I remember the transcription of this solo in Guitar Player in 1985. Steve Vai did it. This section of the solo was later covered in Guitar Techniques . Such a great solo. It keeps cropping up lol.

Dude... Allan is playing his ass off on ALL of his albums.

I knew it would be this lick before I even clicked. It's one of his finest in my opinion, if not the finest. So much 'harmonic data' in just a few bars. I still have the cassette

What's even better is that you taught the lick in less than 10 minutes! Well done sir.

Holy sh@@!!! I'm super impressed. I already knew you were a monster player and now your breaking down holdsworth stuff for us . I love your lessons and your overall knowledge . Everyday its a just what I needed moment !!

One of the best explanations of Holdsworth harmony. People always lose the forest for the trees when shit starts to get all outside and strongly. Just let the lick possess its stank. Whether it’s inside, outside, enclosed around chord tones or just an oblique smattering of notes, it all will have some sort of effect if there is some sort of intention and underlying logic to it. Another thing that I think really makes his “outside” ideas work is that he has this insane ability to go completely out into outer space with these chromatic excursions but then somehow eventually land perfectly on a chord tone, sometimes multiple tonal centers of changes later, like some sort of fucked up gymnast dismounting the bars, doing 5 backflips, twirling like a top, flying out the window, jetting out past Pluto, and then landing back on earth on the head of a pin. And he always seems to do it in a way that defies your ear’s expectations.

I really like how you break it down to make it more understandable. I love Allan's music, thanks for the great lesson.

Great video! Mr Holdsworth is the John Coltrane of the guitar.

Luck had me find your explanation of this particular solo. I am a flutist and bassist and AH is the only guitarist, along with Jeff Beck who steps out just in a different way and direction, I have worshipped. You way of approaching that section as nothing more than something in G minor augmented by the pattern approach was very enlightening. Something so simple. Thank you.

1:35 Lick 1 2:33 Lick 2 3:04 Lick 2 chunk 1 3:13 Lick 2 chunk 2 3:35 Lick 2 chunk 2 note D 3:57 Lick 2 pattern 1 4:31 4:45 5:06 Lick 2 + 5:18 5:49 Lick 2 + 6:02 chunk 1 6:05 chunk 2 6:09 chunk 3 6:14 chunk 4 short 6:21 7:05 blues 7:25 7:50 8:07 diagonal scale 8:22 legato/slide

This is the lesson I have been looking for for years. Not that I can really play it up to tempo, but I can get all the notes. One thing I found helped with chunk 3(?) the chromatic runs, is to slide into that last note. It helps set up your hand for the next sequence of 5 by moving up the neck.

Had the pleasure of seeing Marbin open for the Holdsworth/Haslip/Donati trio in 2012. Best show I've ever seen in my life. Thanks for all the music and keeping Allan's legacy alive!

I miss seeing you guys at the old Thirsty Hippo in Hattiesburg, MS

great video. Commentary is very clear and not too wordy. Examples are played live on the guitar which clearly show the application of the ideas discussed. Thanks a bunch for this!

"Something you easily extrapolate..." Ha ha very funny ! Marbin is a great band. Saw them in Dayton, opening for Allan. Still have Marbin music CD on my car stereo.

Thanks so much! Just awesome! And so wonderfully broken down.

Thanks, great insight/lesson, been a huge fan of Allan for many years.

Amazing skills, ears, work ethic, and community spirit; thanks for sharing your work with us mortals!

another super lesson! Thank you! ♡

Great analysis! There is a video where Alan states that "that scale that people are calling harmonic major" is his favorite. So the 4th mode makes kind of sense to me.

You're the GOAT! This is on my watch later list. As in, it will take a few listenings to "get it!" Thanks!!!!

Fantastic breakdown of his ethos and the lick itself

Best thumb nail on KZfaq,

Nice! Was VERY concerned we would disagree on choice of AH GOAT lick! 🙀 Nope! That's the one. And coincidentally, currently working on it, and the tone, with maestro Gabel. 😂 Cheers and Happy Solstice Holidays, Daniel

If you wanna know what AH was thinking, check out the Bret Stine interview about his book, "In the Mystery.". He's written the single most important book on Holdsworth and this solo is discussed at length ....it's not what you think!

Thank you so much sir Dani Rabin 🔥🔥🔥

Jesus, Dani. That is amazing! You keep getting better.

That was really helpful. Excellent!

Excellent breakdown! Thanks for the content!

really great, man. you’ve tackled some tough stuff, but this one… heck yuh.

I like the "falling down stairs" outside analogy

Cool explanation. You hit the nail on the head as far as Allans playing. He goes more for texture rather than specific harmonic correctness. I play the lick different, but same notes. I think of it as a Dm (aolean) extended shape with a wee G# minor scale inside. Same sonic result. I converted them to (easy) pentatonics for a wee video I did a while ago. I learned so much from that one tune (Devil take the Hindemost). Half way through I was thinking there is another great lick from that solo that uses the Bm idea....and you played it! That's made my day!!! Cheers Mate!

