Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Dear Sensei,
I’m studying from all your available publish including Accelerate your guitar playing DVD and 2007 book edition. In the foot note, page 12, Tomo mentioned “Do not step up the tempo until you memorize the pattern”.
It is quite opposite to Tomo’s idea at the moment “no memorization”
Could you kindly clarify and let us know which source we should focus on? Thanks

I'm sure George will have a reply from Tomo, but just to add my personal .02...
I have not seen the content you are talking about so not sure on the context, but I tend to take Tomo's comments about not memorizing to mean not to focus on just memorizing shapes to play, but to focus on learning why the notes in those shapes are played and the relationship between them. I also follow the "slow is smooth, smooth is fast" mindset, and try to get the muscle memory by always doing everything as smoothly, precisely and consistently as I can, knowing that speed is a byproduct of that. Ultimately everything will have to be internalized (memorized) one way or another.
For me, I'd much rather focus on understanding the notes and how they go together, and improve my recognition of them by ear than look for easy to memorize shape "hacks" to quickly be able to play some notes over something and not sound horrible. I feel like ultimately, the former will lead to better creative expression through my instrument, and probably faster too.

I also don't know the context in the book that said “Do not step up the tempo until you memorize the pattern” but I will tell you how I would understand it and I am almost 100% sure is the correct understanding.

Imagine you are learning a lick that you never played before.
1. understand it by knowing what you are playing, what etc.
however technique wise - if you want / need to play that lick at certain speed
first "memorize the lick" in a sense of muscle memory. Play it slow BUT play it perfectly.
NEVER speed up the metronome, until you play it perfectly at current speed.
(I myself use some "mandatory" number like 5 times in a row played perfectly - only then speed it up).

The worst thing is - if you are playing at certain speed - and making the same mistake over and over again - you will just learn the mistake and then you will need 10 times more the time to erase the mistake and learn it.

So choose some start tempo and play it perfectly (that is memorization part).
Once you are very comfortable at that speed - go up. Play there - everything perfect good go up.
if it is not perfect, immediately stop, analyze where / what is the problem and practice in isolation just the part where you wold make mistake. Once when that is cleared up - go back to whole lick, play it perfectly.

etc.

Also if you are trying t play something fast - it will come to the point where your mind and fingers / muscle get tired and you can't progress.
Just relax, or live it for some time, or for whole day.

Start tomorrow.

Here is my practice routine:
I can play lick comfortable at 60. I would start increasing the tempo by 5. I start struggling (for example) at 70. I will drop to 67 and if all good, go to 70.
If all good go to 75. Once when I reach let say 80, and I cannot progress that day and start making mistake after mistake. I leave it

Tomorrow I start the same thing but from 65, 70, 75, 80 and will most of the time go to 85 / 90.
and repeat

Once when at higher speeds I start increasing only by 2 or 3 or even 1.

Also not every day will be good, some day you can play fast, some day you cannot. doesn't matter - go work on something else.

Just do not learn how to play mistakes, that is the only bad thing.

hope this helps

Here is Tomo's comment:

"Thanks so much for subscribing to my Guitar Wisdom.

"That DVD was originally published by Rittor Music in Japanese. What you saw was a translation from my Japanese version. The translator or the editor did not get the message exactly right.

"The advice that I give you in Guitar Wisdom videos is my best advice. It comes from my experience as a teacher and my passion for guitar playing.

"So, learn the sounds of intervals, scales and chords. Don't just memorize shapes and patterns! Take your time, and study deeply."

Thank you Tomo-San for clarifying my question! Thanks you guys for excellent advices! I’ll be focusing on Guitar Wisdom!