lesson } JAZZ

Allan Holdsworth
Holdsworth has access to a sophisticated
vocabulary that is steeped in the tradition of
jazz but is undeniably his own. We’re looking
at his soloing style here; we’ll leave the other
huge components of his playing to a later date.
John Wheatcroft looks at the soloing style Our nine examples should form the basis
of your research into his style. They are mostly
of a legendary and totally unique guitarist: the in common time signatures and based around
phenomenal Yorkshireman, Allan Holdsworth. relatively conventional sequences. His
compositions are often hugely polyrhythmic,
so removing this aspect from our studies
allows us to concentrate on note selection,
their groupings and the articulation required
to execute them cleanly. Your challenges are
timing, projection and intonation. Allan
employs a largely legato approach, so avoid
rushing and any sloppy rhythms, especially at
fast tempo. As his technique employs lots of
hammer-ons and pull-offs, you’ll need to
balance the volume of picked and slurred

It takes maybe
a couple of years
before something
I’m working on now
will find its way
out naturally
Allan Holdsworth
notes. You might need to de-emphasise the
pick volume, although Holdsworth has
developed this skill to a degree that he can
place an accent at any point, on any finger
within a flurry of notes. The final
consideration is intonation, especially with
regard to the use of light strings and
performing pull-offs. Make sure you’re not
unintentionally bending as you pull, as this
Allan Holdsworth
will drag the notes undesirably sharp.
with his Carvin
Fatboy signature
NEXT MONTH John looks at the jazz playing of
another legato master, Tim Miller
Born in 1946 in Bradford, Yorkshire,
ABILITY RATING
Holdsworth’s pianist father encouraged him 5 5
✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Advanced to practise and, with remarkable discipline, he 7
6 4

Info Will improve your… set about learning to play entirely by himself.
Key: Various Fluency and articulation Influenced by artists such as saxophonist
Tempo: Various Technique and timing John Coltrane, he determined to sound
Gain Bass Middle Treble Reverb

CD: TRACKS 73-90 Melodic sophistication entirely like himself and worked out a
personal approach to creating music, with

Z
appa and Shawn Lane loved him. Frank
Gambale calls him the ‘Grandmaster’
and other famous guitarist fans include
Eddie Van Halen, Kurt Rosenwinkel,
John McLaughlin, Greg Howe, Joe Satriani
and Yngwie Malmsteen. Holdsworth is a
special artist, with a unique approach to
music and one of the most recognisable
improvisation and harmony at the core.
Allan’s illustrious career began with jazz
crossover groups such Tempest,
Igginbottom’s Wrench, Gong, Soft Machine,
Jean-Luc Ponty, Bill Bruford and Tony
Williams’ Lifetime. This led to a career as a
bandleader; each new release awaited by his
fans and live performances attaining almost
Holdsworth’s overdriven lead tone is full
bodied, with a smattering of reverb, more
recently delay, and with a pronounced
mid-range bias. Go easy on the gain, as the
fluidity of his tone is a product of his accurate
legato technique and too much distortion
adversely affects both dynamics and changes
the vowel sound of a sustaining note.
CLAYTON CALL / GETTY IMAGES

sounds from the late 60s to the present day. mythical status.

TRACK RECORD Tales From The Vault, a compilation of unreleased tracks funded by an online Pledge campaign is awaited with baited
breath. I.O.U (Enigma 1985) features breathtaking playing and beautiful compositions; The DVD, Allan Holdsworth and Alan Pasqua – Live
At Yoshi’s (Wienerworld 2008), featuring Jimmy Haslip and Chad Wackerman, is great too, as are Sand, Metal Fatigue and.

