Does anybody know how and when they came up with the standard tunning? I think the why is obvious when you start with the Majorscale 2 Neck worksheet. I think it is pretty damn smart done how the tones are laid down across the neck. I'm doing this exercise and see all kind of patterns so silly that i never did it before to write down all the notes of the neck.

Grtz Ray

Holdsworth thinks all P4's makes the most sense...thats what he do now if he could go back then and start of with that
instead.

I see this name comming up here quit ofton but never heard of this person i will need to go on some investigation who this person is.
I'm sorry i never heard of him seems he is a important person.

He has a pretty strong understanding of the instrument...

Well Pebber, you and many others in htis world as well. I'm curious why is Holdsworth so important? I read a bit on wiki but there is not so very much written about him. Except that he is autodidact and like you say he understands the instrument damn well without the ability to sightreading.

Look him up on you tube and watch him play !! soon as you see those fingers move !! you'll know why :) its not that he's the most famous guy in the world. his dedication and knowledge of the guitar is pretty much unmatched. not to mention his skill. truly awesome !!! even if you don't like that type of music. enjoy ! ray your mouth is going to drop....

what got me into Holdsworth was "Devil take the Hindmost", other songs seemed too "out there" for me when I first found out about him

I enjoyed his playing immensely right when I heard him. It is just something that appeals on a different level. Sometimes music is like that. Some music is meant to be commercially viable and appeal to the most basic of human actions and some music may be "esoteric" just for the sake of being different. I find that Holdsworth writes music that is nothing like that. It is just pure music the way he sees it. And his songs or you could say his compositions are not just vehicles for soloing either. There is some kind of pureness and innocence in there that grabs you, it is as if he is communicating something that he can not express in words. To say that he is, like some do of anyone with superior technique, a cold technical player is to me the most absurd thing imaginable! If the world would lack musicians like Holdsworth it surely would be the death of the depth of feeling and richness in music it can depart! Well, I seem to wax eloquent, so it must be late...Yep it sure is here! Just try some Holdsworth when you can and hear for yourself, perhaps "you hear some hidden messages" of practice hard and play a lot! I think many people hear that in his music!