Monster Licks-Speed Picking, Frank Gambale

Rating:
Summary: Another Master Teacher
Review: Frank Gambale is not only an excellent teacher but is also a touring and playing musician. His style of teaching is precise, balanced, and very thorough. When I first started using this of course it was slow going, but just as he taught, it became natural and effortless once I caught on. It is full of gems of new ideas and arenas I had never known existed in the world of guitar playing. It stretched my knowledge and playing ability to a new level I had not even considered before. It doesn't matter what style guitar you play this will be an additon into your minds encyclopedia of guitar knowledge.

Rating:
Summary: why didn't he teach me this in the first place?!
Review: maybe I'm jumping the gun, but the way Frank speed picks scales is messing up my tried & true alternate picking (that I learned from his Chopbuilder video!). There is a disclaimer in the booklet saying "there is a slight trade off" by using his technique.

Instead of constantly alternate picking scales, he also uses small, 2-string "sweeps" to get to each next string. Maybe this will be benificial in the long run, but right now this technique is messing me up when I play some of the alternate picking licks I already know. I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel that assures me the time spent learning all this new stuff is going to make what I already know much faster.

however, the arpegios section, in which he sweeps several strings at a time, are good. I know because I had already mastered some similar "sweeps" prior to buying this DVD and they integrated seamlessly with my alternate picking.

The lessons are well constructed/taught and the video is very professionally edited.

I suppose the jury is still out...I can always edit this review, so I'll get back to you.