Allan Holdsworth - Spokes Lesson & Tutorial plus Solo Transcription

[@joebritton5118]

Really great work, John! 🍻

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

LITERALLY couldn't have been done without you haha. Thanks bud!

[@planetpjr]

Allan left us a unique language . I am glad you can translate to us.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@AlexDainese]

Man... WTF. This is the BEST youtube channel ever!!!!!!!!!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Haha thanks!

[@elementallobsterx]

He uses different tunings, and FOUR of em!? He's even more godly than I thought...

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Yes haha but at least those solos were stitched together.

[@michaelgaboardi9817]

I know you’ve said that you were going to stop making these videos so many times but I really hope they continue. I’ve learned so much from these lessons

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! I wish I could but theres hardly anything left :\.

[@EgoShredder]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Ahh but have you covered Allan's bicycling technique and hill climbing strategies! 🚲🤪

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@@EgoShredder Hahaha, I should! I could stand to lose, 30-50 lbs

[@michaelgaboardi9817]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Do you think teaching a tune like Eidolon would be possible? I know it’s got a bunch of weird synthaxe/ midi stuff going on but that’s one of the tunes I really hoped you would talk about

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

That's a toughy. Most of it is in 5ths, the solo harmony I think is standard, has a sequenced solo and the chords after the solo seem to use one of Allan's special tunings 😐. If I was a keyboard player I could haha

[@pranavphx]

So good to see a new video from you. The 5 hr video book is one i will use for the rest of my life. Thank you!!!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you're getting good use from it :)

[@bdhay02]

Thank you, John. Another masterful breakdown of one of Allan’s masterpieces. I hope you get to connect with Rick Beato for an interview at some point as he loves Allan’s music as much as the rest of us. Keep on pickin’! 🎸👍

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

That would be cool! Although if he hasn't seen my 5 hour video, I doubt it'll happen haha. But who knows. More importantly thank YOU for watching!

[@bdhay02]

Hi John, I sent Rick Beato a message with a link to your 5 hour “magnum opus” KZbin video and said I would love to see him interview you. I know you guys would have a great time discussing Allan’s music, etc. Cheers, Brad

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

That would be cool, thank you! I'm sure he's super busy but you never know.

[@unclesiebsamI]

Cool videos, man! I appreciate your work. Transcription and analysis are useful and fun. Thanks for doing the work.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I appreciate that. Thank you!

[@atavachronn]

He was so talented. Keep making these! Hopefully one day he gets the recognition he deserves.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! I mean I've already made almost 60 videos 🤣. I think that's plenty!

[@EleanorPeterson]

With the greatest respect 🙂, I have no idea what's going on here (hey, I'm a drummer, not a musician [JOKING!]), but I've always loved Allan's unique approach, and I love your dedication to exploring and explaining his playing. Bravo!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thats ok, Sometimes I have no idea whats going on too haha. Thank you!

[@frankthebaldguy9819]

It took me 3 months to get through the 5 hour video. It is AMAZING!!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Daw thanks again dude!

[@erictripton]

Thanks for this, John. The tunings are sic But these chords are a big help. Another example of Allan pretty chords genius.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Its so simple too! Unfortunately, can only really be done with the synthaxe. Someone needs to make a midi controller like it but cheaper. Thanks again!

[@erictripton]

@@TurrigenousOfficial I concur!!

