"I went to see John Scofield when he was playing at Musicians Institute in California about five or six years ago. Gary Willis was playing bass with him and it was beautiful and incredible. Then I went home and wrote this piece of music called 'Above and Below,' which took me a few days to complete. And that was a direct result of hearing him play, although it sounds nothing like how he plays." A Conversation With Allan Holdsworth (Abstract Logix 2005)
I definitely get a very bittersweet feeling/sentiment when listening to this song; like thinking of a dead loved one. The middle weird chord change part has this sort of spiraling depression/losing sanity feel to it then a resolve back to peace near the end.
amazing video. thank you so much. So far this is the holdsworth song that is most within my reach to do a half decent job of. Helping me keep sane in lockdown too.
Thank you! Its tough because im really going off the top of my head. Sometimes i have to keep notes on some weirder chords so i dont mess it up. But all the weird chord names always make me slip up and I get all bummed out when editing haha. As long as I dont mess up the chords or anything major ill be ok lol.
Thank you so much for these lessons. As someone who barely knows any theory, I can now play one of my favorite Holdsworth tunes. You are a GOD among men.
I also have a question, do you have any idea what that noise is at the end of the studio recording of this song or how he does it??? The one that sounds like a PS2 boot up noise. Lol
Why thank you! :) Its tough because the brilliance of Allans chords is they can be pretty interpretive since they don't follow a traditional structure. So you can get a lot more mileage with them using the same chords in different ways.
Thanks for the lesson on this song, it's so good and my personal favorite along with the reprise version. I feel like this version gives off such a calm feeling it's incredible. I'm currently learning this on piano and guitar and I hope you make a video on the other version soon. All your content is great, thank you very much.
Me again, 4 years later. 😆 I've done the usual thing and bitten off more than I can chew, transcribing this to Chapman stick (baritone tuning). I can't thank you enough for making Allan's music clear and for making it possible for me to understand it's chord construction. This is all happening after another "Allan week", the same week shared each year, of the anniversary of his passing. I know many of my friends had the same experience. Lotsa luv and hearty spiritual regards, Stickrad 🎶
Great tutorial, many thanks! Would you mind giving a pointer to how you got that particular sound? May be you already have a video on this. I would be most grateful thanks.
Thank you so much! Honestly I can't remember for this particular video as I use a couple of different things. In some videos I use the Yamaha Magic Stomp that Allan endorsed, using his Chorus and Delay settings. Other times I'm using a Kemper modeling amp that has some reverb delay on it.
Love your videos. I wonder though why people spend so much time identifying what Allan played rather that how he played. I mean you could say this song is easy compared to others on how large and difficult the stretches are, but what about actually playing it. The dynamics, the sustain and selection of all the interstitial melodies/harmonies.I love how he comps during bass solos, reharmonizing the main parts of the tunes. Actually learning to play his tunes with conviction is another thing altogether and something you rarely see/hear in solo settings. There's a video somewhere of a guy playing Above and Below on a nylon string. Really lovely. Just something to think about.
Thank you! This is true but its really tough because I cant convey how someone else is gonna feel it or interpret it. I can say 'he plays this voicing here' cuz its factual. Whether you choose to play that voicing or change it is up to the person playing it. And if they do, i want to at least give them an accurate base to start on. Also to possibly find some nice new chords and voicings.
@@TurrigenousOfficialThanks for the reply. I just meant playing of the tunes. The number of people doing covers of famous guitarists is endless. I see very few of Allan's tunes played as compositions to try on their own. As a course of study, just to have someone play through one his tunes is original. Giving life to all those easy or hard chord shapes. The point was how hard the tunes are to play- learning them at speed - has more to do with putting it all together than the physical difficulty of the chords. Someday someone will do interpretations of his songs for guitar and we'll get to really see and hear the compositions for how great they are.
Thank you so much! I have done all Mr. Berwell but its very tricky because its a little guitar, and mostly synthaxe. The synthaxe part sounds right to me, but im not 100% confident in it. The opening chords I do have. Im unsure if I should do a video on just the intro alone though.
