2 Steps to Holdsworth's Legato

[@gereonH]

I would recommend to turn of the delay and the distortion when practicing. I found this the best way to get maximum control of my legato playing. And it really strengthens my fingers.

[@RealDeathMetalLover]

I try to play and practise the legato on my guitar unplugged, it´s very hard and annoying but when you turn the amp, the sound you get is very consistent and with high volume!

[@snow5772]

i'd say you should practice sometimes with distortion since its noisier so it will help with not having strings ringing out and stuff

[@snakey8095]

@@snow5772 slight overdrive could help showing muting mistakes, but a saturated distortion would compress the signal thus not showing how your fretting finger's strength translates to volume.

[@PKoz]

Learning how to play cleanly with distortion/overdrive is more important

[@notayoutuberjohn]

i have the opposite problem with muting :')

[@violinoscar]

I remember reading an A.H. interview in Guitar Player magazine in he early 80s. He said he developed the downward hammer on because he hated the mee - oow sound (as he described it) of the pull-off technique.

[@fernandomoreno7753]

rip allan. and sick lesson man it was very helpful

[@AdamIronside]

Thanks man.

[@jakemf1]

A giant work in progress but I listen to Tim Miller and he was right play as light and as lazy as you can with your left hand that has helped me a huge amount!

[@naiyalexic]

beautiful tone.

[@jeffandmatthardyrule]

This was definitely eye-opening.

[@LewisCannonMusic]

Great lesson. And nice tone on that guitar, and playing

[@skatarest77]

Beyond excellent tips! Such a cool idea to play each note descending. I remember specifically doing this and being told its wrong to not bar the oncoming note. Very interesting idea.

[@voronOsphere]

Great Tips!!! Allan is one of me all time favorites!!!! Thanks!

[@jalguitarman]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@AdamIronside]

My pleasure.

[@vizzo7]

great video. i have to try it. did you use lots of distortion?what were your B M T settings?

[@JoeSzilagy]

That makes sense as I thought I once read an interview with Allan (R.I.P. today, sadly), where he said he hated 'pull offs' and never used them. So, obviously he was simply lifting his fingers off while hammering down on the next note(s) on the way down.

[@Maggot2767]

I dont get it, so its all hammer on´s? Is that right?

[@gabriell8714]

@@Maggot2767 Yes precisely ! Exaclty like you would do a scale on a piano except that your hand is inverted and you have to mute the extra strings noises haha. Your fingers have to be all independents from each others. It's a bit counter intuitive at first if ,like me, you have learn the Vai and Satriani way of doing legato.

[@aaronbergAPB]

Excellent post. Props from Phili', USA. RIP Allan

[@AdamIronside]

Thanks fella. More to come.

[@richardholmes4560]

Step one. Be Allan Holdsworth. Ha!

[@AdamIronside]

HAha, if you can achieve step one, you probably don't need my videos!

[@sumoblues]

actually, step one, is chop off head stock. okay carry on...

[@blackie75]

step one, don't try to be like anyone. that's what allan would have told you.

[@MrPyroguru]

Allan Holdsworth actually had some tips for people.... Keep your picked notes as loud as your hammered notes for an even volume.... Never use pull offs because the pitch changes.... The more notes on a string the better.... Think four notes a single string.... Real legato sounds like hand tapping.

[@KingJorman]

this is all very interesting and seems to answer a lot of questions I've had about how Holdsworth generated and accomplished his original and impressive soloing feats, but I have some questions: Why use a pick at all? What's the criteria for when a string is picked? Adam, anybody?

[@AdamIronside]

I probably need to re-shoot this video with better explanations think. Ideally you wouldn't use a pick at all as that changes the way the note sounds and is attacked. The only criteria is 'pick when you have to.' I'm sure if you sit and REALLY practice you will be able to do this without picking at all. I can just about do it without picking when travelling down in pitch / up towards my face if looking down at the guitar. But something about the mechanics of moving the other way I haven't yet been able to accomplish.

[@AdamIronside]

Oh, one more thing. you can soften the effect by using your finger flesh to pick rather than using a pick. This is something Per Nilssen seems to do quite a bit to get a really soft attack (Jeff Beck and others do this a lot too, though they are not using it for the purposes of legato, obviously).