[@erictripton]

I will definitely give it a go through my synths. Can be tricky to get exact. Al I read. Would assign strings to certain voices if whatever unit he was using. It's like a DX7 mixed with Oberheim something or other. The goosebumps come when you strike Notes that may trigger both units, then decay out through the Matrix 12. I use the Matrix 1000 and the Prophet Rev 2 and Dexed to sorta get it. A study in his synthesizer sounds can yield an entire series of exploration, even with the handful of interviews he shared his tricks with. Like he used nothing but TX7 modules for Flat Tire album. He just gets that jazz/gourmet dinner/cry your eyes out 'feelings' when he uses them. Sand album can put me in handkerchief heaven on some days. Truly miss him like an uncle. Such a gift for us who love his music

[@winstonsmith8240]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the work you have done trying to understand Allan Holdsworth's playing is nothing short of remarkable. Great work would be an understatement. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 👍👍👍 It's been like discovering who really shot JFK. 🤗

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Its comments like this that make it all worth it, so thank you! Thats funny because even when I was a kid, I was curious about the assassination. What 8 year old asks their parents to rent JFK? Hahaha!

[@agus6115]

Welcome back...interesting interpretation.

[@pure.panic.productions33]

Loving, downloading and binge watching all these videos man. I adore this!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I appreciate that so much! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@timpitts9256]

Wow, fantastic transcription skills! Would love to see a In The Dead of Night video someday.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I usually like to stick to tunes Allan wrote. It IS pretty popular, so maybe one day i'll consider it if I really feel like I need to do more haha.

[@MercutioUK2006]

Brilliant. That is all. Thanks John :)

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thank you!

[@vishnugopakumar8807]

absolutely wonderful video! you are so passionate and knowledgeable about music it makes me really happy

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Hey thanks!! ☺️

[@zumazmusic]

What a monumental task! Well done man.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@georgedyckiii3465]

HE'S BACK!!!!!

[@MrThomas1958]

Thank you Mr. Vullo !

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thank YOU again for watching!

[@GurnBograt1986]

Absolutely great work!

[@anthem7777]

great job with those chords theyre tough to do smooth youre a genius

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Hah I dunno about genius but thank you!

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

Sonority in bar 12 (Eb 6/Maj7/b5) was also used by Alan in “Nevermore” 😊John, I also hear C#(Db) right above middle C present in all chords, except for the last ones of the phrase. Alan was obsessed in “sustaining” (or pedal) notes reverberating throughout the sections, almost as a “glue” notes. As a keyboardist I play all block chords along with the record, pretty much in similar fashion as Steve Hunt presents in his gig sketch (that’s keyboardist’s way of thinking in music). We would never know the exact sonorities, unless one has an access to studio tapes with multiple tracks recording (layering), or Alan’s rig, where he MIDI-ed up multiple sound modules as a stack...IMHO Alan’s output deserves serious dissertations, in the likes of Ravel, Stravinsky, Prokofiev etc. You did an incredible work John ! Hands down... I’m amazed, considering the fact that the only tool you had were... just your ears 😊 Bravo !

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks for the info and for watching! 🙂

[@TimoVee]

Wonderful effort, and much appreciated! And by the way, naming a chord Bsus/D# is how I always thought about them. To me, anything else would be errr, silly.I remember Allan talking about this song in an interview somewhere as a "vehicle for improvisation". So he didn't necessarily think of it as a composition as such. Well,that's silly, too IMHO! :D

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I love slash chords when trying to find cool and fast voicings for complex chords. The issues I have with them is there is no easy default naming system for them. For example, III/I to mean C#/A. If there was some shorthand we could create that would be awesome! Second, it doesn't really give you the context of the chord and how it sounds, at least to me, which is ingrained to the chord name itself. By saying Emaj7sus2 I know what the chord is gonna sound like, or at least understand how its built. Saying B/E to me appears ambiguous. Finally, not everything can be a triat, so its impossible to name other chords. The best is to just use both where you can!

[@TimoVee]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Sure, I know the naming problem exists. I guess everyone has to find their own way about them. That C#/A to me is immediately Amaj7#5, and I'm thinking about F# minor melodic scale. It's just how I rationalized the phenomenon. The thing with chords like B/E is that the 3rd is not specified (E minor/major), so you have more freedom with the scale you choose. I think we could talk about this stuff for a year or two and not get much further. Anyway, I loved the video!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Oh I'm not trying to argue just putting it out there. That B/E thing is exactly something Allan toyed with in Pud Wud. I talked about it in my other video and my lesson on his chart. Thanks for the comments! 🙂

[@TimoVee]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Hey, no arguments here either. Keep it up!

