Use a downstroke to land on the new string.
By treating adjacent string transitions as a single fluid motion, you effectively cut your picking effort in half, allowing for blistering speeds and fluid, horn-like legato phrases. Core Mechanics of Frank Gambale's Technique frank gambale speed picking pdf top
The goal is simple: if you are moving from a lower string to a higher string, you use a downstroke. If you have another note on that higher string, you continue the downward motion. This "sweep" or "rake" allows the pick to fall through the strings using gravity and momentum, rather than individual muscular bursts for every single note. 2. Breaking the "Alternate Picking" Habit Use a downstroke to land on the new string
Downloading the PDF is the easy part. Actually developing Gambale-level speed requires a strict protocol. Here is the "Top" methodology extracted from Gambale’s own masterclasses. If you have another note on that higher
What (Fusion, Metal, Jazz) are you trying to apply this to? What is your current comfort level with sweep picking?
The immediate advantage is that the amount of right-hand work is reduced by 1/3. It's a lot less effort to play the same number of notes, allowing for incredible speed and "flawless accuracy while being completely relaxed". This is the revolutionary idea at the heart of every Frank Gambale speed picking PDF top resource you may find. He even gives examples of how this technique applies to three-notes-per-string scale patterns, a staple for fast runs.
The fundamental principle of Frank Gambale's approach is . Unlike standard alternate picking (down-up-down-up), Gambale’s system dictates that whenever you cross to a new string, you should use a single continuous stroke in the direction of the move.