82 December 2015
ON THE CD TRACKs 73-90 ALLAN HOLDSWORTH learning zone

Example 1 Wide intervals and chromatic ideas over shifting major tonalities cd track 73
We begin with some of Allan’s signature wide stretches. You can really see wide intervals, the preceding line is much more compact and features a
why players such as Eddie Van Halen thought he was using tapping before combination of scale-wise motion (Ab Lydian for Ab/Gb, B Lydian for C#/B: R-2-
GUITAR
they TECHNIQUES
could see MAGAZINE
him in action. It will help if2you
5 0 wear the guitar medium
The John
to Wheatcroft Jazz
3-#4-5-6-7), withcolumn
some chromatic decoration for good measure. Look out for
GUITAR
high TECHNIQUES
on your chest and keepMAGAZINE
your thumb2behind50 the neck for theALAN
The John
stretch, HOLDSWORTH
Wheatcroft JazzSTYLE
column
the busy 16th-note based legato phrasing in bars 4 and 5: break it into 8-note
ALAN HOLDSWORTH
approximately in line with the second finger. In contrast to these opening groupings atSTYLE
a slow tempo to learn it quickly.

Ex 1
Wide intervals and chromatic ideas over shifting major tonalities

©»¡™∞ ~~~~
Ex 1
Wide intervals and chromatic ideas over shifting major tonalities

