PRESENCE - Volume 20
Inspiration For Guitarists
Lessons Learned from Sweep Picking (That Had Nothing to Do with Sweep Picking)
Back when I was in college, I saw a video of guitarist Frank Gambale doing one of his signature sweep/economy picking scale runs.
It absolutely blew my mind.
Not just the speed—but how relaxed and effortless he looked while flying across the fretboard.
Naturally, I thought: “I want to do that.”
So I committed. I took one of those flashy scale runs and practiced it for 20 minutes a day, every single day, for a few weeks. Not hours and hours. Just a focused 20 minutes.
And I learned how to sweep pick.
But here’s the kicker:
The two most important things I learned during that time had nothing to do with sweep picking.
1. Focused Daily Practice = Real Progress
Before that experience, my practice was scattered and inconsistent—and so was my progress.
But just 20 minutes a day of focused effort led to a real breakthrough. That simple habit completely changed how I approached learning guitar from that point on.
2. What You Practice Matters (a lot)
Here’s the thing: that flashy scale run?
It was cool. But... kinda useless to me.
On any given gig, maybe 2% of what I play is fast, flashy technique.
The other 98%?
It’s all about being melodic, creative, musical.
That realization hit me hard—and it’s shaped how I practice and how I teach ever since.
If you’re an intermediate (or even advanced) guitarist, it’s so easy to get distracted by advanced techniques or “cool tricks.”
But without a solid foundation, that stuff won’t stick—and it won’t really make your playing better.
That’s why I always guide my students to focus first on the 3 Essential Skills:
✅ The Number System – Know what chords are in a key
✅ The CAGED System – Know how to play those chords all over the neck
✅ The Landmark Pentatonic System – Know how to solo anywhere, in any key
Once you’ve got those down, then go chase the flash if you want. But if you’re still building your foundation, that’s the best place to put your time and attention.
Bottom line:
Don’t just practice hard—practice smart.
Your future guitar self will thank you for it.
Let me know—what’s something you practiced that ended up teaching you more than you expected?
Hit reply. I'd love to hear about it.
–Dustin