Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Hi Tomo,

I’ve been diligently practicing R 3 7 Bb blues for several weeks and an am finding it extremely challenging to get all the notes to ring out properly (and mute on 6 2 1) when playing the IV and V chord on strings 5 4 3. I think this really is stemming from the muting aspect of the chord as one has to mute both above and below the chord shape. I’ve found that barring 4 and 3 with my index finger helps to mute 2 and 1 and I’ve also explored muting 6 with the top of my middle finger as opposed to the thumb. I also find that I often tend to mute the 3rd of the chord with the pad of the last joint of my middle finger due to the angle of the hand. Do you have any tips for students who encounter this type of challenge? I’ll keep at it of course but hoping you might have some words of wisdom. As always, thank you for creating such wonderful content!

Best,
Erik

Hi Erik, I have been working on the same routine and I had the same issues. I am using the smallest amount of thumb to mute 6. I am using the my index finger like a lazy barre to mute 1 and 2. The big issue was accidentally muting 4 because my middle finger would tend to angle back onto string 4. I experimented with my grip and applying a bit more pressure on the bottom side of the neck to "push" my middle finger more upright. I tend to push my wrist a little forward when I do it, then relax the grip back for the mute on the upstroke. Its sounds exaggerated but the changes are very subtle, but just enough to work. It then takes a little time to train it in. I hated how the exercise sounded initially but it does wonders for your strumming. I suspect others have their own approaches but this is what worked for me. Hope this helps. Keep at it.

Thanks for the feedback Jason! I’m glad I’m not alone here. I’ll definitely spend some time experimenting with your suggestions. It’s such a great exercise and there’s nothing like the feeling of executing it cleanly…it’s just the matter of being able to do it consistently! A labor of love.

I'm not a big fan of thumb muting, especially when switching from R 7 3 one chord on the 6 4 3 strings. I mute the 6th string entirely with my middle finger for the R 3 7 on 5 4 3 strings. It makes the transition between the two quick and easy.

I think for muting, it's about finding the mechanics/geometry that work well with your hands and applying it consistently. The first step is identifying that there even IS a problem, which is why it's important to record yourself once in a while and listen without looking. It's amazing how much more you hear when you shut your eyes!