A variety of grain fabrics are commonly observed in coarse-grained turbidites that form potential reservoir rocks. Observations of analogous volcanic and laboratory deposits are used here to infer the origin and character of clast alignments. It is proposed here that similar fabrics in high-density turbidites are analogous to those observed in experimental and pyroclastic deposits, and therefore they may be predicted from palaeocurrent interpretations, or conversely used to assess palaeocurrent directions.