œ ~~~ œ # œ œ œ œœ ˙
D/C

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b ¡¡œ bb œœ™
œJ~~~ œ .
j
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& 4 ÓÓ Œj
‰
The John Wheatcroft Jazz column
œJ # œ œ œ Œ b ¡œ
ALAN JHOLDSWORTH STYLE bœ bœ bœ
GUITAR TECHNIQUES MAGAZINE 2 5 0 # œ
Œ ‰ J Œ
ALAN
The John HOLDSWORTH STYLE
Wheatcroft Jazz column
&4 3
Ex 1 Wide intervals and chromatic ideas over shifting major tonalities 3
Ex 1
©»¡™∞ ~~~
Wide intervals and chromatic ideas over shifting major tonalities ~~~~
~~~~
D/C
~~~ œ # œ œ œ œœ ˙
~~~~
4©»¡™∞ œ ~~~ œ . ™ ¡ ™
b ™œ bb13¡œœ bb16œœ™
7j 8
E

˙ ¡
D/C
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B 10 7 8 10 12
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Œ ‰ #œ
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&4
A
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A 1 3
E
1 3
b b ~~~ Loco ~~~~ CC ##/B/B
√AA b/G/G b™ b¢œ
√ ¡œ b œ™ b¢œ ~~~ ~~~~
œ b œ
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b œ œ b œ œ
B 8 Loco 7 10 7 8 10 12

& ¡œ b œ
E
G

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B 7
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b b ¢ #
√ bœ
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Loco

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A13/G 16 21 13 16 C /B
œ œ
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√ œ bœ
œ b œ b œ œ b œ9 œ88 1111œœ œ88 n œ99 bb œœ88 1111œ œœ88 nn œœ99 1111œ ## œœ88 .. œ99 ##1111œœ .. # œ88 œ99 .. œ88 #11œ # œ9
Loco
¡œ b œ
B

œ bœ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ
E 13 16 21 13 16
G 13 12 11 10
&
B

bœ œ 13 12 11 10 11 8 8
b œ œ b œ9 œ œ n œ œ # œ œ œ #11œ # œ9
D
G

&
A
D
E 11 8
A 4 8
E 3
4
3
Ex 2 Mixing semiquavers with quintuplets

œ œ œ #œ œ œ
E 13 16semiquavers
Ex 2 Mixing 21 13 16 with 11 quintuplets
14 13 11
Example 2 Mixing semiquavers with quintuplets cd track 75
©»¡™∞
B
13 16 21 13 16 11 14 13D/C 14 11 11 14 11

œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ nœ #œ
E
G 13here
12 we
11 see
10 8 11 8is wonderfully
9 11 8 fluid and he frequently mixes up
©»¡™∞
While
B Allan does everything in his power to
D/C avoid
14 11 clichéd
14 11licks, line. Holdsworth’s time-feel
13 12 11 10 11 8 8 9 8 11 8 9 8 11 8 9 11
œ œ œ #œ nœ #œ œ œ œ œœ ## œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
D 9 11 8 9 8
4 ‰ JJ
G 8

Π8 11 a
one
A of his favourite melodic forms, employed to great effect, based
D around 11 8 rhythmic8 groupings,
11 8 9 completely spontaneously 9 and
11 no8 doubt
9 without 9 care

& 4 œ œ # œ œ
E

‰ Œ œ œ #œ œ œ
A
a decorated
4 ∑
maj9 arpeggio (R-3-5-7-9). We’ll see more of this shape later on, in8the9world. You might wish to use words to assist you here, so bar11 9 be
3 could
&4
E
but for now our principle∑consideration is the
4 rhythmic component of this rhythmically interpreted as ‘university-3e&a-university.
