Allan Holdsworth Leads sound so liquid, right?

Cem said:
Hi guys,

First of all, this is not about technique. Let's just skip it if you are going to write tone is in the fingers. This is just about a spesific sound (Assuming that technique part of the deal is already in place to an acceptable degree.)

I need some tips about that liquid and dense without any edge type of leads. For example in the track "City Lights". Anyone with some experience of trying to sound like Allan before? I would appreciate some tips on which amps/cabs to go for especially.

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Dude I love Allan Holdsworth. I studied him for years and I killed my fingers trying to play like him. In the Netherlands is a guitarist and fractal artist (Richard Hallebeek) who can play like AH. Thibault de Robillard (aka ‘Fremen’) did a Fractal Audio package in collaboration with him. It is fantastic and helps a lot to sound like Allan. Maybe this will help you. Here's the link: https://www.richardhallebeek.com/
and https://www.richardhallebeek.com/release/fractal-audio-presets-pack/

Cheers Frank
 
I'm going to shit all over your thread anyway. The best Holdsworthian tone I've come up with is in the solo midway in the following song. Unfortunately, I did not take mono compatibility into account when recording it, and the ambience is too pronounced in mono.



If this is in the neighborhood of what you are looking for, I can make some suggestions not related to technique. But if Alan had played with this tone, it would sound like him, even though it does not when I do.
 
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Cem, I respect your quest here. As you point out, most of the players we all admire devoted significant time to choosing, refining, customizing, etc. their gear. Our heroes may always sound great to us, but clearly THEY are not always happy with the tones they're getting, and for many of them it seems to be a never-ending quest, or at least progression/evolution.

Cheers!
 
Cem said:
Amp has a big effect on tone. Do I need to state that obvious fact? If not why are we playing fractal audio but not Boss gt-8s, right?
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Because we’re spoiled. I think I could do a gig with a mic’d Yamaha THR5 and nobody in the audience would complain about my tone in the mix.

But, as guitar players, we like tone: I feel I play better when I have a glorious tone, and Fractal Audio Systems makes the best modeling devices on this planet, that why we choose it over the competitors.

That said, I understand your point about getting info on Allan’s gear and face the technique thing alone, but keep in mind that fingers makes (let’s say) 50% of the tone?

When I play through my band other guitar player’s gear, it all sounds so different and viceversa. And in the equation the only thing that changes is fingers.


(Disclaimer: I’m not bashing Yamaha THR5, I have one and I think it sounds great)
 
I don't think anyone thought you were a novice, considering the amount of treasure and wisdom you've invested in your rig, it's just that holdsworth is highly specific. Many people shred competently for years before they decide to emulate someone like him. He's all about juggling the sweet spots of the amp, the pedal, and the volume and tone knob on the guit

I can bring that saxaphone-ish bloom he does out when I use the edge of my fingers or thumb, and roll back to the perfect spot on the tone knob. You pick a drive with fat mids, boost them and turn the gain up just a hair past what you think you need, set the amp to go AC/DC (without the pedal) if you really thwacked the strings. Then ease back the gain/master on the amp so that you're hearing mostly pedal, and then starve it all by rolling back on volume and playing with a really light (and impossibly even) pick attack. Ease back on sources of treble until all the velcro rip and sizzle is gone as well, but I bet there is more accumulated gain here than people expect
 
steadystate said:
I'm going to shit all over your thread anyway. The best Holdsworthian tone I've come up with is in the solo midway in the following song. Unfortunately, I did not take mono compatibility into account when recording it, and the ambience is too pronounced in mono.



If this is in the neighborhood of what you are looking for, I can make some suggestions not related to technique. But if Alan had played with this tone, it would sound like him, even though it does not when I do.
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Not to be off topic, but I love this track. Very catchy little tune. Great job steadystate :cool:!
 
FSM said:
Dude I love Allan Holdsworth. I studied him for years and I killed my fingers trying to play like him. In the Netherlands is a guitarist and fractal artist (Richard Hallebeek) who can play like AH. Thibault de Robillard (aka ‘Fremen’) did a Fractal Audio package in collaboration with him. It is fantastic and helps a lot to sound like Allan. Maybe this will help you. Here's the link: https://www.richardhallebeek.com/
and https://www.richardhallebeek.com/release/fractal-audio-presets-pack/

Cheers Frank
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Are these presets designed for the Axe fx II or III? And which FW?
 
I've played through the SAME gear using AH's own presets and it dose NOT SOUND THE SAME.
I can sound a lot closer with other equipment. I've never come across any AXE patch made by anyone that sounds even close.
IF you can mimic the playing style the rocket AH pedal and a magic stomp can get you as close as you are going to get.
 
steadystate said:
I'm going to shit all over your thread anyway. The best Holdsworthian tone I've come up with is in the solo midway in the following song. Unfortunately, I did not take mono compatibility into account when recording it, and the ambience is too pronounced in mono.



If this is in the neighborhood of what you are looking for, I can make some suggestions not related to technique. But if Alan had played with this tone, it would sound like him, even though it does not when I do.
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I'm a 80's metal and classic rock guy, but man, that was bad ass! It's inspiring me to seek out different genres.
 
Andy Eagle said:





Same pedal .
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Have some of you tested this pedal? What is so special about it compared to other distortion pedals that it gives you a Holdsworth tone?
I really wonder. Sounds like any other distortion (with EQ) to me. The pedal sounds good but what does it do that gives a signature Holdsworth sound?
 
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Bodde said:
Have some of you tested this pedal? What is so special about it compared to other distortion pedals that it gives you a Holdsworth tone?
I really wonder. Sounds like any other distortion (with EQ) to me. The pedal sounds good but what does it do that gives a signature Holdsworth sound?
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I'm a big fan of Burgs, he always sounds great, super musical.

But him on that pedal sounds nothing like Holdsworth, which I thought was the point of the post with him then Holdsworth himself on the same pedal. Allan sounds great, and unmistakably like Allan. Burgs does not.

EDIT: Burgs sounds great here, but not like Holdsworth. Gotta be more careful with the Words...
 
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I agree with the posters who say Allan had a lot of tones, his tone varies greatly from album to album and in live situations too. For me when I want to approximate it I use a Mesa amp, most recently the JP IIC+, and just absolutely crank the input gain and push the mids, then play with the output EQ till it sounds good to me. Play with as light of touch as possible and use a lot of legato.
 
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