Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Thank you Jiay! I appreciated your message very much. Your left and right hands are very graceful on the guitar! Well done!

Nicely done! You do it very slow and methodical. I'll leave it to Tomo but I think you did well overall. Btw LOVE your 335 in black! Wow!

Wow! Amazing warm speech! Thanks so much for your expression to me, to Guitar Wisdom & our subscribers!
So sweet! I am so happy too! You're very welcome! Thanks for sharing your good habit - Lovely talking notes!

It's so difficult to play this super simple chromatic scale so slowly! You are doing so well this part.
Listen really carefully each note (very end of the each notes). Sustain all the way to the end.
Then pick next note. It's very difficult! Your posture is very good. Dynamics was good. Well done.
PS, Your picking movement, try to move less. This part is very hard to notice!

Thank you.

Tomo

Thank you ! Micheal , Let‘s continue to take things slowly!
Yes ,I like this Guitar ,too!

Thank you, Dillion! Cheers to you, too!
Yes, it's hard to begin, but we moving!
Better life!

Thank you, Sir!
I will make new topic to ask this questions!

Nice progress! I loved reading your notes. And you give good advice, if we all waited until perfection we'd never post. Keep going on your journey, I can't wait to see where you go next :)

Linda! I really enjoyed your takeaways and can readily identify with the white knuckle experience! One of the benefits for me in this challenge is the awareness of hand pressure translating into other things that I play. That’s what makes this exercise among other things so great. I enjoyed your performance as well. We are all on this path together and we are all improving together. Congrats on your achievement here!

Happy to see you,Linda!

Hi Linda, those notes and open forum in the CHROMVEMBER challenge really helped out like learning better together. I like your comments, they gave me ideas to try. I was also too much grip on everything, had to overcome that obstacle the same, it is working! Sing and let it ring, keep on grooving :) johno

Linda, you rock. I love watching your journey. thank you for sharing. And what an added touch to say your gear at the end. Keep up the hard work.

Hi Tomo, Team GW, and everybody on the forum. Thank you for your excellent feedback and encouragement! Your input is truly a gift to me, and I am so pleased that y'all found value in my posted notes. Like Tomo says..."It makes me so happy" that I could contribute even a tiny bit. I love that we all support each other. We are stronger together.

Tomo, I appreciate your great feedback. Your support goes beyond guitar. I like your idea of letting the thumb float. Hand-tension is something I will always need to pay attention to, but I have come a long way already and I can see results when I practice scales and triads. And I am reminding myself to move picking hand closer to the front pickup. It is an old habit (hard to break), but I do prefer the tone when I pick closer to the neck. Thanks again for inviting me to this challenge.

You're very welcome Linda! My pleasure! I loved what you said... "Like another family" about Guitar Wisdom. Yes indeed!
You made me happy again! I really thank George & Sammi, their endless efforts each week via our Monday meeting! We talk so much about our Guitar Wisdom. (To make better place for our members!) And thank you to all GW subscribers!

So happy to hear that you already can see results from these simple exercises. Simple scales & triads are foundation. These foundation can teach us things that not easy to see (Thumb position, Thumb movement, palm muting, less pressure from left hand, note duration, dynamics and more! Most people... they all see figuring positions! (Only front side of guitar playing!)

Yes, some old habits are hard to break, but never too late and it's all possible if you can believe in yourself!
Simply I think this November Challenge is amazing! It did beyond my imagination because everyone became ONE!
You guys are very powerful!

Thank you!

Tomo

Nicely done Rich! Fluid and great tone! Enjoyed your solo on Rose Room as well. All the best and Peaceful Holidays!

Thanks Ken - I hope you have a speedy recovery from surgery as well. Be sure to let us know when you’re up to playing again!

Richard, I also watched your 'Rose Room' solo. We'll be waiting to see your name in lights!

Rich! (Thanks to moving your original post here!)

Thank you for posting your video!
Thanks for telling us your impression about Guitar Wisdom.

Thanks so much for subscribing since 2020! Amazing!
Thanks for watching so many lesson videos!

Please visit our forum more often.

