Allan Holdsworth Style Extreme Legato Lesson Part 1

[@RowanJParker]

Holdsworth is a totally original and unique player. No one sounded like him before he broke out and although many have tried to copy his style none have reached his level of fluidity. I think there are players who play on the same level as him, Frank Gambale for instance, but these guys have developed their own original and strong styles in any case. Put this way, no one is better at being Allan Holdsworth than Allan Holdsworth! Cheers Rowan

[@tinelismiper]

All kidding aside, with his cheeky & humorous personality the GUY is a realllllllllly awesome and gifted musician.

[@manguera9]

legato was a playing technique in the classical music for guitar since 70 yr ago. legendary.rock progressive guitar player Steve Howe used a lot in his classical song and in solos in the Yes Album and others., is nice that Alan Holdsworth went beyond in this technique.

[@abutomatto]

You are best guitarteacher on KZbin!!

[@horsepowerslave1]

Allan , 1 of my all time ,respected players. simply a master,

[@69cohonas]

I agree 100%with you here !!!

[@NikkElektrik]

Hey Rowan, should I practice these excercises with hammer-ons and pull-offs or Holdsworth style (hammer-on every note)?

[@RowanJParker]

Hi there, I think that usually I do pull off when descending which is something that Holdsworth doesn't do as he dislikes the pitch distortion. However, when I play with just the left hand only I often hammer everything so the answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no.

[@musicandnature9214]

I love your lessons! Greetings from Amsterdam!

[@ssdtrain1]

i love this guy!!!, he's hilarious and talented!!...

[@VioletDeliriums]

Exercise 3 is not just the first 4 tones of the Lydian mode, it is also a whole-tone scale minus 2 of its 6 tones. In fact, I heard whole tone scale when you first played it, then you called it Lydian and I was like, oh ya, that too.

[@elherna262]

would you apply also the excersice 3 type of shape to the first 4 frets on the 6th string?

[@dimevh84]

hey Rowan really enjoy your vids, would you suggest these exercises for beginning legato, along with emphasising every possible combination of the 4 fingers? thanks again

[@RowanJParker]

Hi Bruno, not it's just into the amp. Some gain on the amp of course and a bit of reverb and delay as well but no compression. Cheers Rowan

[@RowanJParker]

@ballsackmctit Hi there, the guitar is a mid 80s model. Cant recall exactly. I bought it second hand for £800 which was a bargain. The original owner had a guitar synth installed and I think that was the mounting for the pickup. Cheers Rowan.

[@brummell67]

Excellent explanation. Now I watch the next! Thank so much Rowan ;-)

[@RowanJParker]

Hi there, if I understand you correctly you mean would/could I play the whole tone shape from fret one. Well that would give frets 1,3,5 and 7 which is a gigantic span. I don't have especially large hands so I certainly could not do it in position, there would be considerable lateral movement along the neck. I think I probably could play it but doubt that it could be got to face melting shred tempo due to the movement. Hope that answers the question. Cheers rowan

[@RowanJParker]

If you like that then I have another couple of whole tone licks on the channel somewhere. Late night licks I think it's called. Cheers for the comments Violet.

[@elherna262]

Yeah, sorry, my english is crap. I understand, I just asked because i have this sort of stupid theory on my mind: If I practice a pattern , scale, whatever, I wan't to be able to apply it everywhere. Thanks for this vids anyway, really helpful. I'm working a lot on my legato since a couple of months now, I'll try this excersices right away!

[@dimevh84]

yea thanks for the advice, i can actually manage all the exercises at a slow/mid tempo, i just thought if i could do them slowly it would just be a case of building them up slowly with a metronome? im not a beginner and have been lookin for some really good legato excercises and i like these two vids of yours the best, however i will definitely check out the other vid tho, thanks again Rowan

[@jern5]

You are the man! Thanks a lot!.

