Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Thank you for visiting this page. If you are a subscriber, you are about to embark on a journey with a truly unique guitarist: Tomo Fujita. What makes Tomo unique? He is the professional teacher who can play, and the professional player who can teach.

Tomo has been a professor in the Guitar Department at Berklee College of Music since 1993, where his students have included John Mayer, Eric Krasno, and Adam Smirnoff. Tomo has also provided master-class lessons to a number of accomplished artists whose names you undoubtedly recognize. Visit tomofujitamusic.com to learn more!

Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom offers you more than 300 lessons, together with demos and other videos. Your subscription gives you access to all videos on the site. To see what is available, click the BROWSE button above. Or, on the home page, click the CONTENT button, then click the picture for any group of lessons to see a list of the videos in that group.

TOMO’S PHILOSOPHY

Four simple guidelines capture Tomo's philosophy: "Don't worry! Don't compare! Don't expect too fast! Be kind to yourself!" Tomo encourages all guitar players to take their time, to study deeply, and to focus on sound, rather than visualization.

Tomo does not attempt to force his own musical taste on students. However, like the Berklee Guitar Department, he does emphasize the blues as a learning tool for guitarists, given the influence of blues on rock, jazz and funk.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THEORY

Theory is not a secret sauce for making music. It is only a tool for recognizing, understanding, explaining, and organizing (in our minds) the music we hear, as well as the music we create. You need to learn some theory in order to improve your playing and to communicate musically with other players.

In practical terms, this means that you should focus on ear training, which is really just developing your pitch-recognition ability. That’s why, in these lessons, you will find that chords and phrases are explained by degree (for example “R b7 M3 b13”) in the video subtitles.

Your pitch-recognition ability is a key element that determines how far you can go on your guitar-playing journey. You do not need perfect pitch. Developing good relative pitch and applying it to your playing will take you where you want to go!

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

The lessons here are designed for busy people with varying levels of guitar-playing ability. The objectives are: (1) developing and strengthening your musical foundation, (2) improving your technique at all levels, and (3) putting you on a path to mastery of the guitar. There is not a single path that must be strictly followed.

The most important thing here is to avoid thinking about your "level" as a guitar player when choosing lessons to work on. So, for example, do not skip over the Triads lessons, simply because you already know that a triad is a three-note chord.

Keep an open mind and follow Tomo's approach. Then record your playing, each week, to measure your progress. We think that, when you listen to the recordings made over several weeks or months, you will be pleased.

Enjoy the ride!

GM

______________________
George Mattingly, Producer
Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

P.S. For those of you who are wondering whether I am just another music-business weasel . . . Many years ago, I was accepted for admission at Berklee College of Music, but I did not attend. Instead, I chose a Stratocaster-free career in law and business. Tomo has been my friend, brother and (with Guitar Wisdom) business partner for more than three decades.

thanks to you and Tomo for coming up with these lessons. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with them. I feel like im learning a lot from each lesson so I take my time on each until i nail them down. Keep up the good work :)

Hello, Where can I purchase a Kanji Stratocaster?

Guitar Wisdom offers very good, informative quality content. Simple enough for a beginner like myself to understand and create something musical. I tried learning as much music theory as I could understand from scales, modes, watching YouTube videos, etc. and not being able to create anything that didn’t just sound like exercises but with Guitar Wisdom you can learn something as simple as triads and do so much more. It builds a solid foundation and can take you farther in your guitar journey whatever level of guitar you’re coming from. Tomo is a really good teacher and is really passionate about what he teaches, you’re in good hands.

Tomo is the best teacher I have found in 30 years of playing but not learning my instrument. Perfect timing.These lessons are just what I was needing . I can use my years of scattered knowledge with how Tomo is teaching and Im getting it ! Thanks

I like the mix of guitar and philosophy. Don't worry and don't compare! If I can learn to do these two things alone, the subscription will already be worth it! Thank you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your's Tomo . Your efforts are making me a better guitar player and person.

Been practicing along with the videos for about a week now. He truly teaches you such a soulful and grounded way to learn guitar. I love how he has his personality compared to most online guitar lessons that kind of make you so bored you get distracted easily. I really hope to see more videos of different songs and such in the future because Tomo is such a great guitarist and teacher.

I am so excited to actually getting lessons here on the site. I have been playing quite a while and hacking my way through songs via tabs and youtube videos. i feel I have stalled and want to be a better player.

Thrilled to have just signed up for Tomo’s instructions. Looking forward to learning some valuable guitar wisdom from him and his online community. Cheers, Carl

Hello everyone,
I am new here and try to get better at guitar and music
I am looking forward to what I will learn Lord Willing

Oh by the way name is Brian I using my wife name

Thanks! im currently starting the C major scale video, wished there was like a PDF or list of tabs for it though. :/

Good day , your glissandos - " amazing ! " Any tips ...?

I want to thank you Tomo for the lessons you are teaching. I first heard about you through your video with Michael Lemmo at Norman’s Rare Guitars on YouTube. I have taken a Blues Guitar Course from Berklee years ago. I wish on lesson 49 you would slow down a bit and go over the rhythm chords at least twice to set the lesson up to where it will be easier to follow for the lead changes. I have not seen any kind of tablature on your site, please inform me if I am missing any. When you blaze through a lesson, even with rewinding the video it is still tough at times to grasp it all at once. It would be helpful if you could put a chart up behind you showing the rhythm chords and then running over them at least twice and then go into your leads. You are the professional teacher and I mean no offense, just a suggestion. Thank you. Michael K.

Hello! I have been struggling with my guitar playing for a while now. I have been playing for about 15 years and have taught myself to play by using tabs and with my ears. However i find now that my lack of actually understanding what i am doing as i am playing has really reach to a point where i cant get anywhere. But even after the first 3 lessons on triads i feel my inner eyes opening and i now see a basic connecton between the chords and the scales as i play. THANK YOU. However i have a question, How would you go about the theory lessons and the technique and playing lessons. I started on the triad lessons and i am just wondering if you have any tips or so on how to use the content. How much theory contra how much technique practice. Cheers!