Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Hi Sammi, I thought your previous post struck a good chord, so I am revisiting it here:

Advice from Sammi's previous post :)
SAMMI you mentioned
"Firing off the questions, I love it! My wheels are turning on that last part...

"Biggest thing wondering about is around thinking that what I am working on , is it right technique really? How can you know what needs to be corrected if you don’t even really know everything to look for? If practicing hours even slightly wrong way this could ruin our dream."

This is where regularly recording your practice and performance plays a key role in your progress. When I say regularly, I mean every week or couple of weeks, NOT every day. You can think of it like a football team reviewing the tapes from their last game (or whatever sports people do lol). Review your recording the next day or a few days later, even if you think you don't know what to look for. Just get in the habit of reviewing and analyzing. Waiting a few days helps you manage your expectations and approach it objectively.

Sometimes having a list of steps helps people, so here is an example:
1. Listen to the recording without watching it. Write down anything you notice by listening (positive, negative, etc.)
2. Play the recording another time, this time listening and watching. Write down anything you notice by watching.
3. Find one positive and one negative to focus on and find the time stamp in the recording (for easy review)
4. Go back to the positive part and ask yourself what's going right?
5. Go back to the negative part and ask yourself what's going wrong?

Investigate both! Reinforce good habits and try to kick bad ones. Of course, this is somewhat simplified, but I think it gets the point across. We are human and we will doubt ourselves, but it's essential to take action even when we feel uncertain so we keep moving forward. Recording and reviewing later on is one way to become a better guitar teacher to yourself. I think Tomo says something like, "if you do... you will find out!"

Ramble on!

Sammi"

I like your advice and approach on video ideas. Any suggestions on how to organize practice videos? I guess transfer from phone to computer and tag it? Trying to think of a method to not spend too much time messing around on the technology machines. My setup is simple walk in, plug in guitar, turn on Amp, and practice. For video recording, I did figure out to use a car windshield suction cup holder thing to hold the phone, it was easier and more stable than my music stand.

If there are other suggestions or ideas on practice video learning techniques from folks, please share, any advice is well received :) - johno

Totally agree with this thread , very thanks for Sammi 's method !!
Today I use this method to check the video about the practice recorded yesterday , and first I do listen no watch , this is what I write on my paper -

Positive : most cases , the sound is clean

negative : Voice is hard , no soft .
The sustain about the note between note not so well .

How to not missing the practice ! WoW , so great 's question !
This is really a great idea , just walk in , plug in guitar , turn on Amp !

李jiayang agreed with johno:
"This is really a great idea , just walk in , plug in guitar , turn on Amp !"

I'll add: Don't forget to tune up before you start. :-)

I love the idea of keeping it simple. Using my phone to record is convenient. I need a suction cup!

Every day we pick up our guitar is a great day.
Kurt

Thank you Johno, JiaYang and Kurt!

I love this forum so much!
I am so grateful!

Tomo

Re: Best Practices for Recording and Organizing Videos

We’ve learned that simplicity is key, so keep that in mind while considering the following ideas and suggestions.

1. Gooseneck Phone Holder: Look it up! You’ll find many variations of the same thing. They are more affordable than tripods and offer greater flexibility for adjusting your setup.
*I purchased one for Tomo to use at Berklee when he records with his phone. Just be sure to read reviews to ensure the neck can support the weight of your phone.

2. Recording Videos on Your Phone: If you record videos on your phone and plan to keep them there, start each recording by stating the date and what you’re playing. This way, when you refer back to the videos, you can listen to the beginning and quickly determine if you have the right recording.
*If possible, save your recordings in a separate album on your phone to make them easier to locate. If you’re like me, you'll have many animal pictures to scroll through!

3. Uploading to Your Computer: When you upload videos to your computer, save them in a designated folder on your desktop. Edit the title of each video file to reflect the content and the date of recording. For example, you could title it "Bb Blues R37 3/5/25," or whatever date format you prefer. Once you've uploaded and saved the videos, you can delete them from your phone to free up space.

The most important thing is to create a system that works for you. Consider your future self: what will motivate you to record each week? What will make it easier to find the right video when you're reviewing? These ideas relate to the "preparation" component that Tomo emphasizes. Putting in that little extra effort, even on days when you don't feel like it, will benefit you the next time you practice.

Your welcome Tomo and crew :) you all inspire me so much as guitar players. To me Sammi's advice is important because it will help create better videos and learn with self challenges. Yes, remember to tune up to pitch!! Yet, I am wondering if there are recommendations of phone recoding tools that would make this way of learning simple and easy without a bunch of computer work. All this technology, there must be something simple. Anyways, it is something to figure out. Is it just as simple to load all practice to YouTube, and only share certain videos keep others private?

Excellent advice and suggestions. Definitely focused on simplicity and ease of use. To be doing so many videos all the time, I wanted to start with a method that the professionals use or similar. I appreciate your advice Tomo and Sammi. My phone recording organization/practice/review strategy will benefit (: Great information, Thank you, - johno