In Allan Holdsworth type teaching sessions, improvising techniques used in fusion are very advanced and you have to understand rock, classical and jazz theory.

 

 

John is a musician who specializes in improvisation and soloing techniques and that's why he teaches fusion guitar with utmost detail and clear musical simplicity.

Holdsworth style learning sessions are designed for the students with imagination and flexible hands, especially if they really want to follow his repertoire.

 

One of the interesting aspects to music is the mathematical method used to mentally map the fretboard and produce note flourishes of strange melodic content – an absolute exception in the guitar world. He describes it as dancing on all the notes of a scale.

Allan Holdsworth technique is challenging for all musicians, and that is probably why it is so popular. His music has been criticised for being hard to listen to. That is because he only claims to be a jazz musician and it is true that, as a composer his material leaves alot to be desired. It's definitely not sexy music but it is highly experimental and musical prowess reigns rather than communication of emotion.

 

 

If you were able to master that type of material, you could benefit harmonically and technically then move to a different style and come back to Allan's technique when you were more musically experienced.

 

 

All in all, this style of material is another feather in the cap for a pro contemporary guitarist, as Holdsworth has taken his place among the greats in axeman history.