[@KingJorman]

Actually just asking the question and your simple reply helps a lot...Use the pick as it suits one for emotional expression. It's not wrong to pick. It's just as wrong to never pick. If the object is emotional music then there is a place for all sorts of picking and not picking. Growing up I really enjoyed Steve Howe and realize that he often used picking to highlight certain notes, certain rhythms. It's all good if music is the goal. If efficiency is the only goal, the music lacks emotional dynamics. People generally don't want to hear legato all the time, just like they don't want to hear Al Di Meola, alternate style picking all the time. Guitarists develop their unique voices with choices like these. Check out Wes, check out Django, Check out Allan, check out Joe Pass, Pat Martino, Metheny...all have original voices by way of picking, note choice, etc. I like that Allan went against the grain of the habitual electric guitar collective by going full tilt into legato and wide unusual fingerings that generated unheard contours for electric guitar. He found his own sound!

[@meowwoem6372]

i'd thought about trying to play legato similar to that with only hammer ons. i toyed with it and never got anywhere of consequence.

[@teh_hem]

You.... just now sir you have a new subscriber...

[@AdamIronside]

Thanks, and welcome.

[@Troitics]

M. Harrison doesn't use pull offs at all when playing legato. That makes a huge difference (soundly speaking).... Thanks for the video!

[@AdamIronside]

Marshall is a beast, I'm pretty sure this is how I first heard of this concept. Cheers.

[@MercutioUK2006]

It's an interesting topic - I think part of the issue for guitarists is that strictly speaking Legato simply means "bound together" or "connected" or even "In a smooth flowing manner without breaks" but of course the etymology of the term on guitar refers (inaccurately) to only pull-offs and hammer-ons - Mr. Gambale certainly manages to play legato with sweep picking :) A more useful differentiation for us (Or at least, for me lol) is the "slurring" type of legato a la Satriani or Petrucci where the pull-offs elicit a slight "meow" as the notes are pulled slightly sharp (even to a minuscule degree) and then the "real" Legato that Marshall talks about where only hammer-ons are used. Worth noting is that almost universally the actions on the instruments are very low and there's more gain in the tone than most realise - why make the mechanics too difficult right? There are exceptions (Mr Quayle uses a comfortable action with 11's I believe, and certainly not a huge amount of gain) but I don't regard his playing as "pure" legato as he incorporates hybrid picking as well as hammers and pulls for more dynamics. That method is probably a lot easier than Holdsworth's methodology as he used to practice accents simply through hitting one note harder or softer than the rest in a given line which I've always found difficult.

[@AdamIronside]

All good info mate. And yeah, Legato more means 'every note the same' in 'classical' sense of the word. That is quite hard to achieve with picking as even a slight swing in dynamics totally spoils the feel, but you are right, gambale does achieve this! Another key part of legato is the overlapping of notes which was popular amongst piano players, which is why I called it the piano technique haha.

[@DystoKhan]

The all "hammer for nowhere" thing make sense...after few hearing I totally get the difference. Gonna work on that ! Thank you !

[@AdamIronside]

Good job man. It deffo makes a lot of sense and the difference is much more obvious when using your own fingers. It's well worth practicing.

[@-Schnitzel-]

Could you make a tutorial on how to get that sort of tone? I've tried adding delay (software pedal on garageband), but it just ends up repeating a scratchy/nasty treble-y tone a bunch of times..

[@AdamIronside]

I'll add it to the list of videos to do mate for sure. Its basically loads of mids and some delay trickery. Its always harder in software because the top end is so hyped. Don't be frightened to cut out a lot of treble using an EQ.

[@keanbalentine5667]

How do you get that rich tone?

[@kurglekreutzer6344]

Thanks these were interesting tips! Holdsworth's legato technique is definitely not something to overlook! Cheers!

[@AdamIronside]

Glad you enjoyed it mate, the man is a legend.

[@gabriell8714]

One thing that has help me with that technique is to do arpeggios sequence (except ones that have barre sequence in it) with only hammer on. It's a bit "easier" than doing a scale but it really help with the synchronisation of the fingers. Also, put 9's or 8's and drop the hell out of that action ;) Great video :) !

[@AdamIronside]

Great idea Gabriel! I always remember that lick in the Satriani song where he does just that. Mystical Potato Head or something?

[@justinelliott7136]

Good video, but I'd agree below, turn off the delay/verb and use the bridge pickup but enjoyed it!

[@AdamIronside]

HAha never, there is no such thing as too much delay. Point taken though for instructional purposes you are probably right.

