There is “No One” that’s the greatest. I went to Berklee with Al. He’s indeed a very talented player, not in the realm of John Mcloughlin though. I’m pretty sure that Al agrees. Al can not play rock... Either can I very well either. I can fake it. Yes, we both love rock, Al as well as myself heard something in fusion that drew us in. It was “ More”. There is so much more to the music than rock allows.
I'm a keyboard player who later learned guitar. I've been an astonished fan of DiMeola since the Romantic Warrior album came out in the 70s and I listened to it, over, and over, and over again. Before that time, the guitarist who most impressed me with speed was Alvin Lee. But Al does things I've not heard any other guitarist do. His combination of speed AND precision is unearthly. Sometimes it's terrifying. I love it.
Personally, I don't believe in there being any such thing as the greatest _____ in the world. There are too many amazing skills manifested in so many people in this world to ever categorize one person as the "best" at anything. However, Al is so damn fantastic that I can see why someone would try to label him that way :)
i always thought that he was a strict alternate picker except for cross picking for arpeggio type stuff. I slowed it down and saw all kinds of economy picking mixed in with his alternate picking.
I am (happily) lost in the UA-cam maze--listening to recordings of Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia, and John McLaughlin made over the past three decades. A treasury of virtuoso guitar.
Thanks for posting this video. A wealth of information. It's not only years and years of practice, but also inherent talent, understanding and dedication. What he has is the know-how, the skill, the musical ear and the inner beat. Not too many people have that inner beat. He fills those spaces between beats with different rhythms whether he's strumming or picking. Then when you add in his understanding of the fret-board, theory, scales, this is what you get. The best stuff!
For some idiots here: pls. note that Mr. Meola is NOT a flamenco guitar player. He never claimed that he was. Nor did de Lucia claim that he was a fusion player.
People are not idiots, just ignorant, but this is the way people work, they think they can say whatever they want, most of the times they should shut up and think, thinking is a lost art in this society, specially with american vs asians, we are a new civilization it will take time for people to develop to be thinkers and not stinkers
nice argument leading nowhere. he is mechanical mess with no rhythm no soul and choppy scales. but continue your blind worship of mediocre music. go ahead. i enjoy bad music too sometimes.
You know, a lot of the emphasis on Al's style and the interest that his technique generates is mostly in his single note picking, i.e. his improvising and speed and accuracy which is all well and good, but undeservingly so is the overlooking of his incredible strumming technique! A good example is @ min 2:50 - 2:60, but a true good look at his incredible strumming technique and how much variety he puts in it in such sort portions is @ 3:44 - 3:58 and again @ 4:23 - 4:36. His strumming is equally brilliant as his note-picking. Doesn't keep any fingers open, mostly a complete closed wrist with just the pick exposed which allows much more motion to the wrist. Truly brilliant and not emphasized enough IMO.
Agree! I've always wondered why his strumming is not fucused pretty much. Two or so years ago I transcribed a short part of this video note by note. I've chosen for a strumming part somewhere around 3:52 or so. Although I practiced the hell out of my wrist I did not reach his tempo and easyness. And I never will...
Fitzliputzli23 Funny you mention that because I did the very same thing and while I found I didn't get it exactly like he does, what happened to me is I sort of developed my own semi-Dimeola/bizarro/original strumming technique LOLOL which I'm actually quite happy with, for now, and I've been playing for 33 years ROFL! :D There are so many little variations that he does it's mind boggling and I might have 2, maybe 3 different techniques of his (the easy ones lol) incorporated into the bizarro technique I've developed but hey, at least it's somewhat original. Small piece of advice (if I may) - stick to it, don't give up and don't get frustrated and find your own morph of it. It sounds like you might already be there anyway. Cheers. :)
GoMiGman Thanks, GoMiGman!. Well, don't worry, I'm not the frustration type of guy. It's the other way round, and that's even more energy sucking: The harder a problem the more I want to solve it. But maybe you are right: I should see Al's technique as an inspiration to find a similar yet different strumming technique that fits my hands better.
luimacro - I think that album showcased more of Paco's Flamenco strumming and Al's solo work more than the other way around. Mediterranean Sundance and Fantasia Suite were really more about Al's older classics that really featured a different style than this later in his career Latin/Cuban strumming style that he does here. Still an all-time classic and unbeatable album.
