Reddit reviews Chop Builder, Frank Gambale

Older dude here (52) - I've been playing since I was 12 and gigging since about 18. I've played in countless bands over the years and sometimes not. What you've described seems normal to me. The Muse comes and goes. I'll go through a couple years of obsession and then loose all motivation to play for months at a time. Typically what happens is I get a string of gigs or someone will ask me to do a recording project and I need to "get my hands back." It forces me to get it together and before I know it I'm obsessed again.

I've found that if I need to get my hands back in shape after a period of weeks or months - sometimes many months - I use the Frank Gambale Chopbuilder DVD. The production is loaded with 80's cheese. And the exercises are not harmonically complex. But it's an incredibly useful workout. About an hour long and it's modeled like an exercise class, you just play along. It's a "workout video." Getting the exercises down and memorized took a bit of work. That was a fun challenge unto itself. But once I got them under my hands I could play along from beginning to end. Now I pull it out once or twice a year. Whenever I need to get my chops back up. It's a well rounded routine that builds strength and dexterity in a hurry. I play along once a day for 4 or 5 days and I'm good to go. Highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Chop-Builder-Frank-Gambale/dp/B00007CWI9

Frank Gambale's Chopbuilder

It's a play-along, sort of like an aerobics DVD for guitar. Very high quality instruction, despite the dated 80's vibe.

He goes through a bunch of stuff, including regular diatonic modes, melodic minor, and harmonic minor. Plus, he hired dancing ladies and he's got a sense of humor.