Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Boyd,

I've been watching Tomo and signed up on his site about 2 months ago. An answer to your question is that it depends on your level of experience, what your strengths and weaknesses are, and how best you learn new material.

I think the site is not structured linear for a reason: it allows patrons to pick and choose material suited to their needs and their interests.

My suggestion is a triangular approach consisting of the following: Theory, Technique, Composition. To me, you need theory to understand why, when, and how to play certain notes, chords, licks. Technique is how to achieve dynamics and a clean tone (my struggle). Composition is taking what you've learned (theory and technique) and creating your own 2, 3 or 4 chord progression and soloing over it.

I'm a guy who, like many other students, is inpatient. And that hurts one's ability to learn. A suggestion, and it's what I do, is put your guitar down for a day. Get a notebook and write down your strengths and areas of weaknesses (maybe use the framework I outlined to spur some thought). Then, browse through the library and find videos that address your weaknesses. In effect, you are creating your own curriculum. A hidden value is that browsing the videos may give you insight into your weaknesses. You can save the videos you want to study in the "My List" and this can become your 1 to 2 week practice sessions.

Tomo's video lessons are structured in 3 levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced. My approach is I spend time learning level 1. Then move on to level 2 and so forth. The key is patience.

This week I'm focusing on double stops lesson 37. I now how to play them but I didn't know the theory behind them. Now I do and I play a 2 chord progression and play double stops as fills. Rather than learn from what I call "Point and Pluck or Point and Pick" guitar teachers--the ones who tell you to put your index finger on fret 5, string 4--Tomo teaches you why you play certain notes on a double stop. Everything he teaches is anchored in triads. For me, it's an easy way to learn.

Finally, find other online teachers to augment material on this site. Remember, Tomo has to produce material to the masses at varying levels of competency and interests. That's a difficult task. Tomo's other Berkeley student and YouTube instructor "Music is Win" is a good site. I follow Jens Larsen (Jazz) and Signals Music Studio because they teach theory, technique and composition. However, I always come back to this site to create a 1-2 week practice curriculum.

I don't have my shit together--I struggle, a lot! But be patient, and enjoy the journey of learning.

Hope this helps

rick

Beautiful post, Rick! Thank you.

Thanks to for this three pronged approach. Will look this thread over and review what you have laid out here.

Hi Rick, I’m brand new to Guitar Wisdom. Personally I’m a very slow starter . Playing for many years but very weak in so many areas so there are tons of areas to work on . I also get overwhelmed easily. Your response is great ! Thanks ! Are you still a subscriber? Besides the above and new advice you could share ? I really like your idea of thinking about your strengths and weaknesses . Thanks Frank

Frank

I appreciate the positive feedback. My one observation from your comment is that all of us share the same overwhelming reaction when learning guitar, cooking, woodworking or golf. Name any new skill we seek to learn and feeling overwhelmed is a common reaction we have to battle. So we are all the same in that regard.

I’m very Type A personality. I write down what I know under three categories: theory, harmonization, soloing/improv/melody. I ask myself what do I know about music theory? We have a scale that has a root and 6 additional notes and back to the root. I know a triad consist of 3 notes. They are separated by degrees. In effect I’m imprinting that information in my brain. neuro pathways develop when teaching yourself and learning this way. I continue similar questioning for the other 2 categories.

Then I apply the same approach for the stuff I don’t know under the three categories. I do this every 2-3 weeks just about when I’m feeling a panic attack coming on 😀. This q/a does not have to be exhaustive and you may want to focus on 1 or 2 categories. Use the framework as you see fit

From my q/a self-assessment I create a “manageable” practice schedule based on what I don’t know and know. For example, what the is a secondary dominant? And, 2, how do I use secondary dominants to create tension and resolution? Those questions may be a 1 week practice schedule. I look at theory for insight and then I apply that and create some chord harmony and then solo over that progression. To me that could be a 5 day practice routine 1 hr per day. If I can write down an intelligent answer to the question: what is a secondary dominant and how/when to use THEN I know the material.

The key for me is there isn’t a golden nugget answer to learning the guitar. It’s a process as much of an academic one as it is an artistic one. Ask yourself what you areas you need help with and write it down. Find videos to answer your questions and practice.

Finally we don’t always have to live our lives as if driving on narrow winding roads at high speeds. Widen your life’s road and give yourself more space to change lanes and stop at a rest stop. This mental approach to learning helps me manage my own personal expectations & standards.

I don’t subscribe to Guitar Wisdom not because it’s not valuable (it is value). I was really getting into music theory and I took my learning more into theory. And to not feel overwhelmed with all of the tutorials on YT, Patreon, TrueFire etc I unsubscribed to GW and a couple of others so I could focus on theory. But I always watch Tomo on YT and go back to his videos on triads. Plus Tomo has such a good vibe that I watch him to chuckle and feel good.

Again long post but hope this helps you.

Rick