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

9:48 also both opening chords of “Nevermore” FMaj7/C to CMaj7/E are based on the same exact principle, which I call “A Diatonic Buildup”. This tool was one of the main (if not the main) compositional tools used by Alan almost in every piece. Rick Beato talks about that principle thoroughly in one of his videos, when he talks about Metheny-Holdsworth similarities. Points to ponder. As a pianist/keyboardist I use this technique all the time, and frankly - I always go back to “Nevermore” (UK). These three chords AMaj7/C# (first inversion), D6, E6 are based on the same AMaj scale, diatonically moving up. There are several great options for using Diatonic Buildup - Ravel used it, Stravinsky used it, Bartók etc. Film composers use it all the time. Alan pioneered using it on guitar back in the 70s, and most likely spent months and months practicing endlessly all options and sonic possibilities as a result of his research. And not only in major scales. ALL possible scales. That’s why his music is so sophisticated, and almost stands apart as it’s own category.

[@fredericgaufichon7373]

Fantastic job ! Thank you

[@maxwellrabin_properties]

Great stuff

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thank you!

[@andresjvazquez]

John won't admit it but he is a god here to show us the path as we have lost our way

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I appreciate it but lets not get carried away now! If i'm god what does that make Allan? Haha

[@fabiencourtoistapping]

GREAT JOB !!!! exellent

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks!

[@jy7021]

Beautiful! Would you do Sand by any chance?

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! Now that I have the Synthaxe I plan on it 😊

[@AndyMcIntire]

I've been searching for a live recording forever, wondering how he would play it. You mentioned having a recording? Thanks for so much attention to this song!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! I do have it but it's not exclusive to me. It's just not on KZbin. Join the Collecting Live Allan Facebook group. It's in there somewhere. It's from July of 88 but unsure of the exact date. In the 20s.

[@AndyMcIntire]

@@TurrigenousOfficial That's amazing! Thank you!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@@AndyMcIntire When you find it, theres also another only known recording of another tune in it :)

[@AndyMcIntire]

​@@TurrigenousOfficial Ah, I just found the group!

[@Joeh1154]

Love the thumbnail and the breakdown. How many of us just took a screen shot or photo of the chart? I also called the phone number, it's out of service.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Haha thanks! I think Steve uploaded it to the Allan group but wanted to make sure it was OK. I made sure to Google the number as if it went somewhere I'd have blurred it out haha. Thanks!!

[@derekkeller1576]

great analysis

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thank you!

[@thinkingbeing6298]

Awesome, thanks!!!!!

[@LivioLamoneamusic]

Amazing job as usual! This is a real hard one to decipher! 😊 What do you think of this fingering 5-5-x-6-4-x instead of x-10-9-6-x-9 for that Amaj7 in first inversion? I’ve seen him using it while comping on “Water on the brain” 😎

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks dude! Yea it was a pain. I'm pretty familiar with that shape. It's one of his maj7 go-tos. It's quite possible. I just went with the finger logic since it's the same shape as before with just the bass note moved down a string. Actually you reminded me of a video I wanted to do about WotB that I forgot about 🤔

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Also about that shape, if it was, I think Steve's chart would be correct. The fact that the shape LOOKS like it could be an F#m9 makes me think it could be that too

[@LivioLamoneamusic]

Years ago I transcribed many choruses of him comping for that tune, so to get his “go to” voicings while comping… here’s an idea for the next video! 😀

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

That was pretty much it 🤣. But mine was more how tune evolves. At first he plays the chords straight with vox and guitar solo. Then live no guitar solo. Then when he brought it back in the 90s he improved the main key parts but kept the chord stabs the same. Then later he dropped the stabs, but in doing that he slightly changed the key. So my vid was gonna be what you said but also showing how the harmony changed. Really the most interesting part of it with the stabs was the 2nd group because they're 2 chords that don't belong to the same key but I think he's thinking Bb maj generally. Doing this from memory so could be wrong.