[@justinelliott7136]

For me, just this week I've started turning off my delay on my lead sound and just using a splash of verb. I'm a lot happy with my lead tone now and records well too. But you're right in mix, plenty of delay does sound cool. I do love those headless guitars :)

[@fridaymiles]

Fantastic instruction but yes-the processing was hugely distracting.

[@ArcaeonUK]

Awesome lesson mate

[@guylevinberg1093]

I dunno i think i still hear pull off on the section on 4:00 - 4:20. I dont really thinks that people really completely use all hammer ons. Even the great Brett Garsed explained he uses it

[@thenain19]

Hey man! What guitar are you using?

[@-Schnitzel-]

i think that's a Strandberg Boden OS7, its an awesome guitar, I recommend it

[@FeralPyg]

As previous comment - good vid, but the delay makes it more difficult to hear what's going on.

[@ssdtrain1]

I like what you doing, but gets way too much delay and Reverb to try and understand the gist of it

[@AdamIronside]

Thanks man, yeah it has been mentioned several times. In newer lesson videos there is no delays etc during the lesson. I plan on re-shooting this video at some point :)

[@Shred007]

Had to add you pal im a fellow guitarist and local to you, a geordie from dunston , check my two vids

[@AdamIronside]

Nice to have some local Holdsworth fans!

[@yoda1799]

I felt like a lot of this came from Marshall Harrison's "Holdsworthian Legato" video

[@AdamIronside]

I've seen Marshall's video, far better player than I can ever hope to be!

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

Well - if you have two people describing the same volkswagen it's gonna sound pretty similar too ....

[@Claymor621]

Canny playing and advice marra cheers.

[@jaydfn]

useful info , but kill the delay

[@armandom28]

good info but for fuck's sake turn the delay off.....

[@AdamIronside]

Haha, never!

[@AdamIronside]

Haha cheers. Yeah I've tried it before but never managed to get a sound I enjoy. I'll have to have another go but for future tutorials will turn the delay trails off.

[@armandom28]

good man......

[@ProfessorOKaine]

Cool Stuff! Yeah.. I'd just knock the mix down by half. Otherwise, the student has a REAL DIFFICULT time discerning what is going on.

[@scottnoricsson2023]

nice, but I'll stick to my Al di Meola thingy

[@scampthelazycat9891]

why so much delay ?

[@AdamIronside]

The question is not why I have so much, but why others have so little! Just kidding, this has been addressed before, the newer lesson videos on the channel are delay free....largely. Also, Holdsworth had more delay than just about anyone.

[@MisterNiles]

I took your advice and became Allan Holdsworth and combined the hammer on and piano technique so I would fall within your defined parameters. I still can't play Holdsworth legato. You didn't tell me I needed a guitar. Thanks for trying though.

[@AdamIronside]

Haha good effort. You need a guitar, then you need to play it like you wish it was a saxophone and you are still a bit bitter about it.

[@guitarraspoa]

a lot of delay..... affff my ears!

[@jimmyfavereau]

as iF! : )

[@5starcomment]

Brett Garsed ftw...

[@steppbrooEFT]

Ridiculous in legato? Check Tom Quayle & Tim Miller

[@AdamIronside]

Totally man! Tim Miller has a very Holdsworth approach. Tom Quayle sounds similar also though I haven't heard him analyse his technique (he might do this in his modern legato videos however). Good recommendations!

[@alonsomiranda2598]

Sean Lew yes but HOLDSWORTH IS THE LEGATO MAN

[@UltimateJgx]

No one is close to Allan Holdsworth. Do not be silly.

[@timn5008]

Way to much delay and reverb. Good God.

[@nethbt]

Of course the key to a good legato is a good rig (good compression, good pickups response, good Amp, Distortion /OD)... Those legato must recreate the sound of a picked note at least. You can't execute a good legato on a shitty gear.. FACT

[@AdamIronside]

It certainly can help, but I've got to disagree to a certain extent. The classical guys have been legato-ing way longer than us plank-spankers and they don't have any distortion, any compression. Just good, well rehearsed technique.

[@nethbt]

Adam Ironside yeah but you are only limited to what your gear can do. I'm sure Tom Quayle won't touch a Boss Metal Zone + a cheap Solid state amp even if he gets paid for it.

[@fernandoa.5089]

Doesn't sound like holdsworth, because you use a lot of pull offs