Your tone is very big! Just in case, your guitar volume is not full 10 right?
Your guitar has HB so volume around 6-7 is good.
Nice and smooth. Your fingering and pickings are good.
Maybe your normal picking volume slightly should be softer.
Dynamics... first 1234 was a little bit loud. Try to stay normal volume. Then do softer.
Good job! Well done! PS, Your strap should a little shorter.

Thank you.

Tomo

Thank you for listening and for those kind words. I’ve been playing for over 30 years now and feel like I’m just now starting to make real progress with Tomo’s help. This Chromatic challenge has made me pay attention to things I’ve never paid attention to before. This whole GW community is amazing!

Way to go Kurt! Loved your dynamics in this performance!

Wow, nice tone!

Thank you Kurtis for posting this video!
You're very welcome! My pleasure!

Very smooth overall. In the beginning, your thumb comes up here and there so you should keep your thumb lower as much as you can. Then 1 2 3 4 ... Keep all fingers lightly down until your 4th finger is done so it's worth to practice slower that part. When you going down. That was very smooth except lower frets area (Thumb placement). Your dynamics playing was really good! Good job! Very hard to keep consistent. Well done! PS, Your posture & your strap length = so good!

Thank you.

Tomo

Hi Kurt, slow with sustain man, nice sounds!

HI! Kurt,Like you style!
So positive!

Never give up!!
Cheers!

Nice to meet and hear you Mati! Really well done across the board! Cool cats rock! Got a couple that keep me entertained, Magic & Lacey Mae! Happy Holidays!

Hi Mati (and Mustard!)
Thanks for sharing this with everyone. Tasty playing sir! You sound excellent. Amazing how such a simple exercise can have so many details.
My cat Corkscrew looks exactly like Mustard! He likes to hang out with me when I practice this exercise early in the morning. Corker tells me that he is the "perfect weight" when I say he eats too many treats.
Kurtis

Thank you Mati for posting your video!
So happy to hear that you have been following in many years and I really appreciate your kind words on my teaching.

Your tempo is very steady and all the note's duration is very good!
Your posture is good too. Just in the beginning, you are moving a little side by side... don't do that.
But your body motion is good! Maybe you can turn a little more amp volume so that your normal packing volume can go down and you can have more dynamic range which is so useful for live performance!
Relax more your left fingers. Your dynamics control is good! Well done! PS, Your cat is so cute!

Thank you.

Tomo

Hi Mati, nice tone and a very happy cat! It is so awesome when the little ones love to sit and listen. This one puts my boy ziggy to sleep, he gets so relaxed, woof, woof! :) - johno

Hi,Mati!
You performance sounds nicely!
Mustard is so lovely ,My cat Xin, a blue cat, rally like eat fish, I think she's a little overweight, but like Kurt‘s cat Corkscrew, Xin tell me she weight is perfect ,too! when I practice, always ask me to play with her.
Happy to see you Mati!

Great job Thomas! Thanks for sharing with us. VERY clean! Nice tone! Your hard work is paying off!
Kurt

Great tone and volume Thomas! Appreciated your insights around reconnecting with the instrument. So basic yet absolutely essential. Nice dynamics! Cheers!

Great volume control Thomas!

Thank you Thomas for posting this video! So happy to hear that you have been subscribing Guitar Wisdom since 2021!
Amazing! Thank you so much! This exercise is so great for working on dynamics. Thanks for your notes too!

Nice clean bright tone! Nice and loud! Picking is very smooth too. Nice smooth fingering.
I think your pace is a little too fast for this chromatic challenge (In order to focus a lot of details in depths)
When you go down... 4321, try not move your 4th finger too much. It's hard but you can fix it.
For dynamics, first note was a little too loud as normal volume. This part is very important too.
Good job on dynamics control. Well Done!

Thank you.

Tomo

Way to go the dynamics! I totally dig on the written notes, good stuff! Looks like lots to read on the charts in the window, awesome!! Cheers, johno

Thank you Mark for posting your video. Thanks so much for subscribing my Guitar Wisdom over 2 years! So happy to hear that! Glad you enjoy the November Challenge. Very nice boat!