[@JulianManzara]

hi Rowan great stuff! do you need light strings and/or low action to get that legato sound? will you please explain the hammer on ever note technique. I do not understand the descending hammer ons.

[@RowanJParker]

Light strings and a low action do make it easier. I use 10 gauge which is pretty light but the action is very low on my Les Paul. As for descending hammer on, it's quite simple really. Just hammer all the notes regardless of direction. Cheers Rowan

[@69cohonas]

i use 11 gauge on my Holdsworth Carvin which is pretty light too, if you know how to use it !!!

[@abosco771906]

Hi Rowan! I just stumbled across your videos and website, and man I'm glad I did! EXCELLENT lessons my friend. I'm almost 60 and just beginning to discover Legato...I think I have a lot to learn from your lessons. Love your tone and playing. Thanks for posting all your material. I definitely subscribed to your site. :-)

[@Soboliew]

Hey man- love your vids and your accent ! :D Awesome stuff!

[@RowanJParker]

Too kind Sir! Thank you. Cheers Rowan

[@brunobosio3968]

Hi Rowan! Great video. Are you using a compression/overdrive pedal or is just the guitar plugged into the amp? Cheers :)

[@cluxseltoot]

Great video - how do you get the sustain? Is it an amp setting?

[@DhirajVSalian]

Hey Rowan..It's great to see you on KZbin. Had attended a rockschool workshop by you in Mumbai like 3-4 years back! :-)

[@travelingman9763]

How applicable is legato techniques useful for uptempo Bebop playing? Im a basic alternate picking type player. Thanks and you sound like master of Legato!

[@sergiosilva-ev8rx]

Awesome

[@RowanJParker]

Well it's true he did use pull offs at one point but as he developed his style he eschewed them in favour of an all hammer on approach. Cheers Rowan

[@axeg]

What is the name of the song playing at the beginning?, really digging that sound

[@RowanJParker]

Hi Elmo, it's called Mount Olympus which is a song I composed. Cheers Rowan Mount Olympus - Neo Classical Shred!

[@axeg]

wow that was fast, thanks !! great playing !!!

[@MrPyroguru]

Rowan J Parker Your legato is actually as smooth as Allan's. Yeah I know you'll never believe this but it is actually true.

[@Mustlehard]

No. It's darude - sandstorm

[@RowanJParker]

Mustlehard um, don't know where you got that from. Techno doesn't sound like Neo Classical metal much to me. I suggest you go and listen to the entire track.kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZbNY3eNrLeYmtk

[@oldbladderhorn]

there's. another lesson here on the tube, where the legato is done without pullpull-off's just hammer-on's the sound is very Holdsworth ..think the lad there is using an extreme gate as well no need to use a muffler as the gate is doing that job, he gives a few very well exicuted examples of Holdsworthian tricks and riffs and repeating pattern's... quite niffty things to get stuck into not a metal riff to be seen completely AH in feel and taste and really fluid. does a quick intro on the pattern then a full example at tempo no arseing about tells you shows the finger pattern in detail then whooosh! and my amazment at that bit. it will come with practice and muscle memory( I thinks ) .. yeah Holdsworth isn't metal sloppy.. just finessing the strings is the Allen H trademark. the boys name escapes me at the moment but he sure can teach didn't think I'd get into it as that jazz cleverness was never my real interest but it was worth my time I learnt something. he'that tutor? him really fast and fluid yeah even so the guy admits Allen Holdsworth is was god sent where every note is appropriate to what the other band members are playing...tasty and on the edge. Allan showed by example that there can beano prima-donna attitudes the group is a hive-mind when there are no ego's

[@theclanmorrison]

Love your Aussie T Shirt there Rowan!

[@FeralPyg]

Hey Rowan - great vid. I have a question: I could comfortably practice these first 4 licks in 12th position. They are impossible/painful for me to play lower down. Do you have a cut-off point where you no longer play 4 note per string licks?

[@RowanJParker]

FeralPyg Yes. Fret one...

