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Re: holdsworth(was garbarek 1984)



> In a message dated 4/16/98 9:53:49 PM, you wrote:
> 
> >>I have not seen the video but I do have teh book Just For the Curious.
> >>His phrasing is unique among guitarists (e.g. lots of perfect fourths)
> >>because he effortlessly uses fingerings that most guitarists would not
> >>consider "comfortable".  It's worth checking out for guitarists (and
> >>Stick players) who want to take their phrasing in a different 
>direction.
> 
> Forget not "comfortable", how about physically impossible?? I have seen 
>the

No, not physically impossible, unless you have unusually small hands or
unusually short fingers.  As mentioned earlier, I met Holdsworth briefly
at a guitar clinic in San Marcos and found his hands to be quite normal
in size.

> video tape for "Just for the Curious" and I could not believe the kinds 
>of
> fingerings he seemed to be reaching effortlessly....one in particular 
>was an
> extremely wide stretch with the index and pinky, and the middle and ring
> fingers jammed close together in the middle- I couldn't play it with two 
>hands
> and my nose.....

It's all just practice.  There's a jazz guitarist in the Pacific Northwest
(sorry forgot his name) who plays similarly close-voiced chords a lot.  He
recommends having a low action on your guitar and using the side of the
index finger instead of the pad for the most extreme stretches.  Keep in 
mind that Holdsworth will occasionally fret notes with the right hand.  
So basically, just lower your action, work your way up, etc.  Relax, of 
course. :)

Cheers,
 
Paolo Valladolid
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