5
Ex 2 Mixing semiquavers with quintuplets 5 5

œ œ 12œ #14œ œ œ
Ex 2 Mixing semiquavers with quintuplets 5

©»¡™∞
D/C
E

©»¡™∞
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œ œ œ # œ n œ #11œ 12œ œ œ #11œ 12œ œœ99 11œ 12œ
& 44 ‰ JJ
B
15 13 12

Œ œ
E
13 12 14 13 12
G

œ œ
œ 14œ 10œ # œ9 10œ œ9 12œ #11œ 12œ 11œ 12œ
B 15

‰ Œ
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G ∑ 14 13 12 11 9 12

&4 14 10 # œ
A
D
E
A 1
∑ 5
12
9 10
E
1 5 5
5
Fm/G b
b œ b12œ 14bb œœ15 œœ œ
15 b œ 12 14 œ œ œœ œ11
œ11 12 14Œ10 9bb œœ10 œœ9 bb12œœ 11œœ 12 99œœ 11 12
Fm/G b
E 15

b œ œ b œ œ œ œœ b œ b œ b œ 15 œ œ
B 13 12

œ
E
13 12 14 13 12
G

& bœ œ bœ œ œ
B
D

14Œ10 9 10
G
A 14 13 12

&
D
E 12 9 12 11 12 11 12
A 1
E 3
1 3 3
3

b œ99 bb1111œœ 1313œœ œ88

b
b œ œ88 œ99 1111œœ œ
Fm/G
b
b œ
b13œ 12œ b11œ 10œ 11œ 1010œœ b1313œ b11œ b œ b œ99 œ88 b œ77 œ66
E
B Fm/G 11
œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ
Œ
E

& b13œ 12œ b11œ 10œ 11œ œ

G
B

Œ
D
G

&
A
D
E
A 4 3
E 3
4 3
3

E 9 11 13 8 8
B
E 11 9 11 13 8 8 9 11 9 8 7 6
G
B 10 13 11 9 11 9 8 7 6
D
G 13 12 11 10 11 10 13
A
D
E 13 12 11 10 11
A 4
E
4

December 2015 83
 lesson } JAZZ

Example 3 Descending chromatic motifs cd track 77

Allan is exceptionally good at filling in the gaps between harmonically intended destination of A, which is in itself an early anticipation of the
supportive and consonant notes and the less stable dissonances that are
2 xxxxxxxxxx preceding Bm/E chord. You should go through each of these lines to determine
found nestling in the cracks between them. This is perfectly demonstrated which of the notes are intentional resolutions, and which are tensions that are
by2 the
xxxxxxxxxx
five-note ‘enclosure’ in bar 4, with beat 3’s four notes encircling the still in motion.

Ex 3 Descending chromatic motifs

¢
Ex 3
©»¡¢™
Descending chromatic motifs B m/E
¡ œ n ¢œ £ œ ¡ œ b¢œ ™œ n œ¡ n œ b œ œ œ n œ
E maj 7

# # # # ©»¡¢™
4 ‰
B m/E
¡ œ n œ £ œ ¡ œ b¢œ ™œ n œ¡ n œ b œ œ œ n œ n œ œ œ œ œ j ‰ Œ œ œ œ
E maj 7

& # #
2 xxxxxxxxxx
# 44
∑ n œ œ œ œ œ œj
& #
2 xxxxxxxxxx
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Ex 3 Descending chromatic motifs
¢ 9 7
Ex
E 3
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¡ œ7 n10
œ £ œ ¡ œ b¢11œ ™œ9
n œ88¡ n12œ b11œ 10œ œ9 n12œ 10 9 E maj
E maj 7

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1

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B m/E F/G

#### œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ n œ œœ œ7 10œ 9 œ 7n œ
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&
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1

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B m/E
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# # œ
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Ex 4 Wide intervals to ascending chromatic idea