[@LivioLamoneamusic]

And that’s also nice! Alright, I suppose I’ve ruined your summer spare time 😃

[@frankthebaldguy9819]

Amazing!!

[@voronOsphere]

Excellent!!! Thank you!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks for watching!

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

19:48 That chord DbMaj/A is a direct result of thinking in Hexatonic scales - also one of Alan’s tools. In this case the Hexatonic scale will be : A, C, Db, E, F, G#, A and so on. Just a chain of minor thirds, as following Oliver Messiaen’s principle of symmetrical scales. Alan uses here in bar 15 Hexatonic scale in his solo, so obviously these scales were also part of his musical obsession. I was always wondering what was Alan’s encounter with Slonimsky’s “Thesaurus...”. It looks to me that most likely early in his musical fascinations Alan must have look through “Thesaurus...” and probably that led him to his highly individual musical approach. Coltrane, Brecker and countless jazz musicians who later became Greats studied Slonimsky’s principles. I am wondering if Alan also did...

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

He did in the late 60s and early 70s, but that was about it. I think it just gave him some inspiration

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Btw Allan would mostly treat that C#/A as F# Melodic Minor (A Lyd Augmented) or A add b6. It's pretty common in his playing

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Absolutely yes. I agree. And here you hit a very significant point : in his instructional videos (going back to the 80s) Alan very often had problems with explaining his musical approach. I think that it was so deep and multi-layered that he was thinking in multiple things simultaneously. Just like in 33:15 into your video. Same thing ! He outlines a whole-tone scale, IMHO solely based on sonority of the combination vs “theoretical correctness”.

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Thanks for this valuable insight 😊 It certainly sparked in him “ways” to explore, which indirectly led to his individual approach to hearing music.

[@christophercarson7733]

One of the greatest guitar players ever if you don't learn something by watching this then you can't fix stupid

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Hah well I think if anything it's just me that turns people off by talking a lot, but with a video that encompasses every aspect of Allan's approach, there's no way around it 😄

[@christophercarson7733]

I agree he's a legend he's been around forever and he always has the most unique guitars that he plays

[@John-c3r8x]

There's just no Mel Bay chord anywhere to take a break from talking. It's just a matter of getting used to your voice, like a new roommate

[@volpeverde6441]

Allan's one of the few people who could get anything decent out of a synthaxe....when they didn't play up....

[@director2bob]

Hello friend…Just wondering if you could make a video of some of BB Kings shredding techniques. I have tried slowing down his KZbin videos and still can’t figure out his fingerings. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks 🙏

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

😆

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

Maybe you should turn your 5-hr video into a book. I bet it would do well.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thank you! Honestly I kinda thought of it as like a 'video book'. If I only limited it to a book, I don't think it would be as easy to understand visually with all the examples. The transcriptions I did are available though.

[@pvillez]

@@TurrigenousOfficial You should seriously consider converting your research to a PhD. You are nearly there. You documenting all of this is way beyond a PhD remit. What you have done i without doubt a major contribution to knowledge. Mayn Universities/Colleges would be recptive to your work.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@@pvillez I would! That would be so cool to be able to achieve, as long as its not gonna cost me thousands of dollars just for a piece of paper. Id be more content with this landing me a job teaching this stuff at some school haha. Thank you!

[@PetraKann]

Do you realise how unknown a guitar player Alan Holdsworth is with general public? (As important and good a musician that he was)

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@@PetraKann Its not so much about who he is but his approach. Its so simple anyone at any level can use it if they wanted to.

[@gregdavidson5898]

Over my head to think that fast! (or to play it). I would just love to get the solos tones and the chord tones.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

You can always watch at .75 speed! What do you mean by solo and chord tones?

