Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Jack Waters

6 months ago

Even in the early days of Violin I had a bad habit of leaving my thumb behind. Then and now I learned proper string pressure by not playing with the thumb engaged at all for a week

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!

John Fiers

5 months ago

Today.. I had to write this one Down, 'Thumb always floating around' feels good!! Not easy for sure, worked on dropping shoulder too. :)

Ashish Arora

6 months ago

Log Day 1: focus-left hand pressure, thumb position

7 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good work!

Thank you!

Tomo

Ashish Arora

6 months ago

Day 2: Tried adding the body movement to the mix, struggled there. So I will focus on left hand pressure and thumb position along with sustain for a couple of days atleast.

Have already been doing good posture, palm muting, light pick hold from earlier, so these things happen subconsciously.

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job Ashish!

Relax your body and use less pressure from left fingers.

Great to hear that!

Thank you.

Tomo

Ashish Arora

6 months ago

Day 3: Major focus on left hand pressure and relaxing(trying to use the classical guitar posture) for less stress on wrists and more reach.
Thumb position and no noise finger shift is coming along,while keeping a good posture,light pick hold ,palm muting, and slow note picking.

Keeping all the things in check is definitely a challenge.
Will avoid body movement for now to avoid losing focus(because that is something totally new to me) until the rest of the checklist becomes more of a habit.

Thank you for your encouragement ,sir,and your wise words. I will try to keep this log updated until the end of this challenge.

3 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!

Thanks for the details!

Thank you.

Tomo

Michael Kimber

6 months ago

Day 1 proved to be far more challenging than I anticipated. Going slowly revealed the following areas where I need improvement:

1. Don't try to complete all parts of the assignment in one session; follow Tomo's advice and work on only two parts at a time. I attempted to do too much too soon in the first 10-minute session.

2. My string buzzed because I placed one finger too close to the string while letting the note sustain. This happened more times than I care to count.

3. My palm muting is non-existent.

4. I applied too much pressure with my left hand.

By proceeding at a snail's pace, I was able to identify these areas that needed work.

Thank you, Tomo.

7 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Great to hear that! Good job!

Yes! Less is more! Try not do all is so good!

Once 10 minutes... you have to stop!

Palm muting is you can work later day.... First slow movement with no noises & thumb position.
So two things are very important!

Very difficult but less pressure from left hand.

Turtle & Snail will win!

Thank you.

Tomo

Michael

6 months ago

Day 1-Complete!

I have been doing chromatic exercises a few days a week for the past few months until this challenge and today after watching the video and doing the practice I think I need to press a bit more softly on the strings. I also started using a pick instead of my thumb and also noticed that I need to work on my pick control. Finally, I'd say I would like to get a bit better on sustaining the note before the next one as well as coordinating the left and right hands to not press on the string or hit the string prematurely or late. Lots of little details to notice!

Good job everyone! Keep at it!!!

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!

Chromatic is great to do everyday! Even 3 minutes! That's better than one hour 3 times a week.

Please watch my video for a few times. 5-6 times at least. If you only watch 3 times, then it's so easy to miss something.

This challenge is all about details!

Thank you.

Tomo

Michael

6 months ago

Day 2-Complete!

Yes, indeed, the devil is in the details for sure. Today I really learned about how to release the pressure on the strings and then to move to reduce the noise, if there was any.

Nice meditation!

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Excellent! Yes! Super slow!

Release timing... more details!

Yes!

Thank you.

Tomo

Michael

6 months ago

Day 3-Complete!

Today, I focused on the following areas to improve upon:
1-Light touch (watching fingers for colour change) to only put as much pressure to make a clean note, noting more
2-Keep trying to make my transitions quiet and smooth
3-Have all four notes sustain
4-Syncing up left and right hands
5-Moving my body as I play

So, so many details. My spouse keeps commenting on my progress and she keeps saying I didn't know guitar was so complicated and detailed. I didn't know either until I joined GW.

Also realized my finger dexterity and coordination on other tasks seems to be better. I don't know whether it's the long hours of practising challenging chords like some of the Drop 2 voicing or D-shaped barre chord or the chromatic exercises or both but seeing more and more progress. As you said guitar is like this, many hours where you may or may not see much progress and them BAM!!!! progress! :0

Amazing to realize this after so many years of having little to no direction. Thanks Tomo! I think I'll get to my guitar goals if I work carefully and methodically with your lessons. Love it!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!

Thanks so much for all the details.

That's how I practice to think, check all the details.

Guitar playing two types:
1) Be okay player = easy!
2) Be a better player = hard!

So happy to hear that!
This is the right direction!
Focus!

Thank you.

Tomo

John Fiers

6 months ago

Started day 1 with attention to details on my acoustic guitar with strap. Posture, finger pick hold technique, and finger position with inside the fret was today. Tomorrow more on thumb and even sustain also remembering today's focus as well.

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!

So happy to hear all those details.

Thank you.

Tomo

Linda M Tucker

6 months ago

Hello, and thank you.
Notes / observations:
• I have to force myself to go slowly and not rush, focus on good intonation and sustain.
• Also, it is an adjustment (for me) to use only down-stroke.
• Going slowly helps with focus on palm muting.
• No metronome - body movement helps with internalizing notes (like dancing).