I had a prejudice against pic playing for sooo long. I thought it was inherently limited, as one cannot strike two different strings at the same time. But listening to Al, it seems laughable to think that he's limited in his playing. His technical facility, his imagination, his inventiveness, his musicality, are mind-blowing. And inspirational.
jose rivera listen to pat metheny, strunz and farah, chieli minucci, ken Navarro...just a few others that are great musicians. If nylon string guitar is what you like, I'd definitely suggest strunz and Farah and ken navarro.
Learning to tap your foot in beat without it "going a hair one way or the other" as he mentioned, but particularly without letting your concentration on what you're playing influence that accurate beat is probably the single hardest thing to learn and develop while playing this instrument at a high level. My guess is it applies to most instruments as well. It takes A LOT of practice to master that concept.
So from the time he taps his foot on the ground, raises it and taps it back down again for that single beat...within that time and space is where that huge door of "possibilities for rhythm" opens up. So the need to develop your sense of time is probably the most important factor to his style of playing, or for any well versed guitarist/musician, for that matter.
i am playing for 12 years. i try to play sundace like him with half tempo. it feels like playing guitar for firstime. with half tempo i see his lines in the right way to get faster
In fact, your analysis shows that you are very comfortable being incorrect most of the time. Good for you. It's an excellent way to learn. I have been a pro musician for over 30 years and have developed the power of "in-depth thinking" as you term it to a heightened degree. I can access someone's comments and based on them make a general observation that is actually true. ie. If someone runs on ice he will fall.why would could non guitar players come to a video called Al's guitar tips?
a buddy of mine bumped into dimeola once in an airport in germany (might have been frankfurt) and ended up having a few beers with him, in between Al asking the service help if they recognized him/knew who he was as my buddy did so so should they, the two of them pounded back some more brews,,as it was time for my buddy to go, he gave Al his card with the intent to stay in contact if he (Al) was ever in the area, Al without asking took the card signed the back of it and handed it back to my buddy!! we still get a kick outta that story!! safe to say Al thinks pretty high about himself..
I remember back in 1986/87 going back stage to meet him when he was opening up with an acoustic medley for Chick Corea at the Boston Commons and he was sitting at a table with his wife and another couple and they were laughing it up and he got up and shook my hand and offered me a seat and I talked to him for about 15 minutes and asked him a bunch of Q's and when I got up to leave he said "very nice meeting you" and he was very courteous. I bet if I offered him my card he would've signed it and gave it back! :)
When he talks about "your sense of time", he's not kidding about it being a deep study. If you watch his REH videos, he mentions most of his playing is "up beats" and not "down beats", meaning he's almost never playing (or at least starting) on the down beat, but rather the up beat. For example, without using heavy technical terms that many wouldn't understand, when he taps his foot, he's basically playing most of his notes when his foot comes up, not down, hence "up beat".
I didn't ask about the kind of music he plays here but about his instrument. Strunz and farah play flamenco guitars with a pick. Al has also flamenco guitar conde hermanos. I saw this instrument on youtube clips sometime ago
curious what is the source for this clip? Is this a lesson series he did? great clip so much info. Thanks to Mr. Dimeola for sharing and whoever was behind putting this together.
His limp wrist picking is good for under 19 notes per second but to play at extreme speeds one must play from the elbow. It is good to use both techniques, but not at the same time as this would cause one's head to implode.
+Rob Anthony agree, i love both, but DiMeola picks a bit differently and has a bit more dinamics. Why would pay to have both of their picking hands though.
What good old Al here described as impossible to do picking wise people like Steve Morse has made in to a career though. Mad respect for Al, but not impossible by a long shot!
Johnny Smith was lableled the master of the Plectoum style guitar, but I'm thinking Al Di took over the title. I thought he was from Spain the whole time I was in collage. I like him better than ever now that I know he's an American (from NJ?). Does he use Grecian formula? Just for men?
