Allan Holdsworth, Marshall Harrison, Brett Garsed and Greg Howe.

[Excalibur]

What do all these amazing players have in common?

Their amazing legato technique, the thing is they totally omit pull offs from their playing (Well, maybe not Greg, but he doesn't pull off that often.)

Having dabbled in this way of technique, after seeing Holdsworth do it, I must say that I far prefer it to the bog standard H.O and P.O way of playing legato lines.

I was wondering what people's thoughts on this technique and these 4 players who utilize it are, and if anyone on SS.org has dabbled in it? (I know a certain member has .)



^ Some food for thought, for people who don't find my random musings amusing

 

[jamesboyd]

Cheers for the link, awesome stuff!!
I've always been a fan of both marshall's lessons

 

[S-O]

I think I use this style more than the "metal" legato or what ever he called it.

I dig it more because guys like you mentioned, along with Derek Taylor and Derryl Gabel are who I draw legato influence from.

Though, I do use pull offs, but they don't come out stacato liek he showed. I guess it is more of a light lifting, I think I remember Brett Garsed talking of this in his REH vid.

 

[Scarpie]

WHY DO I BOTHER?!!!!

 

[ShadyDavey]

I can hear the difference but I think that in a Fusion setting strictly using hammer-ons is more fitting to the overall feel, whereas the "snap" of adding pull-offs can suit more agressive rock lines.

I was working on it when I used to play, and used each according to the feel I wanted - its nice to have the ability to vary the dynamics of your lines

 

[progmetaldan]

Holdsworth, Garsed, Howe, what do they have in common?

3 of my all time fave players, that's what.

 

[distressed_romeo]

I can hear the difference but I think that in a Fusion setting strictly using hammer-ons is more fitting to the overall feel, whereas the "snap" of adding pull-offs can suit more agressive rock lines.

I was working on it when I used to play, and used each according to the feel I wanted - its nice to have the ability to vary the dynamics of your lines :

Same here. I used to use a more 'normal' legato approach, but nowadays I switch between all-hammers for long flowing lines (especially four-note-per-string stuff, as even if you set aside the tonal issue, using pull-offs isn't exactly the best way to manage those big stretches if you have fairly normal-sized hands) and hammers-and-pulls for blues/rock licks or Lane/Gilbert ideas where you blend picked and slurred notes.

Incidentally, I'm pretty sure Greg uses the conventional hammers-and-pulls approach, having watched a ton of videos of him over the years, it's just he tends to incoporate tapped and plucked notes with the middle finger a lot, and uses a more linear approach to the fretboard than most players, so his playing sounds a lot smoother than normal.

...And Derek Taylor and Derryl Gabel do indeed = for legato playing. I think I'll listen to the Eniac Requiem album on my way to have breakfast with my dad now you mention them.

 

[SomethingWild]

Yep, I have lately started to work whit this "real" legato playing style. I also use the normal style, because sometimes I need like more aggressive sounding
licks.

 

[ShadyDavey]

What happened to Derek Taylor anyway? I haven't seen anything from him for ages....and yeah, I think Mr Howe's legato is far more angular so you don't hear that typical pull-off "meow" as he's crossing strings a lot and incorportating tapping into a lot of his lines.

Incidentally, a lot of that "Hammer-on from nowhere" approach he uses is quite insane

(I Know a lot of other players use it, but his is particularly well developed imo).

 

[Excalibur]

Greg Howe actually got me really interested in the adding tapped notes to legato lines approach, but the guy who piqued my interest in it was the most unlikely guy.

Guess, and win rep

 

[ShadyDavey]

No chance of a clue ?

I know that guys have been doing it for a long while so if it was one of the earlier generation of rock titans then it could have been Yngwie, Joe or Steve I guess...but you said unlikely...hrrm....

Can I call a friend?

 

[Excalibur]

Maybe, but i'm not sure that'd help, so I'll give a clue.
He's one of two guitarists out of a pioneering Prog band

 

[distressed_romeo]

What happened to Derek Taylor anyway? I haven't seen anything from him for ages....and yeah, I think Mr Howe's legato is far more angular so you don't hear that typical pull-off "meow" as he's crossing strings a lot and incorportating tapping into a lot of his lines.

Incidentally, a lot of that "Hammer-on from nowhere" approach he uses is quite insane

(I Know a lot of other players use it, but his is particularly well developed imo).

Derek's given up playinin bands and is devoting all his time to production work.

 

[distressed_romeo]

Maybe, but i'm not sure that'd help, so I'll give a clue.
He's one of two guitarists out of a pioneering Prog band

Ollie Halsall?

EDIT: Steve Hackett?

 

[ShadyDavey]

Ollie Halsall?

EDIT: Steve Hackett?

Never heard of Ollie Halsall but Steve Hackett would be a good guess (allegedly the man EVH developed his tapping from after all!!)

 

[distressed_romeo]

Never heard of Ollie Halsall but Steve Hackett would be a good guess (allegedly the man EVH developed his tapping from after all!!)

Ollie played in Tempest, which also featured Allan Holdsworth at one stage. He developed the legato approach at about the same time Allan was (something Allan himself has mentioned in interviews), but died of a drug overdose before he could really make his mark.

 

[Excalibur]

Jim Matheos

But Steve would've been a good guess, but I don't really count Mike Rutherford as a second guitarist

 

[distressed_romeo]

Jim Matheos

Ah, dammit! I was about to ask if you meant earlier or later prog (I was going to suggest the Sikth guys next!)...

 

[ShadyDavey]

Good old Fate's Warning

 

[Excalibur]

Ah, dammit! I was about to ask if you meant earlier or later prog (I was going to suggest the Sikth guys next!)...

Well, if I said Prog Metal pioneers, that would've been TOO easy
I remember about 4 years ago, before I even started playing guitar (Geez, I sound like Joey Dahlia now.) I heard it in a certain song, which is this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP30AvBueyo < starts at about 0:59-ish.