Thanks again!

Jeffrey Croteau

6 months ago

I like your notes Linda. I also was thinking about body movement and was focusing on the shift with no noise. Trying to also think about staying loose and calm this is part of the journey for me.

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!

First, slow, slower! Good challenge!
Sustain each note!

Yes! Only down stroke! Simplicity!
Great to hear that!

Yes, slow movement makes you to notice something!
No need metronome! Super slow!

Thank you.

Tomo

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Yes! Slow dancing like no-one is watching!

No noises!

Not easy!

Thank you.

Tomo

Robert S Schick

6 months ago

day 1 done. I have been doing this exercise regularly, but from the 3rd to 9th fret. It feels really different starting at 1. Good reminder to pay close attention and go slow. Thanks Tomo. btw, where did you get the Cats and Guitar Lessons t-shirt?

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

This way, you need to place your thumb lower side. More fret space and great way to control intonation.

Slow! Super slow! You're very welcome! I am so happy to read everyone's comments. It's working!

One of my fans gave it to me! Someone who interviewed me.

Thank you.

Tomo

Daniel Love

6 months ago

There is such a zen like quality to this exercise. Excited to make this my meditation for the next 30 days. Thank you, Sensei!

Observations from day one:
- Focusing on thumb position is so helpful. I'm a big JM fan and habitually wrap my thumb around the neck.
- Found myself holding my breathe at the start. Was helpful to relax, move the body, and breathe.
- My pinky loves to float further and further away from the fretboard until it's their time to shine. Would love to work on keeping a 'tighter' hand position through this exercise.

Thanks again, Tomo!

6 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Yes! Very Zen & Meditation type work! This way you can control your mood as so calm and steady!

You're very welcome!

John Mayer fan must do this exercise!
Deep breath will help. Keep breath in and out. Please don't hold your breath.

Good job!
Thank you!

Tomo

Christian Tillison

6 months ago

Day one practice done. I focused on left hand pressure and body posture. I found it surprisingly hard to play each note with the same consistency and I have a habit of pressing to hard with the left hand. It's amazing how much room there is for improvement. I have a saying that "Magic is the art of making the simple look beautiful and impossible." and doing this exercise conscientiously has reminded me of that.
Thank you Tomo!

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!
Surprising hard = right track!

You’re very welcome!
Thank you!

Tomo

Al Provan

6 months ago

Thank you so much Tomo, a great reminder to watch the video many times. It is too easy to want to jump in. I am loving the detail. All these comments and your replies so helpful, thank you!
I have always used a 3mm Big Stubby pick (mainly playing Jazz). I find it very comfortable and like the tone. Is this ok?

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

You’re very welcome!
So happy to hear that!

I recommend to use 1.00mm
Personally but if you prefer thicker one
It’s fine as long as holding your pick soft and don’t produce any pick sound.

Thank you!

Tomo

3 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

You’re very welcome!
So happy to hear that!

I recommend to use 1.00mm
Personally but if you prefer thicker one
It’s fine as long as holding your pick soft and don’t produce any pick sound.

Thank you!

Tomo

RULYNA

6 months ago

Day 1 done. Trying to relax my left hand and coordinate it with right hand to make sustainable sound. Practice for less than 10 minutes, after that practice others :)

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!
Slow & sustain each note.

I have practiced this myself last night.
Going from 1st fret to 5th fret slowly..
Will take about 50 seconds and rest 10 seconds so one unit is about one minute. 5 to 10 minutes so 5 to 9 times!

Thank you.

Tomo

Ulrich

6 months ago

It's great to get back to the basics of playing—thank you for that. When I slow down the picking speed, it becomes harder to achieve a precise sound and to synchronize with my left hand. In the past, I tried moving the pick and my left hand quickly to improve synchronization. Now, however, it's more challenging to produce a 'clean' tone. Do you have any additional tips or suggestions to improve synchronization and tone quality? I hope my question makes sense.

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

So happy to hear that!
My pleasure!

Play slow as you can!
That’s the best way to work on
Both hands timing.

Each unit (from 1st fret to 5th fret)
Will take about 45 to 50 seconds.
So if you play this in 30 seconds then
You are playing too fast!

Tone quality = use less pressure from your left fingers. So press frets softly. Your thumb position is around center or slightly lower than center of the neck.

Hold your pick as if you almost drop a pick. Super relaxed.

Thank you.

Tomo

Jason C Wheeler

6 months ago

Day 2 | Week 1
+ thumb position center back of neck
+ pick held gently halfway out

Tomo Fujita Mod

6 months ago

Good job!!

Thumb position center back of neck and could be slightly lower than center.

Thank you.

Tomo

3 Likes

Jeffrey Croteau

6 months ago

Hi Jason , this was my same focus as well today. I was thinking about my right hand holding the pick gently and also focusing on my thumb position. Mine seems to want to travel a little above center so trying to get it a little lower. Have a good one ,
Jeff

Jason C Wheeler

6 months ago

Hi Jeff, working through chromatic scale while focusing on thumb position has been very educational. I try to limit my thumb to one horizontal motion for every 4 notes.