With pick; use right hand rhythm guitar exercises in "A modern method for guitar" part 2 and 3 and build speed. You build ability to improvise and copy these kind of patterns. With fingers; use Guillianis 120 right hand exercises as a workout and then try to copy bongo and other clave patterns; Requires a lot of work; Al is an exeptionally talented +10000 hour player.
great style of playing. it's totally his own voice which is so rare when most guitar players all sound the same! but how does he look the same as when he did in the 70s?! ;-)
Does Al di Meola finger pick much? No offense, he's a great guitar player and he's way better than I am, but I always see him with a pick in his hand when he's playing acoustic. Opposed to other guitarists, I see a lot who can finger pick on acoustic but pick while playing electric. Maybe that's a good thing for Meola's sake, I'm not criticizing him at all, just wondering. He is one of my all-time favorite guitarists and I haven't one bad word about his technique or his music.
Great technique, maybe one of the best in this world but I miss soul in a lot of his playing. It's fast, great rythm,great soloing, it has almost everything, but he don't touch my heart . Paco da Lucia does....Still one of the best in this world I think...
Paco isn't a classical player . He's flamenco, which is a large part improv. Flamenco has been considered Classical's poor brother . There are class distinctions in even this high level of performance. Everyone fights for genius .
His timing is a laser focused machine. That seems to be one of the primary aspects of his playing that sets him apart. My coordination between left and right hand sucks lol. Maybe we can all start by always playing along to a metronome.
PdL primarily a flamenco player, although his classical interpretations excellent too. But the point is valid. He loses no speed compared to ADM through not using a plectrum.
I’ve had this video liked for over 10 years and still come back to admire the insane control with the pick Al has.
He was my guitar teacher when we were both 17- 19.
Fantastic! Lucky you are!
Can you do that?
Did you continue?
26 years listening to Al and he is the GOAT of the guitar!!!
There is “No One” that’s the greatest.
I went to Berklee with Al. He’s indeed a very talented player, not in the realm of John Mcloughlin though. I’m pretty sure that Al agrees. Al can not play rock...
Either can I very well either. I can fake it.
Yes, we both love rock, Al as well as myself heard something in fusion that drew us in. It was “ More”. There is so much more to the music than rock allows.
My right hand picking is my Achilles Heel in my playing. Seeing Al do his thing, I am inspired to practice and improve. Fantastic!
I'm a keyboard player who later learned guitar. I've been an astonished fan of DiMeola since the Romantic Warrior album came out in the 70s and I listened to it, over, and over, and over again. Before that time, the guitarist who most impressed me with speed was Alvin Lee. But Al does things I've not heard any other guitarist do. His combination of speed AND precision is unearthly. Sometimes it's terrifying. I love it.
His articulation is sublime, Land of The Midnight Sun is still one of my favorite albums. That’s hours of studying and practicing, Kudos to Al
His 'Land of the Midnight Sun' album, still one of my favorites.
Personally, I don't believe in there being any such thing as the greatest _____ in the world. There are too many amazing skills manifested in so many people in this world to ever categorize one person as the "best" at anything. However, Al is so damn fantastic that I can see why someone would try to label him that way :)
i always thought that he was a strict alternate picker except for cross picking for arpeggio type stuff. I slowed it down and saw all kinds of economy picking mixed in with his alternate picking.
You do what you need to do to get the job done
I've always been aware of Di Meola but only recently started listening and watching. So glad I did, he's a great, tasteful player
I am (happily) lost in the UA-cam maze--listening to recordings of Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia, and John McLaughlin made over the past three decades. A treasury of virtuoso guitar.
Al's rhythm comping is blazing!! He is is guitar master.
My uncle loved Al Di Meola. I can see why. He is intelligent, classy, talented and with feeling. R.I.P Kaz.
Thanks for posting this video. A wealth of information. It's not only years and years of practice, but also inherent talent, understanding and dedication. What he has is the know-how, the skill, the musical ear and the inner beat. Not too many people have that inner beat. He fills those spaces between beats with different rhythms whether he's strumming or picking. Then when you add in his understanding of the fret-board, theory, scales, this is what you get. The best stuff!
For some idiots here: pls. note that Mr. Meola is NOT a flamenco guitar player. He never claimed that he was. Nor did de Lucia claim that he was a fusion player.