Nice steady rhythm, tempo here. When you go 1234... Keep all your fingers down (lightly touching the string) until you finish 4th finger... it's not easy! So in order to do this well, you can slow down a little. You can play faster anytime later! My key is that "If you want to play faster or improve faster then play slower!" Your poster is good! Great body motion with music!
Dynamics part is very hard! Pretty good! You can try use more dynamics.

So happy to hear about your experience. Thinking about other people will catch your video when you make your video... so you feel extra good energy, good tension from this part of making video. Well done!

For next challenge, I am thinking a few things. One of things is actually your suggestion! Learning scale (super simple way!)
This will help everyone to understand "scale" "Intevals" and "Fretboard" This part... most people don't have (that's why they want tabs!)

Thank you.

Tomo

Very cool Captain Mark! Cheers, johno

Wooo!
Happy to see you, Captain Mark,
Amazing performance , really like it!
So cool!

Hi Mark I am so glad to see your video. Agreed it is a whole new ball park when we get in front of a crowd to play. I remember one time I had to perform a simple song on a piano at a recital and my hands starting shaking. I don't even know why. Oh the nerves. Wishing the best.

Serena Bobbi

Thank you Jaiy, very good you are pursuing this from China. We spent a month off the boat in Xian, and I had a lot of trouble accessing Guitar Wisdom, fortunately I had some friends at the University that could help me. Good luck with your journey - enjoyed your introduction and excellent English.
Mark

Thank you Tomo for your gratitude and appreciation for the group. Even at the end here it is so kind of you to gather the community and help everyone finish the race. Beautiful.

Hi Tomo!

Thanks for your positive messages through the 30 day challenge and the contest. Greatly appreciated as always! All the best teacher! Have a great weekend!

You're very welcome Serena! This not only my effort but also George, Sammi and you guys members all contribute to the 30 days November Challenge so I am so proud of all of you guys, us all together as we became the GW community / family!

Thanks so much!
Have a great weekend!

Tomo

You're very welcome MJS! My pleasure! I really enjoyed reading all the messages / comments through the 30 days November Challenge and the final assignment / contest thread. Truly amazing! I am so happy and grateful!

Thank you so much!
Have a great weekend!

Tomo

No worries about nerves. They can't be much worse than mine :)

Thanks for posting and don't compare. Be kind to yourself!

Thank you for your introduction Peisen! So nice to meet people from far away, all on the Guitar Wisdom Forum! Nice volume, body movement, and dynamics! To be alive with nerves is a beautiful human experience, even if it doesn't feel so good. You did it! Every time it will get a bit easier! Way to go!

Thank you so much Peisen for posting your video! I am so happy!
Thanks so much for subscribing Guitar Wisdom!
Yes! Please don't worry about the result at all!
Doing this is amazing meaningful thing to me, to you and to everyone!
So great to hear that my lessons are very helpful.

Very smooth and it's a nice pace. Nice tone! This exercise seems easy but it is pretty difficult if you know what to pay attention.
Your dynamics part is very good too! Overall technique issues: You can pick a little more toward the front pickup.
Now your palm is almost sitting on the bridge so try to use floating style and use your palm muting to mute the 6th & the 5th strings. This past is very difficult too. Please watch other subscribers fingering. When you are going up... Please keep 1 2 3 4 fingers on the fretboard/string very lightly until you finish your 4th finger / last note. Use less pressure from your left fingers.
Your thumb position should be a little lower. Timing of both hands must match! When you going down... 2nd note, your left finger is 0.5 second faster than your picking! 4th finger, should move less! In order to understand these issues fully, I suggest to watch this video 5-6 times. Posture is good too! Well done!

You're very welcome!
Thank you!

Tomo

Hi Peisen,
Great sound! Glad you made it to the challenge and got it done this month that is awesome!! - johno

Hi! Peisen!
So happy meet you!
Yes,I also participate this beautiful challenge when I first came Guitar Wisdom ,
Then I meet company all over the world!
So lucky!
Looking forward to seeing your guitar journey!

