I recently had the pleasure of attending Luca Montovanelli’s online masterclass, and it was one of the most generous, “no-holds-barred” sessions I’ve attended in a long time.
If you’ve been following my journey, you know I’ve been digging deep into the educational material of some of the best players out there. Following the amazing Greg Howe session organized by my friend Anthony Poi, I was excited to see what made Luca tick, not just as an amazing technical genius, but also as a composer and a working musician.
Luca covered everything from how he structures his practice routine with limited time to how we wrote the music to his album Multiversum.
Here are some of main takeaways from the session:
1. The Necessity of Versatility
Luca’s perspective on modern musicianship hit home. He’s not just a “rock guy” or a “jazz guy.” He emphasizes that to survive as a musician in this era, you have to be able to jump between worlds.
When addressing session work, he reminded us that the singer is the star of the show, and in that context it is important to play less when musically appropriate.
2. Practice Efficiency: The “Morning Fresh” Method
One of the biggest questions I get is about practice time. Luca’s advice was refreshingly practical. He treats his practice like a workout.
- Isolate your needs: Don’t practice alternate picking just to practice it if it isn’t part of your musical voice. Focus on what you need (for him, that’s legato and hybrid picking).
- Morning vs. Night: He swears by practicing early in the morning when the brain is fresh. If you’re a night owl, treat the time you wake up as your “fresh” time. Save t, technical playing for when you’re tired in the evening.
3. The “Confidential” Lick
Those of you who attended live got to witness a highlight: Luca breaking down his “confidential lick.” It’s an arpeggio-based pattern that connects throughout the fretboard.
Seeing him deconstruct how he moves from through the different arpeggios to create such a strong impressive line was so cool. Luca also pointed out how that particular line works for both jazz and fusion pieces, which is great.
4. Composition: Finding Melodies in the Chaos
Perhaps the most inspiring part of the session was hearing how he wrote his album Multiversum. He wrote almost the entire thing while pacing around his house at night with his daughter on his shoulder, trying to get her to sleep. He really used whatever time he had to create the record he wanted.
The Big Lesson: Don’t Just Copy
We talked about the “common mistake” many students make: learning a solo note-for-note without understanding the theory behind it. Being able to play a Guthrie Govan solo is impressive but the ability to use it is where you get the most value from what you learned.
Final Thoughts
This masterclass was a deep dive into the mind of a player who understands the process and the journey of a musician. Luca’s advice to be patient, to be a good “side musician” who serves the song, and to treat the guitar like an extension of your body is something every serious player should hear.
You can check out Luca’s courses over at JTC Guitar.
Thank you Anthony Poi for organising this amazing session.
Pros: Great masterclass by such an articulate and experienced musician
Cons: No cons. This is top-notch stuff!
TLDR: If you’re a fan of Luca’s playing and teaching, this was an amazing unique experience that any fan I’m sure would treasure deeply.
Special thanks to Electus Academy, Anthony Poi (organiser for the clinic) and Luca Mantovanelli for making this session happen.
All photos courtesy of Anthony Poi. Thank you!
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