In January 2005 Omnibus Media re-released the 1984 instructional Lukather video on DVD. The DVD includes a 24-page booklet of examples in notation with a shorthand Tab guide.
The Steve Lukather Master Session (a volume in the Star Licks guitar video-tutor series), made in 1984 after the release of the fifth Toto album Isolation, is the only instructional Lukather video. It's a great tutorial, not only for (future) guitarists but also for those Lukather fans who frequently asked themselves 'how the hell did he do it'. Lukather turns out to be a fetching tutor, showing a lot of information, technique and humor in 35 minutes.
This video was originally released under the title Starlicks Master Series in 1984. The re-issue in 1993 is still available on Omnibus Records and Tapes.
After a one minute show-case intro, Lukather demonstrates his equipment (Mesa Boogie) and guitar (custom made by Valley Arts) at that time. As I already wrote in my essay it's obvious that Lukather is always in control of the possibilities of his equipment and his guitar, in combination with his outstanding technique.
In the heart of the video Lukather tutors (once slowly and once at regular speed) the solo's from nine songs. Meanwhile he reveals his personal tips on techniques like double-picking, speed picking, wang bar effects, chromaticism, bending, position shifting, false harmonics, travelling scales and melodic phrasing, all merged into the final solo of this video.