Thank you Linda! So happy to hear what you said here! George, Sammi and I are knew that we can make great lessons. But communication part, especially "The Forum" to make more active and make fun place! Yes! We (include all of you members) made "Guitar Wisdom" So special! No other place like this! I am so proud of all of you and I am so grateful to have you!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Tomo

I appreciate your message, Linda! I used to think, "Well, maybe I shouldn't comment because these people are here for Tomo..." but this challenge made me realize that we are all here for each other. Every person has something valuable to add by sharing their experience, and to add to Jiayang's point, it makes us feel we are not alone.

Sammi, your comments and support have been such a valuable contribution to this! Same goes for the live stream. I can tell how much you care about Guitar Wisdom!

We love Sami!
We love Sami's idea , and Sami's encouragement!
You've really done a great dedication for us,Cheer for you!

Rulyna so nice to meet you! Beautifully done across the board. It seems you and I may be kindred spirits when it comes to picking though! I have a tendency to pick away (out) from the string instead o a smaller motion across it. Let's improve on this together in 2025! Cheers!

Thank you so much Rylyna for posting your video!
So happy to see that you are using the Ibanez AZES31!
Thanks so much for subscribing Guitar Wisdom over 2 years! Amazing!

Your body motion and your posture is really good! Nice tone! Very smooth run. Your pace / choice of tempo is good too. Let's look into some detail issues on your technique. You can pick a little more toward the front pickup. Your picking can be a little move smaller. This past is very difficult to control. When you are going down...4 3 2 1 , you need to play a little slower so that you can control both hand timing. Dynamics part is very hard too! I know you are trying very hard. This part you need to play slower and think each time gradually play softer. Dynamics part, when you are going down... a little too fast. It is difficult to play slower!

Yes! Oneline learning... mostly no feedback! That's why when people are watching a lot of YouTube videos and spend hours of practicing... won't work well because focusded on what positions or what patterns to play exactly... without details in techniques!
Good job! You are making videos for yourself so you are checking and noticing important parts.

I watched many videos (challenge videos) a lot. If you watch each member's videos 5 times each! Then you can learn so much!
You can see good part and you can see typical issues. Very valuable lessons on this thread itself! Amazing!

Thank you.

Tomo

Wow , So happy to see you Rulyna!
Love you spirit! Your performance is so peaceful!
I think check you own video is really amazing job,
Because we have to put effort to find our own problems.
Really needs time to think , feel, but gradually make people enjoy the intimacy with guitar, so meaningful.
Like Mr.Fujita say: We are not playing, We'r working , for better life!
So honor to learn from everybody here, You guys teaching me a lot of things, I learn more than guitar , is about how to be a better person ,then we will touching our's guitar, feel it, enjoy it with love for the whole word !
Cheers! Jiayang:)

Very nice video. I am starting to record myself too, this way I can give myself feedback. Love what you do. Keep it up.

Rulyna you have great tone. I would love to see other music that you play. Excellent comment on the feedback, I think that is what has made this challenge so good.

Tomo, I loved how you said you are still learning. Such a lesson for all!

Great job Chrisitian! Te salio muy bien.

I also got really nervous when the camera started recording! All of a sudden I felt super self conscious haha.

I guess that's the difference between practicing in solitude vs having an audience. The more you do it the more you get used to it. And you're doing it! Great job man.

Greetings Christian! 2 years with GW makes me a quasi-newbie! Nice to meet you. Nicely done on that rock guitar! Cheers!

Thanks so much Ken!

Thanks for your kind words Mati.

Thank you Christian for posting your video!
Thanks so much for subscribing Guitar Wisdom over 2 years!
Very happy to hear that!

Your tone is really nice. Overall very smooth. Your pace is good. Nice and slow.
Dynamics part is good too. I think you need to slow down a little when you are going down 4 3 2 1...
And keep your 4 3 2 1 finger position should be prepared before you go 4 3 2 1 ...
So when you play your 4th finger, you should put 3 2 1 fingers on the string (lightly)
If you watch other member's challenge videos, you can understand this part. Not easy!
You can straight your posture a little bit and you should make your strap a little shorter.
Well done! Good job!

Thank you.

Tomo