Michael Haller tell 'em brother!
People are not idiots, just ignorant, but this is the way people work, they think they can say whatever they want, most of the times they should shut up and think, thinking is a lost art in this society, specially with american vs asians, we are a new civilization it will take time for people to develop to be thinkers and not stinkers
al sucks he has no business playing with his fingers. stick to the pick and your mechanical mumbo jumbo al!
"he has no business playing with his fingers" what are you, the digit police? go mishandle a car battery, you're not internet-ready yet
nice argument leading nowhere. he is mechanical mess with no rhythm no soul and choppy scales. but continue your blind worship of mediocre music. go ahead. i enjoy bad music too sometimes.
You know, a lot of the emphasis on Al's style and the interest that his technique generates is mostly in his single note picking, i.e. his improvising and speed and accuracy which is all well and good, but undeservingly so is the overlooking of his incredible strumming technique! A good example is @ min 2:50 - 2:60, but a true good look at his incredible strumming technique and how much variety he puts in it in such sort portions is @ 3:44 - 3:58 and again @ 4:23 - 4:36. His strumming is equally brilliant as his note-picking. Doesn't keep any fingers open, mostly a complete closed wrist with just the pick exposed which allows much more motion to the wrist. Truly brilliant and not emphasized enough IMO.
Agree! I've always wondered why his strumming is not fucused pretty much. Two or so years ago I transcribed a short part of this video note by note. I've chosen for a strumming part somewhere around 3:52 or so. Although I practiced the hell out of my wrist I did not reach his tempo and easyness. And I never will...
Fitzliputzli23 Funny you mention that because I did the very same thing and while I found I didn't get it exactly like he does, what happened to me is I sort of developed my own semi-Dimeola/bizarro/original strumming technique LOLOL which I'm actually quite happy with, for now, and I've been playing for 33 years ROFL! :D There are so many little variations that he does it's mind boggling and I might have 2, maybe 3 different techniques of his (the easy ones lol) incorporated into the bizarro technique I've developed but hey, at least it's somewhat original.
Small piece of advice (if I may) - stick to it, don't give up and don't get frustrated and find your own morph of it. It sounds like you might already be there anyway. Cheers. :)
GoMiGman Thanks, GoMiGman!. Well, don't worry, I'm not the frustration type of guy. It's the other way round, and that's even more energy sucking: The harder a problem the more I want to solve it. But maybe you are right: I should see Al's technique as an inspiration to find a similar yet different strumming technique that fits my hands better.
luimacro - I think that album showcased more of Paco's Flamenco strumming and Al's solo work more than the other way around. Mediterranean Sundance and Fantasia Suite were really more about Al's older classics that really featured a different style than this later in his career Latin/Cuban strumming style that he does here. Still an all-time classic and unbeatable album.
I had a prejudice against pic playing for sooo long. I thought it was inherently limited, as one cannot strike two different strings at the same time. But listening to Al, it seems laughable to think that he's limited in his playing. His technical facility, his imagination, his inventiveness, his musicality, are mind-blowing. And inspirational.
Still Amazing....and inspiring... Thanks Al for all the many years of grace and fire....
He has changed the music industry, probably the best Guitar player in a loooooong time.... Love his music .
He is my favorite musician, however, he didn't change anything sadly. I would kill to have more artist like him
jose rivera listen to pat metheny, strunz and farah, chieli minucci, ken Navarro...just a few others that are great musicians. If nylon string guitar is what you like, I'd definitely suggest strunz and Farah and ken navarro.
Dimeola's fast picking is so clean. He emphasizes the notes with authority. There's no way to be that good without 20-30 years of experience.
Then how did he do it when he was 20 something?
There are very few things in this world that are more Beautiful sounding than Al DiMeola on a nylon string guitar
Learning to tap your foot in beat without it "going a hair one way or the other" as he mentioned, but particularly without letting your concentration on what you're playing influence that accurate beat is probably the single hardest thing to learn and develop while playing this instrument at a high level. My guess is it applies to most instruments as well. It takes A LOT of practice to master that concept.
Al, thank you very much Sir. Your music has influenced me positively since 1976.
