John McLaughlin vs Allan Holdsworth

tszirmay wrote: Both are massive talents, John has a high Everest while Alan has the mountain range! Holdsworth for Gazeuse specifically as well as his Ponty work.

Couldn't have said it better myself

While john mclaughlin has been always changing his musical horizons; creating jazz rock with miles and , indian music with shakti and in his own with rock, taking flamenco fusion to a higher level and ewith the forth dimension mixing indian with new milenium jazz feel, allan has locked. Him self to his own great stile, without making any change, so you could say that allans biggestmistake is his lack of versatility

But the firts thing that makes them diferent is each one's technic, one plays only alternate pucking while the other only legato, to very diferent aproaches with each own posibilities

John for the explosive, edgy side of his playing.

John McLaughlin is amazing and groundbreaking but Allan Holdsworth is the most ridiculous guitar player that's ever lived. There is stuff he plays that no other guitarist can really touch, and I don't mean just from the fluidity of his technique, but also his note selection and use of harmony.

The one big problem for Holdsworth in terms of acceptance and recognition is his concept of harmony is so advanced that most people can't actually hear what he's doing, it goes over a lot of people's heads.

Allan invented a new way of playing an instrument, and eventually a new form of music.  The problem is, so did John   .

Insidious comparison.

I prefer McLaughlin's Indian-influenced bends and subdivisions.

Yep, close.  I'm giving it up for Allan, particularly since he's behind it the poll at the moment.

I'm not feeling Alan Holdsworth....and they blast Coryell for being too mechanical?  McLaughlin seems to much more versatile in his approach to the instrument.  He spent seven years studying Indian rhythms which take a lifetime to master.  I just got finished watching thirty Holdsworth videos from young to old.  He has great technique and nice moments but I'm not blown away.       

No contest: Realized potential over unrealized potential; emotion over cerebral; consummate team player over solo flash player; JM over AH