£
¡œ n œ # œ¢
E 9 12 14 16 10 14 12 14 12 10 12 11
4 Wide
©»¡¢™
intervals
n
9to ascending
Example E maj 7 idea chromatic idea
B
Ex 4 Wide 9 to
intervals 5 ascending
7 12chromatic
11 9 10 12 13 13 12 11 10 cd track 79
b œ
Bm/E

# # # # ©»¡¢™ œ œ £ ¢
G 12 11 10 9
n œ #œ
E 9 12 14 16 10 14 12 14 12 10 12 11
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B begin with a completely
9 5 7‘inside’9motif that
œ œj œ œ
clearly
12 outlines our underlying strong resolution plays
13 a big part in the
n œ
11 success
# œ
scrappy andnmuch
b œ œ less
of lines of this nature. Ensure

& # # # # 444 œœœœœ ‰ œ œ œtheœ temptation n œwillœsound ¡

D 12 11 9 10 13 12 10
A
G
Emaj7
E maj 7
tonality (E-G#-B-D#), before moving into rather more chromatic territory œ ‰ ‰to rush,œ asœ this
Bm/E
œ 12 11 10
œ œ
9

œ œ œj œ œ
you resist

œ œ œ œ Jœ n œ # œ
‰ œ œ œ œ Jœ ‰ ‰ œœ œ œ œ n œ œ
E
D
A 4
against
∑
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E
4
& 4 ∑
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Ex 4 Wide intervals to ascending chromatic idea
£ ¢
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Ex 4 Wide intervals to ascending chromatic
E maj 7 idea
9 10 b11
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œ
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n œ # œ 9 10 b11œ n10¡œ n13œ #14œ
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& # # # # 444
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7 9 n10
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∑ 6 6 7 9

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E 11 13 11 12 14 16 18 19 18
B 11 14 13 12 13 12 16 15 14 13 14 16 17 19
G
E 11 13 11 12 14 16 18 19 18 18 16 15
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B 11 14 13 12 13 12 16 15 14 13 14 16 17 19 16 13 16 13 14
A
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D 16 13 16 13 14
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5

84 December 2015
ON THE CD TRACKs 73-90 ALLAN HOLDSWORTH learning zone

Example 5 Pentatonic three-notes-per-string cd track 81

Much analysis of Holdsworth’s soloing style features one common error, the
assumption of reliance upon near random repositioning of some form of wide
3
stretched geometric shape up and down in semitones or across the neck.
3 patterns do obviously occur, at best this should be viewed as a gross
While
over-simplification and the reality is closer to the example seen here, based
around a three-notes-per-string fingering that combines elements of B Minor
(B-D-E-F#-A) and E minor Pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) scales against an F# Phrygian
tonality (F#-G-A-B-C#-D-E).

Ex 5 Pentatonic 3 notes-per-string
#
Ex 5
©»¡™•
Pentatonic 3 notes-per-string F m
œ œ œ œ
# # ©»¡™• œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
F #m
3 Œ œ œ œ
¢
œ œ