I wish I knew music theory only so I could understand Allan’s music. It’s just f’ing incredible. It saddens me that I’ll never be able to understand it and apply some of this to my playing.

Amazing breakdown!

Great dissection, thank you!

Very well taught! Subbed

The cellular approach a book by Randy Vincent.

Hey man thanks for the lesson!

Would also really enjoy a video covering some Steve Morse runs. Thanks

Great breakdown. Would’ve been better without the bedroom stadium solo patch tone.

nicely done

Great Teacher

To understand Allan's playing,l think you need to understand the way the man' thinks in his musical mind🤔over my head🥴...R.I.P. Allan Holdsworth❤️..Allan would be extremely impressed with your playing skills😊👍😉

Great vid🎉

My man!

More good stuff...thanks Dani 🍺🍺😉🤘💚

Quique genio Tangobebop espero q se reúnan de nuevo estos capos

Did i understand right that Allan sometimes focused on geometrical patterns more instead of checking every note or interval in them? So it is just important on which note i end up after the pattern? That would be a great way to experiment in my solos.

Alans music was great and unique. But I think we can safely it was often "Random"

Awesome

too good damn, i tot u r Richie Kotzen

6:00

every time i listen to allan.. I always say "what does he think hes doing?" at least 2-3 times.

Great 🦋

Bmmaj7 combined with Gminor does it ring a bell___ Mesian mode IV

Glad I found you! New sub here!

Has anyone seen the Rolling Stone top 250 guitarist list!!! It's ridiculous, Allan isn't even on the list! As Vernon Reid (who was 49 on the list) said, it's pure ignorance. Well done Vernon for speaking up. I would add, it is hugely disrespectful to Allan's immense influence and legacy. Allan is number one, it's as simple as that.

As an Allan fan, note for note may yield some discovery. But the truth is this solo was derived from improvisation. Even Allan said to go for the essence and find your own voice. When you create a solo of your own with this type of feel, then you are headed forward. Sure learn this, then develop your own. Again, this solo was improvised, not planned.

I listen to what Allan said how he gets his phrasing. He mentions how all the different notes that make up chords. My guess is when he improvises he playing all the different notes that make up the chords/key that particular song hes playing is in. Im guessing among his other innate talents, he had a photographic memory

Not bad Dani-o

I seriously doubt he was thinking harmonic major or harmonic minor, as you said. As I'm sure you know, he didn't use conventional music theory, like the rest of us. Instead, he had his own system of theory that he devised. From everything I've read, and what I've heard the man himself say, he didn't use standard music theory at all. He knew it, I've heard him talk about dorian and other things we know and recognize, but he seemed to have little if any use for it.

Fantastic! What model Suhr are you playing?

Slow or fast Holdsworth licks kick ass

i love how Holdsworthian licks in slow speed sound like ''syntax error'' :D

Hw is actually thinking and playing the eight note dominant scale

what have you done to Allan?

👍

That's almost sacrilegious putting your face on Allan's body

Great lesson. What do you call it "goat"? Sorry, perhaps I'm missing something.

correct me if i'm wrong, but after you said that he's focused in the 12th frets, does that mean that he actually only cares about a good exit from that kind of phrase rather than the phrase itself? Because a lot of 'out' things only sound good if you end en transition them to the 'in' in the right way. right?

😍😍😍

8:14 that lick totally ripped by Michael Romeo.

Also known as "Alan Holdsworth, Betcha Can't Play This: Vol 6"

☆☆☆☆☆

Rad

There's only one Allan Holdsworth.Everything else is imitation😉

Why does the word goat come into this ?

It's not a lick It's a line!!!

Its so crazy that even when you slow the licks down, they still sound just as awful to the musical ear as they do at regular speed.

Oh yeah...the easy one ...lol

That's a cool trick but it doesn't sound like music

I quit

Scorching stuff. Takes the paint off your guitar

ALLAN DIDN'T USE LICKS. ALLAN rarely repeats any sort of his ideas. He's on record as deigning the idea of 'licks'. he knows the notes and the tonal tension , plus the shapes, it's not a 'lick' you will never ,ever hear him playing the same sequence of notes in a solo. alas, since he always has the same sound and same ambling, non melodic,non repetitious fake 'songs' he will only gain traction with guitar nerds such as ourselves. i'm a switch hitter. i love pop music from the last 20 years and from the 70s and 80s, but allan's music, even with amazing recordings like IOU, Road Games and Metal Fatigue and 17 men,minus one, are just too abstruse to appeal to non musiciansand non guitar players.

Out of tune scales. Makes no sense. No.