This one is funny, where Allan compares Yngwie Malmsteen with John Scofield! "A couple of years ago, I went to see Yngwie in concert. One of my friends is a huge fan, as am I. Sometimes I’m not overly fond of that music, but at the same time his playing was undeniably great. His talent is undeniable. You don’t even have to like it to know that it’s good. That guy can really play the guitar. I don’t have a problem with styles of music at all." "I’m a huge John Scofield fan also. He’s like the other end of the spectrum with his music. It’s all about the harmony, which is almost more important. The chops are one thing, but playing really cool notes is another game entirely." (Sound Waves 2012)
"I went to see John Scofield when he was playing at Musicians Institute in California about five or six years ago. Gary Willis was playing bass with him and it was beautiful and incredible. Then I went home and wrote this piece of music called 'Above and Below,' which took me a few days to complete. And that was a direct result of hearing him play, although it sounds nothing like how he plays." A Conversation With Allan Holdsworth (Abstract Logix 2005)
I definitely get a very bittersweet feeling/sentiment when listening to this song; like thinking of a dead loved one. The middle weird chord change part has this sort of spiraling depression/losing sanity feel to it then a resolve back to peace near the end.
Thanks brother so much for this. God bless you for teaching us a song from the heavens
Thank you for that it is my favorite Allan piece as well. Such a deep mood .......
My pleasure. Thanks for watching!
amazing video. thank you so much. So far this is the holdsworth song that is most within my reach to do a half decent job of.
Helping me keep sane in lockdown too.
Great to hear. Thanks and keep at it!
Thanks heaps bruv! I think your language in describing this stuff, has gotten even better. It's a big help.
Thank you! Its tough because im really going off the top of my head. Sometimes i have to keep notes on some weirder chords so i dont mess it up. But all the weird chord names always make me slip up and I get all bummed out when editing haha. As long as I dont mess up the chords or anything major ill be ok lol.
Thank you so much for these lessons. As someone who barely knows any theory, I can now play one of my favorite Holdsworth tunes. You are a GOD among men.
Let's not get silly now haha but I'm thrilled I could help!
I also have a question, do you have any idea what that noise is at the end of the studio recording of this song or how he does it??? The one that sounds like a PS2 boot up noise. Lol
This has been very helpful. Awesome man!
Great!! Thanks for watching 😁
Thanks a million for this excellent tutorial. For what it is worth, I think you are spot on withe chord naming. Brilliant!
Why thank you! :) Its tough because the brilliance of Allans chords is they can be pretty interpretive since they don't follow a traditional structure. So you can get a lot more mileage with them using the same chords in different ways.
Thanks for the lesson on this song, it's so good and my personal favorite along with the reprise version. I feel like this version gives off such a calm feeling it's incredible. I'm currently learning this on piano and guitar and I hope you make a video on the other version soon. All your content is great, thank you very much.
Thanks so much! It's one of my favs to play still so I hope it is too for you 🙂
Bro this channel is a blessing
Thank you!
Me again, 4 years later. 😆
I've done the usual thing and bitten off more than I can chew, transcribing this to Chapman stick (baritone tuning). I can't thank you enough for making Allan's music clear and for making it possible for me to understand it's chord construction.
This is all happening after another "Allan week", the same week shared each year, of the anniversary of his passing.
I know many of my friends had the same experience.
Lotsa luv and hearty spiritual regards,
Stickrad 🎶
Glad I could help! Thank you 😆
@@TurrigenousOfficial 🎯💙
Thanks a lot for your hard work! It's great help... Greetings from Barcelona!
Always appreciated. Thanks for watching!
Man you're awesome! Really thanks!
Thanks!
Muchas gracias amigo!! Es realmente hermoso poder aprender esta pieza tan profunda de Allan :) Saludos desde Stgo, Chile
Great lesson!!