& # # 43 œ œ ¡œœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 ∑
Œ
¢ œ
3
& 4 ∑ ¡ œ™
œ ¡ œ
Ex 5 Phrygian
Pentatonic Mode
3 notes-per-string ¡ ™
F #m
Ex 5
©»¡™•
Phrygian
Pentatonic Mode
3 notes-per-string
œ œ œ œ
œ
E 7 12
B
# # ©»¡™•
3 Œ
F #m œ œ
¢œ œ
œ9 œ9 œ7 œ7 œ9 œ7 12œ œ7 9 11œ œ7 12œ 10œ 9 œ œ
7 12 10
œ
9 œ
G 7 7 12 7 9 11 9
& # 43
E 7 12
7 œ
œ
D 7 12

œ œ œ
B ∑
œ œ œ7 œ9 œ ¢
& #4
A

Œ ¡7 œ9™ ¡œ7 12 œ9 œ9
G
E
D
∑ œ
1
A

¡ ™ ¡
E
1 Phrygian Mode

E
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ 7œ 12œ 10œ œœ œ 7. 12
Phrygian Mode

## œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ7 œ9 b œ7 12œ 9œ 9 œ 7 œ7 n œ 9œ b7 œ 12œ 7œ 9 œ11œ 7œ 12œ 10œ 9 œ 7. 12

B
G

&#
E

œ œ
D
B

& #
A
G
E 7 7 12 7 9 11 9
D 1 7 12 9 7 9
A 7 9 9
E
1

E
œ œ 12œ 10œ œ7 12œ 10œ 7 œ7 7 10œ 12œ œ7 12œ b11œ 14œ 12œ 11œ 14œ n13œ 12œ b11œ 11œ 11œ 10œ 12œ 10œ 12œ 14œ 15œ 14œ .
10 7
# 10 7 10 7 œ 7 œ œ b11œ 14œ 12œ 11œ 14œ n13œ 12œ b11œ 11œ 11œ 10 12œ 10œ 12œ 14œ 15œ 14œ .
B

& # # œ œ 12œ œ œ 12œ 10œ œ7 œ œ7 10œ 12œ œ

G

œ
E
D
7 12
B

#
A
G

&
E
D
4
A
E
4
Ex 6 Maj7 arpeggio pathway & four-notes-per-string scale
E
B
Example
10 7
Ex 6 Maj7 arpeggio
6 Maj7 12
arpeggio
Slight swing
10 7
pathway
16ths& 12
pathway
7
four-notes-per-string
7 10 Ascale
12/G
b b
10 7 & four-notes-per-string
7 12 11 14
12
11
scale 14 13 12 11
11
11 10 12
10 12 14 15 14
cd track 83
©»¡¡º
œ œ œ œ
√ b b
G

œ bœ
œ bœ
E 10 7 10 7 7 7 12 11 14 11 11 10 12 14 15 14
b ⋲ œœ
D A /G
44
Here we see that Maj9 pattern from Ex1 and Ex2, reinterpreted with subtle counter-clockwise so that the thumb is ready to be positioned behind the neck
b œ
B 12 16ths 12 10 7
Slight swing 7 10 12 12 14 13 12 11 11 10 12

& b b b ©»¡¡º
A
√Ó œ œ
œ bœ bœ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
œ bœ
G
melodic
E variations to fit in both G and Ab Lydian contexts (R-2-3-#4-5-6-7). and approximately behind the second finger. The wrist itself should remain
∑
& b b 44
D4

Ó œ
There are some wide stretches on the fifth string here, so make sure your relatively fixed to avoid injury, with most repositioning work achieved by this
œ bœ œ
A

bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ
E
fretting
4 ∑ ⋲
hand posture is prepared for this workload by turning the wrist revolution of the forearm.
G b Lydian
Ex 6 Maj7 arpeggio pathway & four-notes-per-string scale

G b Lydian
Ex 6 Maj7 arpeggio
Slight swing 16ths& four-notes-per-string A
pathway b/G b
scale
œ
©»¡¡ºswing 16ths
œ 13œ 15œ 16œ
A b/G b
√
b œ
E 11 13 14 13 11 13 15 16

b b ©»¡¡º
4 œ œ
œ 13 14 13 b14œ œ
14 11 12
B

b œ
Slight
b √Ó œ
G 13 11 10 10 11 12
& b 44 œ b œ œ b œ 13 b11œ 10œ b11œ 13œ 8 13œ 10œ 11œ 10œ #11œ 12œ œ b œ œ œ œ œ
E 11 11
D 11 10 11
œ
B
A ∑ ⋲ 11 12

b Ó
G

& b 4b œ b œ œ b œ 13 œ8 13 œ œ # œ œ
E
D
1 ∑ ⋲
œ œ œ œ
A
E
1 G Lydian
Bb b/A b
E
√ GB bLydian 11 13 14 13
~~~
11 13 15 16
œ
'
/A b
b œ
B 14 11 12