[@FeralPyg]

Rowan J Parker... how do you make the big stretches? You able to demonstrate?

[@FeralPyg]

Pithy sarcasm 1: effective teaching 0

[@RowanJParker]

Indeed.

[@josephpatrow]

Awesome, Rowen, thank you!

[@VioletDeliriums]

Exercise 2 sounds like the Space Invaders game when the ship flies by across the top of the screen and you try to get it. So that is useful too. I'll bet if you put a delay with some strong echoes on you could really make it craziness like a circus.

[@wardy940]

I noticed that your fingers are parallel to your others. But when i practising legato either my pinky wont stay parallel or my first finger wont. It kinda pokes out ti the side so im using the side of my fingertip instead of all of it. Did you have this problem when you first started

[@RowanJParker]

Hi Chris, I suspect it is your thumb position causing this. It should be flat on the back of the neck in line with your second finger. Hard to say for sure without seeing you play. Hope this helps. Cheers Rowan

[@wardy940]

Yeahh i thought that. Ive been going slowly to try and get my fingers to stay straight. It feels like its making me less accurate

[@MrPyroguru]

Rowan J Parker Merry Christmas. I have a question. In order to learn Gabel, Holdsworth or Lane you need long fingers or so I heard but is this true? I mean how large are Holdsworths hands anyways? I heard some say his hands are normal and others say the are gargantuan!

[@RowanJParker]

Size of the hands has little to do with. In my own case I don't have huge hands but can spread 7 frets from fret 3 to fret 9. It's more about thumb position than anything.

[@VioletDeliriums]

domo arigato mister legato

[@RowanJParker]

Your cheque is in the post! Cheers Rowan

[@rajivthatal]

the painting at back is an art from our part,that is Darjeeling.how did you get that,have you been to darjeeling?

[@RowanJParker]

I've visited India several times so yes.

[@pleximanic]

One of the key aspects of Holdsworth's technique is to use (see) 4 note per string!

[@RowanJParker]

Hi there, some of these exercises are tough if you are just starting to develop legato technique. Just to plug my own product here, my Hammer Time video (available on my website) is probably an easier point to begin. Cheers Rowan

[@RowanJParker]

Why not try both? Cheers Rowan

[@VioletDeliriums]

Exercise 1 sounds like magical electro-fairies, so I like that.

[@cast390]

You sound like the guy who played Scotty in the new star trek movies.Great lesson btw...

[@Walamonga1313]

This is insane...might as well throw my guitar to the rubbish. Great chops by the way!

[@markjohnson9485]

If you decide to throw your guitar in the rubbish, throw it to me :-)

[@svenjansen2134]

Never ever stop.

[@RowanJParker]

Unfortunately, I'm naught but a pimple on Holdsworth's ass! But thanks for the comment. Cheers Rowan

[@Poppafunkband]

Hello Mr. Parker - would you consider doing a 5th caprice lesson covering something like this version? watch?v=CUu54DuJEAs There is a dearth of good lessons on this. Thanks! Chris

[@munkymaster86]

That Les Paul is a BEAUTY

[@dannymcmince]

+James Leggett Got to agree, that custom les paul is beautiful!!

[@Eberponton]

genio

[@MrPyroguru]

WOW! Your legato is as smooth as Allan Holdsworth! Is it really possible for someone to be as good as him?

[@svenjansen2134]

Everyone, no matter how good, will be modest and say no lol

[@RowanJParker]

Why not? You surely don't need it... Cheers Rowan

[@Guitareben]

Nice :)

[@Prometheus4096]

The issue with legato Holdsworth style is doing hammer on's only. When you can use pulloff's, it becomes a non-issue.

[@UltimateJgx]

Alcathous But the sound is not the same, if you want to have the fluidity then u need to leave the pull off's behind.

[@VioletDeliriums]

Oh Exercise 1 is indeed useful. Think of "Flight of the Bumblebee." Or maybe you want to make little magical electro-fairy sounds.

