunthroath6912 1 year ago 2
has there being a more fitting name to a song?
wildboaroinker 1 year ago
@wildboaroinker Every song without lyrics has a fitting name when you're high.
elitepunkrocker 1 year ago
I hate his tone... But love his fusion solo playing! An improvising beast...
JonasValberg 1 year ago
someone buy me a steinberger, or a synthaxe.
bigwhitesugar 1 year ago
If I tried to play that, I would need a icebag afterwards.
presleyj1 1 year ago 2
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wordauras 2 years ago
Those are some knucklebusting chords!
chillichomper 2 years ago 2
Its not the usual barre chords most guitarists learn but what i call closed chords(or maybe inversions of chords). Some of them are extended,. I can hear a A minor 11 and recognize the shape of it
MrFiskegal 2 years ago
this music transcends into the next dimension. It is like listening to a hypercube if it could make sounds.
P3313 2 years ago 11
im sick and tired of being owned by this guy :)
iselldummysmacks 2 years ago 40
haha me too
returnNull 2 years ago 2
i think this is a major feeling we all share. :D
freakguitar1 2 years ago
@iselldummysmacks He can have that effect on people. However, you should find new ways to make your own ideas this intricate. Music comes from the soul and no two musicians are alike. Alan may inspire you to take different directions but what you learn from him should help... and not hinder you. Feel every melody in your heart and then have the confidence to play your own thoughts as masterfully.
fishguru73 1 year ago
@iselldummysmacks
keep practicing and maybe someday you will be close to being close to being almost as good as him :)
GoodMetalFTW 1 year ago
AMAZING!
sportsportsport 2 years ago
I have seen A.H.@ The Turning Point in NY, what a show! Rhett Tyler's show their was as amazing.
knucksoff 2 years ago
Rhett Tyler sucks ass
janderson2000 2 years ago
stop spamming rhett tyler stuff, he is NOTHING.
HiddenDarksage 2 years ago
this kinda reminds me of the music for those old puff the magic dragon movies. Some of the most interesting music I've heard in a while.
P3313 2 years ago
I wonder how this would sound without the effects... anyway I love his work.
GivenWillingly 2 years ago
This piece is so deep and amazingly beautiful.
TrevorWilsonHimself 2 years ago
celestial... magical sound.
MarionetaComoTu 2 years ago
...his beautiful vision of the guitar...
Aldren88 2 years ago
advanced stuff! nutty chords o.O
sdylte 2 years ago
THIS is interstellar travel - without one damn bit of luggage. Awesome!
Thriftsavings 2 years ago 7
God Bless Allan Holdsworths father for handing him a guitar!
CYCLOPSONE 2 years ago 11
he does have a extraordinary mind for music
fleshanditspower 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I think it would be super funny to sneak into his house at night and cut off his thumbs and little fingers. And his dick. No doubt he'd find a way of using his dick to play guitar, hence its need for removal. Imagine his face? Ha Ha i'd be like "Well Allen...it looks like you're fucked now pal, eh?" Ha Ha Ha
salfordkeith 2 years ago
"There's something wrong with that boy"--Foghorn Leghorn.
gebass6 2 years ago 4
i like weirdos
gentilguy 2 years ago