& bbb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 11œ œ Œ

/ 14
G 13 11 10 10 11 12
œ ~~~
E
√ 11 13 14 13 11 13 15 16

œ 13 8 13 œ œ ' œ œ
œ 10 11œ 12 œ
D 10 11
œ œ œ œ œ
B 14 11 12
œ
13 8 13

œ œ
A

&b b œ œ œ œ Œ
/ 14
G 13 11 10

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
E
D 1 11 10 11
A

A b Lydian
E

~~~
1

/'/
b/A b
√ ABBb15Lydian / 14

œb/A b 16œ 15 13 12 13 ~~~

E

b '/ 15œ œ~~~ Œ

B

œ
114

& b b b œ œ 15œ 13œ 12œ 13œ 15œ 10 13 12œ 15œ 12œ 13œ 12œ œ
G
E 15 12 15 17 4
√
œ œ' œ œ
œ œ
D
B 16 12 15 12 13 13 15

œ œ
A

&b b b œ œ œ œ 15 10œ 13 œ Œ
G 15 17 14

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
E
D
4 13
A
E
A Lydian
~~~
4

/'
A b15 / 14
Lydian
~~~
E

'
B 16 14
G
E 15 15 13 12 12 15 17
D
B 16 13 12 15 12 13 13 15
A
G 15 13 12 15 10 13 12 15 17
E
D 4 13 12 15 12 13 13 15
A 15 10 13
E
4

December 2015 85
 lesson } JAZZ

Example 7 Outside line over F Dorian vamp cd track 85

While we couldn’t be more F minor to begin, with a melodic figure toggling Gb Lydian (Gb-Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb-against our underlying Ab/Gb harmony.
between F and Ab (root-b3), things become much more ambiguous in bar 1, Holdsworth is clearly at home with harmonic ambiguity – in fact, he rejoices
4 xxxxxxxxxx
with clear evidence of major 3rds (A) and even a chromatically approached
4 xxxxxxxxxx in it – and likes to combine ideas with both major and minor 3rds, along with
F7b7b9 arpeggio (F-A-Cb-Eb-Gb), before returning to an even keel with major and flattened 7ths, as illustrated.
Ex 7 Outside line over F Dorian vamp

œœ œœ œœ œœ nœ
œœ œ n œ œœ nn œœ œœ œœ n œ œœ œœ
Ex 7 Outside line over F Dorian vamp
Fm
©»¡¡º
©»¡¡º Slight swing 16ths
Fm
nn œœ bb œœ bb œœ
bb bb bb 44 ÓÓ JJ ⋲ JJ ⋲ œ nœ
Slight swing 16ths
4 xxxxxxxxxx
&
4 xxxxxxxxxx ŒŒ ⋲⋲
& 4  ⋲  ⋲
Ex 7 Outside line over F Dorian vamp

œœ 16œœ 13œœ nœ œ
Ex 7 Outside line over F Dorian vamp
œœ
œœ œ n œ 13œœ nn15œœ 16œœ 1313œœ n1717œ 1515œ 1313œœ
Fm
©»¡¡º
©»¡¡º Slight swing 16ths
Fm
nn17œœ bb14œœ bb16œœ
JJ ⋲ 13 1313œ n1414œ 13 15 16
E 13 15

bb bb bb 444 ÓÓ
Slight swing 16ths
JJ ⋲ 17 14
E
B 13 16 13 15 13
B
G

& ŒŒ ⋲⋲ 16

& 4
G
D
A
D
A
E
 ⋲  ⋲
E 1
1

E
E
bb œœ œœ nn œœ œœ nn ¡¡œœ bb œœ™™ ™™œ 1313n œ££ 1616¢¢œ n1313¡¡œ ¡ b1515œ™ A b/G b
16 A b/G b 13
œ n œ n œ b œ b
13

œ
13
17
17
15
15
13
13
œ n œ ¡œ b œ™ œ œ œ n œ œ
B 17 14 13 15 16
b œ n œ œ œ œ œœ œœ ⋲ bb œœ ⋲ œœ ⋲⋲ n œ ⋲ JJ ‰
17 14 16 13 13 15
n œ b
16
œ bœ œ nœ bœ Œ n œ b œ
B
G 13 14
bb
& b bb
G 13 14
&
D

⋲ JJ n œ ⋲ ‰ Œ
D
A
A
E
E 1
⋲
1
3 3 3 3 6
6
3 3 3 3

bb14œœ 1313œœ nn1212œœ 14œœ nn1010¡¡œœ bb1111œœ™™ ™™11œ n12œ££ ¢¢œ n10¡¡œ ¡¡ b œ™™ A bb/G bb
œœ nn œœ nn1010œœ bb œœ99 b œ œ n œ b œ
œ n œ œ n10œ 10œœ b11œ œ 10œœ œ œ b œ œ
E A /G
E
B
b
b
bb bb œ œ 12 J
12
⋲⋲ b1111œ ⋲⋲ 1010œJ ⋲⋲ nn œœ99 ⋲⋲ J ‰‰ b1111œ 1010œ n œ99 b œ88 Œ
& œ Œ
B
G 14 14 11 12 13

& 10 11 12 10 10
G
D 13 12
A
D
A
E
E 3
12 10 12
J 6
3 3 3 3 3 6
3 3 3 3

Ex 8 Outside triplet phrase over dominant swing groove

E
Ex 8 Outside
Example 8 Outside 13phrase
triplet 12 over
triplet10 11
dominant
phrase swing dominant
over groove swing groove cd track 87
E
14 13 12 14 10 11 11 12 10
b 9 flattened 12 10 9
B
Swing
©»¡§º
B 14 14 11 12 10 12 10 9

œœ bb œœ œœ œœ nn œœ œœ
Holdsworth’s love of mixing majorE13 b 9 10 11 10 11 10 and
9 8
G

nn œœ bb œœ nœ bœ
Having mentioned Swing and 10 11 3rds and Ab respective), alluding to Lydian b7 (R-2-3-#4-5-6-b7)
11 10 9 Mixolydian
©»¡§º
G 13 12 10 10 12 8
˙˙ œœ
D E 11 10 9
b ‰‰ n œJJ b œ
bb b 44
b
D
and 12
A 7ths, in this instance we’re dealing with a static Eb dominant 9th tonality.10 12mode11 10
(R-2-3-4-5-6-b7),9although Allan has both his own symbols and his own

b b ŒŒ ÓÓ
A

&
E

b
We
E begin with a motif that utilises both raised (#) and natural 4th degrees (A
∑∑ descriptive nomenclature for these scales.
& 4
3
3

3 3
Ex 8 Outside triplet phrase over dominant swing groove 3 3
Ex 8 Outside triplet phrase over dominant swing groove
Swing bb
©»¡§º
œœ66 bb œœ77 œœ6 œœ66 nn1010œœ œœ88
Swing
©»¡§º
E 9
E 9
nn œœ bb œœ ˙˙66 n10œ b œ9 œœ66
‰‰ n10œJJ b œ9
E 6
B
E

b b
b b 4
10 9
ŒŒ ÓÓ
& b bb 444
B
G
D
G
D
A & b ∑∑ 10 9

A
E
E 1 3 3
1
3 3

6
~~~~
E

bœ ~~~~~
E 6

bb bb bb bb nn œœ b œ œœ œœ œœ œœ bb œœ œœ bb œœ œœ œœ nn œœ
10 9 6 10 9 6 6 7 6 10
~~~~
B