[@gregdavidson5898]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Meaning Allan had the violin-like tone for his solos and the spatial tone for his chords (the slight echo/reverb and chorus). Which brings me to the Yamaha Magic Stomp. I think I was asked you about programming mine by sending it to you. I tried to do it using a laptop that had windows XP. But failed.Anyway, the tones he had for his soling. Every time I saw Allan he had a different brand of guitar and a different brand of amplifier - And he still got a similar tone. Yes he had the same hands, I know, but still I have never been able to get that sound. Thanks for everything, btw. Though I could never approach what Allan did at least we have you to explain it and demonstrate it, providing a path to his brain.

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Ah I gotcha! Well thanks and glad my vids can help a bit 👍

[@raffeschoute4827]

I’ve played bass for 3 years now. But electric guitar seems kinda sexy now after watching most of your videos. My left hand technique is pretty good. But playing with a pick seems kinda hard. Any tips? Or can I just legato it all?

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks! I say play however you want. Playing a lot with a pick has a certain sound, plus it is really flashy when you're good at it. But I feel with legato, its easier to play fast and improvise because you're not thinking some much about two hands. Heck even playing with your fingers will allow you to play phrases virtually impossible any other way.

[@raffeschoute4827]

@@TurrigenousOfficial I have a crappy nylon stringed guitar at home, just to noodle on. Although guitar is not my main instrument, I can most definitely say that, due to my bass playing I have most of the basic technique down. Maybe getting a decent squier with a whammy bar isn’t that terrible of an idea. Thanks man!!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@@raffeschoute4827 No problem! I can't stress enough play however you want to and you'll be happy. Trying to fit and play another way and then ending up struggling is just gonna make you frustrated.

[@raffeschoute4827]

@@TurrigenousOfficial Ofcourse, the same applies to playing bass. Bass will always be my first instrument and I try to be as original as possible. But Allan’s music makes me want to pick up an electric guitar and try that whole thing out. It’s a tough balance I reckon, but a fun one!

[@felipeguerra4664]

thanks !!!

[@homerobittencourt]

exellent

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

Thanks!!

[@medonho]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Iambrettreddell]

what amp are you playin through? you using those crazy ass allan pedals?

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I do have them! But for this I think I was just using my Kemper with a Fender Deluxe Reverb profile

[@rockstarjazzcat]

🙏🏼

[@John-tk6wd]

Bro can you do a city nights solo lesson tutorial man?

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

I don't like doing those kinds of videos unless I have a lead sheet written by Allan, BUT in my Allan improv 5 do use plenty of examples from City Nights showing a lot of the patterns and shapes he used

[@John-tk6wd]

@@TurrigenousOfficial with the chords can those be used as solos sir? I really want to play like him. I noticed u play Holdsworth on prs have u ever considered a headless guitar? How do you find those? Love the channel man

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@John-tk6wd sometimes chords can be interpreted in different ways. In Pud Wud, Allan plays the same chords twice, but chooses different scales when it repeats (Dorian and Melodic Minor). Never was a big fan of headless. Don't get the hype 🤷‍♂️

[@John-tk6wd]

same here, I agree... not a big headless guy. how about all the hype with like modern players like polyphia and ichikia? is how do you find those guitarists man? just intrigued with ur opinion. @@TurrigenousOfficial

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

@John-tk6wd eh my opinion means nothing haha. I don't know much about them 🤷‍♂️. I'm more focused on my own stuff if that makes sense

[@vincentlussier8264]

Allan Holdsworth was a fabulous player but I don't know why anyone would be caught dead with a Synthaxe! It flopped anyways!

[@TurrigenousOfficial]

It's too weird but I mean, it's just a midi controller for guitarists. I can't play keys but if I want those synth sounds I'd have to program it, or play it on guitar. For like 95% of traditional guitarists, yea it's pointless.