All these wanna bees ! Al is a seasoned and great player and has been having a successful career for many years,! Thanks Al..
Al is AWESOME !!!
Great guitarist, One of my all time favorites.
Al Di Meola you are the king! wish I could have guitar lesson someday from you
So from the time he taps his foot on the ground, raises it and taps it back down again for that single beat...within that time and space is where that huge door of "possibilities for rhythm" opens up. So the need to develop your sense of time is probably the most important factor to his style of playing, or for any well versed guitarist/musician, for that matter.
This is the best and most informative vid of al di meola I've ever seen! Fantastic stuff! Thx for the upload!!!
See how his thumb control is mastered.
Excellent Observation!
Take a teaching for free from one of the world best guitar Master is a great pleasure and honor;I never forget this experience.Thanks;Merci la vie!
He was here in town last month I'm certainly convinced he's the greatest living guitarist
Stop debating and just enjoy this brilliant guitar master!
something I've never heard a guitar player say, and thats the control of the right hand is more important than the left
vinylsoup It’s not; they’re both equal...
best guitar player I have ever seen
that guitar sounds fantastic - love the cutaway!
i am playing for 12 years. i try to play sundace like him with half tempo. it feels like playing guitar for firstime. with half tempo i see his lines in the right way to get faster
fantastic Al Di Meola ! the best !!!!
This is like thinking as a drummer so you keep the tempo in your foot as a reference to have more freedom in your hands.
In fact, your analysis shows that you are very comfortable being incorrect most of the time. Good for you. It's an excellent way to learn. I have been a pro musician for over 30 years and have developed the power of "in-depth thinking" as you term it to a heightened degree. I can access someone's comments and based on them make a general observation that is actually true. ie. If someone runs on ice he will fall.why would could non guitar players come to a video called Al's guitar tips?
Amazing right hand!!
still the best of all time at neo
a buddy of mine bumped into dimeola once in an airport in germany (might have been frankfurt) and ended up having a few beers with him, in between Al asking the service help if they recognized him/knew who he was as my buddy did so so should they, the two of them pounded back some more brews,,as it was time for my buddy to go, he gave Al his card with the intent to stay in contact if he (Al) was ever in the area, Al without asking took the card signed the back of it and handed it back to my buddy!! we still get a kick outta that story!! safe to say Al thinks pretty high about himself..
That's a hilarious story.
I remember back in 1986/87 going back stage to meet him when he was opening up with an acoustic medley for Chick Corea at the Boston Commons and he was sitting at a table with his wife and another couple and they were laughing it up and he got up and shook my hand and offered me a seat and I talked to him for about 15 minutes and asked him a bunch of Q's and when I got up to leave he said "very nice meeting you" and he was very courteous. I bet if I offered him my card he would've signed it and gave it back! :)
Lolololololololololol 🎭😂🎭😂🎭😂🎭 funny.. heard about Paul McCartney story ? Same scenario
When he talks about "your sense of time", he's not kidding about it being a deep study. If you watch his REH videos, he mentions most of his playing is "up beats" and not "down beats", meaning he's almost never playing (or at least starting) on the down beat, but rather the up beat. For example, without using heavy technical terms that many wouldn't understand, when he taps his foot, he's basically playing most of his notes when his foot comes up, not down, hence "up beat".
Great tips.almost impossible exercises.that's what sets Al apart from the rest.
A knowledge player. Thanks Al De Meola.
What a beast.
this guitarist is one of the betters from me
AMAZING guitar player....unreal stuff
Magnifico guitarrista ,AL DI MEOLA un grande como pocos
They are both GRAND MASTER guitarists.
I believe that's "Milango Del Angel" from "Diabolic Inventions and Seduction for Solo Guitar".
awesome lesson!
Always creatively great.
I didn't ask about the kind of music he plays here but about his instrument. Strunz and farah play flamenco guitars with a pick. Al has also flamenco guitar conde hermanos. I saw this instrument on youtube clips sometime ago
curious what is the source for this clip? Is this a lesson series he did? great clip so much info. Thanks to Mr. Dimeola for sharing and whoever was behind putting this together.
I really admire those that can use a pick effectively. Because I suck using it. I'm a fingers guy.