~~~~~
B
G 10 9 6 10 9 6 6 7 6 10 8

˙˙ œœ œ œ œ
G 8
&
D

œœ
D

& œ œ œ
A

˙˙ ..
A
E
E 1
1 3 3
3 3 3 3
3
~~~~ ~~~~~
3

~~~~
~~~~ ~~~~~
~~~~~
bœ ~~~~
bb bb bb bb nn œœ77 b œ œœ77 1010œœ œœ88 œœ77 bb1111œœ 1010œœ bb œœ99 œœ88 œœ88 nn œœ77 ~~~~~
E
B
E 7

& ˙˙66 œœ œ8 10œœ œ6

B
G 7
D
G
D
A
A
E
& œ8 10 œ6 œœ88 ˙˙66 ..
E 5 3 3
5 3 3 3 3
3 3

E
~~~~
~~~~ ~~~~~
~~~~~
E
B 7
B
G 7 7 7 10 8 7 8
G
D 7 7 10 8 7 11 10 9 8 8 7 6
D
A 11 10 9 8 7 6 8 10 6 8
A
E 8 10 6 8 6
E 5
5
6

86 December 2015
ON THE CD TRACKs 73-90 ALLAN HOLDSWORTH learning zone

Example 9 straight 16ths over a swing groove cd track 89

Another Eb9 chord backing but this time some snakey 16th-note action on the top two strings (bars 4-5 especially). With harmonically varied playing like this, see
what ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ notes tie in with the Eb9 chord. Most interesting!
5
5

Ex 9 Straight 16ths over swing groove

Ex 9 Straight 16ths over swing groove
b
E 9
b
~~
Swing
©»¡§º
E 9

œœ œœ~~ ˙ ~~~
√
œ ~~~
Swing
£ ™ ¡ £ ™ ¡
bb ©»¡§º ˙ ~~~ ‰ œœJ œ œ ˙~~~ ‰ œ œ ¡œœ £œ n ™œ b œ¡ £ n ™œ b œ¡
√ ¡
b b
b b 44 ‰‰ JJ œ nœ bœ œ nœ bœ œœ bb œœ œ n œ œ
&
&b b 4
∑∑ ‰ J œ ˙ ‰ œ œ œ œ nœ œ
~~
Straight 16ths

~~ ~~~ ~~~
~~~
Straight 16ths
E 16 18 15 ~~~ 15 16 11 13 12 11 12 11
B
E 16 18 15 15 16 13 11 13 11 13 12 11 13 12 11 13 12 11 10 11
G
B 13 11 13 13 13 12 11 10 11
D
G
A
D
E
A
E 1
1

((√
√)) ¡ ¢ ¡
b
bb b b bb nn œœ n œ¡ ¢œœ œ¡ # œ œ ## œœ œ n œ œœ nn œœ œ # œ œ nn œœ œœ œœ ŒŒ ÓÓ
& œœ œœ .. œœ œ œ
& b n œ œ # œ œ œ n œ ¡ ™œ # œ ™œ ¡ ¢
¡ ¡ œ œ
¡ ™ ¡ ™ ¡ ¢ ¡

E 10 9 8 7 10 6
B
E 10 10 13 10 9 10 9 9 8 11 8 8 7 8 7 10 6 6 9 8 6
G
B 10 13 10 9 10 9 8 11 8 7 8 6 9 8 6 8
D
G 8
A
D
E
A
E 5
5

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December 2015 87