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

It's the speed that buggers me up lol

[@RowanJParker]

Dō itashimashite! Rather unfortunate looking translation but there you go... Cheers Rowan

[@JimGardner]

Dream on.

[@superagnitio]

"Sasy goodbye to your right hand.." Come on man!! Don't cut my hand off! jesus!

[@VioletDeliriums]

Oh one last thing...if you want to explain sextuplets to someone, just tell them to play a "buttelly-doodley." They will go, "What?" Then you tell them, "Say Buttelly-Doodley" and they will say "Buttelly-Doodley." The you say "Now play it." And they will play sextuplets.

[@RowanJParker]

Or widdley-diddley even...

[@885909431427]

This isn't a Holdsworth legato right ? Holsworth was all hammer on, no pull offs

[@RowanJParker]

Mark Driver You got me there...

[@885909431427]

I'd be keen to see a vid of all hammer on legato as it's tricky as hell descending.

[@RowanJParker]

Mark Driver I've got loads of legato stuff on the channel, some of it is more complete hammer approach.

[@RowanJParker]

Would that be me or Allan Holdsworth you are referring to? In case it is me here is a drummer joke. Did you know that percussion is the oldest form of music in the world? Yes, it was originally played by Neanderthal men... So no change there then! Apologies to all my drummer buddies for the offence but hey that's the price you pay for getting to play with real musicians... Cheers Rowan

[@RowanJParker]

Sorry man, that promotion is finished. However, you can subscribe to my website and that gets you access to free exclusive material so it's not all bad. If you really want Hammer Time it's in my website store for only £15. Bargain! Cheers Rowan

[@JazzCultivation]

I think tha to play that whole step scale in one string is a feat on a Gibson. Probably the scale In Allan's guitar where shorter, and easier to reach far notes.

[@oldbladderhorn949]

A thought.. why not use a noise gate instead of your hand/head band (or get a nice short back and side hair cut old man) it maybe have been the way Allen got that legato so nice and crispy clean i don't know i'm just lazy, yes i like Allen's style but i don't try to do his thing. just a little to much for me, to many patterns to remember. my muscles don't care to try to remember the complicated structure and timings required to get those invisible chord voicings though his picking was just phenomenal and inspirational when i was a kid. its ok to listen to him going for it but it seems to become just math and every tune sounds so reminiscent of the last.. just a formula on the lead sheet. much prefer Lonnie Johnsons nice simple tunes over a nice bass walk and drum shuffle myself something that can be had by most everyone of average ability with some effort with real in your face words of the everyday reality's of life thrown in as an extra spice to the flavour of the tune and just as brilliant as anything by Allen. it's horses for courses yeah and that's what it is.. all the best

[@bulzah]

Allan has a strong dislike for what he describe as the *miaowing* sound off pull off he basicaly use all hammer on kinda hard

[@UltimateJgx]

Whoopty Doo I agree

[@AntonioTonyNewtonMusic]

Excuse me but Allan did not use pull-offs. His technique comes from playing the violin with a bow and transferring that technique to the guitar. I know because I have played with him for a few years. Also if you get his first solo album on CTI he is playing both instruments where you can hear quite clearly the technique being used. It's not good to spread misinformation. Your technique is good however different than Allan's. Take Care!

[@RowanJParker]

True my technique is not quite Holdsworthian. The title is a bit misleading admittedly. Content is decent though. Cheers Rowan

[@boudeny12]

Scottish?

[@RowanJParker]

+Matéo Krebs-Fardin Indeed sir!

[@boudeny12]

+Rowan J Parker i'm french and i think it's one of the best english accent!

[@jephthah007]

Couldn't understand a word of it lol

[@rimbasumatra7181]

This guy talk too a lot

[@RowanJParker]

Possibly, but I can at least form a coherent sentence that makes grammatical sense...