Richard Hallebeek: It's ALL in the FINGERS:

In this episode, I sit down with Richard Hallebeek - 8-time winner of Best Fusion Jazz Guitarist in the Netherlands and a guitarist who's played alongside legends like Allan Holdsworth, Shawn Lane, Scott Henderson, and Frank Gambale. Richard shares his journey from discovering guitar at age 10 watching Talking Heads on TV, to becoming the youngest student ever admitted to the Amsterdam Conservatory at 17, to studying at GIT in Los Angeles during the golden era of fusion guitar. We dive into:
His morning guitar ritual and the never-ending tone quest
Transcribing 300 Wes Montgomery solos to find his voice
The reality check he got when moving from Holland to LA
Unforgettable stories about Shawn Lane (including the legendary recording session where Shawn fell asleep, then nailed it in one take)
His long friendship with Allan Holdsworth and what he learned from his stubbornness
The philosophy of "feel over flash" and why he prioritizes story over speed
How guitar practice is meditation and the importance of surrendering to the moment
Whether you're a guitarist looking to develop your voice, a musician struggling with the balance between technique and feel, or just a fan of fusion guitar history - this conversation is packed with wisdom and incredible stories. If you want to know what Richard is all about: his new single "Looping Forward" is out now!
 • Looping Forward (feat. Matthijs Geerts, Ri...
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:07 Morning coffee & guitar ritual
2:38 The never-ending tone quest
3:49 First time touching guitar
4:33 Parents' smart decision: take lessons
6:33 12 years old learning jazz
8:09 School library: Pat Metheny & John McLaughlin
10:22 Decision to go professional
11:12 Conservatory in Hilversum
12:14 Teachers: Wim Overgauw's approach
13:12 What makes a great teacher
14:32 Youngest student ever admitted at 17
16:01 Practice 8am until sleep
17:14 Finding your voice through transcription
18:14 Scholarship to GIT (Los Angeles)
18:58 Culture shock: landing in LA
20:01 Guitarist heaven: GIT experience
21:09 Reality check: I'm not the best
22:29 Finding direction: write your own music
23:00 Mark Varney record deal (that disappeared)
24:25 Meeting Shawn Lane
27:25 Shawn Lane's reflex-speed playing
28:13 Recording session: Sean falls asleep
31:22 Allan Holdsworth: the connection begins
32:18 Visiting Allan's house in Vista
33:45 Learning stubbornness from Holdsworth
34:55 Sicily guitar festival story
36:24 Allan Holdsworth doesn't like teaching
38:24 New music: experimenting with song forms
40:58 Jacob Collier & Louis Cole: having fun
42:19 Guitar as meditation
43:37 Head vs gut: the performance paradox
45:17 Surrender to the moment

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