Amazing!!! Al you are great!!!
His limp wrist picking is good for under 19 notes per second but to play at extreme speeds one must play from the elbow. It is good to use both techniques, but not at the same time as this would cause one's head to implode.
Where can I buy Al's right foot rock-solid metronome?
Met him once in St. Louis, very nice guy
possibly the quickest wrist in the west...
+Rob Anthony agree, i love both, but DiMeola picks a bit differently and has a bit more dinamics.
Why would pay to have both of their picking hands though.
That was laughable.
What good old Al here described as impossible to do picking wise people like Steve Morse has made in to a career though. Mad respect for Al, but not impossible by a long shot!
That cutaway is sweet.
Johnny Smith was lableled the master of the Plectoum style guitar, but I'm thinking Al Di took over the title. I thought he was from Spain the whole time I was in collage. I like him better than ever now that I know he's an American (from NJ?). Does he use Grecian formula? Just for men?
I've always thought he was miles beyond..
I've done everything he said and I still can't play like him!!!, is there a part 2,3,4 and5? 😬
That chingalingaling at 3:54 is sweet.
With pick; use right hand rhythm guitar exercises in "A modern method for guitar" part 2 and 3 and build speed. You build ability to improvise and copy these kind of patterns. With fingers; use Guillianis 120 right hand exercises as a workout and then try to copy bongo and other clave patterns; Requires a lot of work; Al is an exeptionally talented +10000 hour player.
the king of syncope !
I live on a beautiful island... hardly stuck.
Are the chords he's sturmming in the first half of the video part of a song?
I'm gonna learn that damn strum
are there any videos on the strum? thats why i went to this video- crazy percussive any rhythmic
Bill Kill did you learn it?
Where was this 30 years ago? 😥
For what it's worth, he did say "classical" player, although Di Meola is not a classical player either.
great style of playing. it's totally his own voice which is so rare when most guitar players all sound the same!
but how does he look the same as when he did in the 70s?! ;-)
well paco always said that he wasnt a great improviser but just a great player. he learned to improvise from al and john.
Aldi rules Salute...
Is there a name for the rhythm, or the way he is strumming the string mutes starting at 4:25?
that 2 down one up at the end is disgusting Al you master bastard!
So Awesome I can't Stand it!!!
An amazing right hand
Does Al di Meola finger pick much? No offense, he's a great guitar player and he's way better than I am, but I always see him with a pick in his hand when he's playing acoustic. Opposed to other guitarists, I see a lot who can finger pick on acoustic but pick while playing electric. Maybe that's a good thing for Meola's sake, I'm not criticizing him at all, just wondering. He is one of my all-time favorite guitarists and I haven't one bad word about his technique or his music.
Great technique, maybe one of the best in this world but I miss soul in a lot of his playing. It's fast, great rythm,great soloing, it has almost everything, but he don't touch my heart . Paco da Lucia does....Still one of the best in this world I think...
Paco isn't a classical player . He's flamenco, which is a large part improv. Flamenco has been considered Classical's poor brother .
There are class distinctions in even this high level of performance.
Everyone fights for genius .
I remember Segovia being very unflattering about flamenco lol
I met him in person he's a very funny guy. On his instructional videos he's very serious.
awesome guitar work;;;;;.
The epitome of old UA-cam.
Maestro, cannot believe I have not seen you live in a long time... shame on me.
his right hand is GOD!
the best.
fantastico !! grazie !!
Amazing!
His timing is a laser focused machine. That seems to be one of the primary aspects of his playing that sets him apart. My coordination between left and right hand sucks lol. Maybe we can all start by always playing along to a metronome.
I wonder if Al knew he was playing the arpeggiated part of "No One At The Bridge" by Rush at the end there... :-)
Tasty playing
...and countless hours of practice!!...
What pick is he using?
PdL primarily a flamenco player, although his classical interpretations excellent too. But the point is valid. He loses no speed compared to ADM through not using a plectrum.
I would like him to explain why he uses a nylon now
The Legend! Does anybody knows which kind of pick he use? Fender?
I heard he uses a regular pick but he has to have them sent off for a special fire proof coating...