Thank you!
thank u so much, wish u all the best ❤️
Thanks for doing these.
Thank you for watchin.
As above so below....great lesson
Thanks!
Great tutorial, many thanks! Would you mind giving a pointer to how you got that particular sound? May be you already have a video on this. I would be most grateful thanks.
Thank you so much! Honestly I can't remember for this particular video as I use a couple of different things. In some videos I use the Yamaha Magic Stomp that Allan endorsed, using his Chorus and Delay settings. Other times I'm using a Kemper modeling amp that has some reverb delay on it.
Death Metal has got nothing on the half-time breakdown midway through this track
Nice job! Subscribed. :)
Love your videos.
I wonder though why people spend so much time identifying what Allan played rather that how he played. I mean you could say this song is easy compared to others on how large and difficult the stretches are, but what about actually playing it. The dynamics, the sustain and selection of all the interstitial melodies/harmonies.I love how he comps during bass solos, reharmonizing the main parts of the tunes. Actually learning to play his tunes with conviction is another thing altogether and something you rarely see/hear in solo settings. There's a video somewhere of a guy playing Above and Below on a nylon string.
Really lovely. Just something to think about.
Thank you! This is true but its really tough because I cant convey how someone else is gonna feel it or interpret it. I can say 'he plays this voicing here' cuz its factual. Whether you choose to play that voicing or change it is up to the person playing it. And if they do, i want to at least give them an accurate base to start on. Also to possibly find some nice new chords and voicings.
@@TurrigenousOfficialThanks for the reply. I just meant playing of the tunes. The number of people doing covers of famous guitarists is endless. I see very few of Allan's tunes played as compositions to try on their own. As a course of study, just to have someone play through one his tunes is original. Giving life to all those easy or hard chord shapes. The point was how hard the tunes are to play- learning them at speed - has more to do with putting it all together than the physical difficulty of the chords. Someday someone will do interpretations of his songs for guitar and we'll get to really see and hear the compositions for how great they are.
@@BlackRail33 Ah I get what you're saying now. Also no need to thank me, im no celebrity haha. Thank YOU for watching.
Really awesome breakdown thanks for this great video, keep it up!. Any chance you can do a lesson on Mr.Berwell?
Thank you so much! I have done all Mr. Berwell but its very tricky because its a little guitar, and mostly synthaxe. The synthaxe part sounds right to me, but im not 100% confident in it. The opening chords I do have. Im unsure if I should do a video on just the intro alone though.
This one is funny, where Allan compares Yngwie Malmsteen with John Scofield!
"A couple of years ago, I went to see Yngwie in concert. One of my friends is a huge fan, as am I. Sometimes I’m not overly fond of that music, but at the same time his playing was undeniably great. His talent is undeniable. You don’t even have to like it to know that it’s good. That guy can really play the guitar. I don’t have a problem with styles of music at all."
"I’m a huge John Scofield fan also. He’s like the other end of the spectrum with his music. It’s all about the harmony, which is almost more important. The chops are one thing, but playing really cool notes is another game entirely." (Sound Waves 2012)
Hahah well I dunno about compares but saying theyre on the same level but on different ends. Didnt know this quote tho! :P
@@eduardosci1909 Thank you for watching! Ill have a new one up in a few days.
Thanks!!!!!!
Thank you for watching!
Hi John, love this vid. Do you sell a PDF version of your book Secrets: The Chords of Allan Holdsworth?
I do! It's pdf only actually. Link should be in the description to my ejunkie site
@@TurrigenousOfficial thanks again!!
@nicdoak Thank YOU
16:25 Nice 😎😎
Hah
So I had to say something about the picture of Allan playing a couple of red knob twins. Where did you find this? Priceless 🤣
I dont remember haha. Sometimes choosing a pic is really hard so I did a lot of searching and found this. Didnt think ive seen it before
Thanks!
Now I have tendinitis
Haha thanks! Sorry about that
'Relatively Simple'
☹
I'm sorry