Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Thanks, Jeffrey.
Did you guys go trick or treating?
Kurt

Good feel. Good taste. Good job! Thanks for sharing, Kurt!

GM

We've had 2 trick or treaters.
They were soaked.
We loaded them up good :-)
Kurt

Jeffrey, you will remember that forever.

Aloha my family!

I love this place!
You also love this place!
That’s the truth!

That’s why you’re hearing my voice as you read. It’s a comforting voice, I hope. That’s good because the truth can be scary!
But this is not-scary because it’s the truth, and the not-truth. The truth comes in pairs.

Everyone is speaking their truth,
and it’s all true. The truth is self-evident.
Otherwise we would not be here.

Everything is a reflection of the truth.
Nothing is not a reflection of the not-truth.
These sentences mean the same thing…?

What is nothing?
Nothing is like a necklace of 108 dark beads around the neck joined by a light wooden ring about the same weight and size as the other beads. It’s a bead but also a not-bead. A representation of the idea of nothing.

Nothing is nothing but everything exists because of it. Not because of it, arises from it. Like between zero and one.
And we count to a gazillion everyday.
Too easy.
Longest path is always the shortest path…which is exactly what Kurt is doing. Mic drop.
I love Kurt, he is my big bro!
But not an ugly thud, a beautiful sound like an inexpensive mechanical metronome running inside a shoebox without the ringy-dingy because it sounds like that beautifully unobtrusively consistent wooden knock of a simple metronome. Or your heart, only heard when the self is most quiet.

But to actually hear the truth, you have to hear the truth and not-truth.

I think after all…the act of crossing the boundary between self and not-self…is an act of hope…if it is always an act on behalf of the truth, for positive generational change. I know I can do it because it’s already been done so many times.

An act of hope is like going for a real hike, your foot reaching out for the stability of the earth. Again again again, with joy.

That is why Tomo always says “enjoy your practice”.
Because it’s the truth.

But the act
is only realized,
it is only seen,
it is only heard,
it is only felt,
it is only understood,
like a heart beat,
between the beats,
the beat, and the not-beat.

There is no sound without joy.
All sound exists with joy.

Aloha my family!

Way to lay down your flow Sunil!
Like Kerouac, we love you!

Kurt

Yes, finally!
Exactly my big brother.
Now there is the man and the not-man.
Now the beat arises.

Hey Linda,
It sure is fun to play that guitar. 75th anniversary "Road Worn" Fender Vintera 1970's Telecaster Deluxe.
It was made in 2021 and I bought it used in 2022.
Road worn means it's "no biggie" if I bump into things with it :-)
Kurt

Thanks Jeff!
I was hesitant to step on the button :-)
Kurt

Oh boy! Love so much about this one.
The playing,
The sound.
The message, especially at the end.
This is important material.
You and all our friends inspire me to keep working and trying to get better (while having fun).

Title is ok too :-)
Kurt

You made me so happy! Thanks so much Kurt! I just played with feeling! I just made up that message at the end ...just because that was what I felt very strong. Yes! We are working together! I love that title! People loved it!

Tomo

Tomo, love this video. Beautiful playing. And a beautiful guitar. Of course I want one.

That's such a valuable message being thankful about one's parents (sometimes a challenge!).

You say "Guitar makes my life so good". Yes, I understand that, but I also think that it's the man behind the guitar. You have used the guitar to make your life good. Perhaps for Tomo it could have been a guitar, or a piano, or karate, or the cullinary arts. So many things that you may have chosen to enrich your life. The guitar is one of those tools. It works for you because (and I recite your own message back to you here)...."Because you are so special".

Thanks for reading.

Yes exactly Linda.
So many word, still not enough.
So many ideas, still not enough.
So much practice, still not enough…

I think we all have these soap bubbles floating by in our heads. So pretty, so many colors spinning in the sunlight.
All bubbles have emotions, and other stuff attached. All pop, then what?
I think the only thing left is the truth.
After all the labels, after all the emotions,
…another beautiful bubble about that Aerosmith song…how the word “emotions” is stretched as he sings…pop…still thirsty for the truth.

What is the truth…breath…I take a step…find the truth…breath…I take a step…

I look up, so many walking with me, I am so happy, I am not alone, I am grateful…good emotions keeping me alive maybe this is the truth. But what is the truth.
I know this sounds so corny…but hey it’s your twenty bucks a month…haha…pop…why are we all here though…
Breathe, take a step…find the truth.
Guitar for me is the truth now, so many times as a young boy, young college student, until I met my wife…pop…like so many others here…pop, pop, pop…pop all the bubbles. What is left…

I could add so many words…after a while I realize we are using the words. I can write about ideas but same result.

I asked my six year old daughter yesterday, “what is the biggest number you can think ok?” She said “a gazillion”…I say “that sounds a hella lotta numbers but thats not a name of a number that all people think of right now but maybe many do. I don’t know, I’m an eng, not a mathematician. Then she says one trillion. I wonder how does she know this…no one on this planet in its entire history, I am pretty sure, has counted a one trillion. If I count one number every second that passes…I wonder how long…pop…I ask “Kimaya, have you ever counted to one trillion, how do you know what it is?” Reply, “some one told me”…runs off. …pop.

Maybe someone figured this truth out…so many teacher out there…but when the bubble clear I hear Tomo…sounds like the truth…eyebrows so funny, reminds me of my Acha…passed now six year…I miss my dad…we listened to music together…all music…all loud…I like to watch all the stuff on the mantle dance and rattle and fall off. Acha catches it usually and we laugh…pop…good memory, I took a picture of it and keep it in my pocket. So many pictures in my good pictures in my pocket…pop…pop…pop…sound like the metronome…click…clack…click…clack…breathing…I am so good at breathing…I have been breathing for almost 56 now…I must be the breather in the world!! Haha that’s a silly bubble…but I know my mom has been breathing longer than me hmm…interesting thought…I take a picture and put it in my pocket…what was I talking about?…oh yeah metronome…click…breathe…clack…thinking about my day…click…I am going to pick my silver silver sky today…it’s like Tomo’s and reflects all colors…so cool…did I get it before I learned about Tomo or after…I’m not sure…pop…I’m going to play 30 minutes each time I pick it up…10 min of diligent, earnest focus…of the list of things in my notebook…clack…I went for a long, 4 or 5 miles (how many km…10?) now my knee is hurting but it will be fine in a few days…pop..pop..pop…click…clack…click…clack…

I just watched the video again. I missed so much before. Yes Maestro! I am beginning to understand! Pop! :)

Thank you Linda. Good morning!
I think it is the same with teachers and students. So now, when I think of what Tomo is saying I am holding this visualization of my parents, myself, and my children. Instead of watching myself only right now, I will watch how the truth moves through time…erhm…you know something like that.

I’m also learning not to do drugs!
I’ve been making drugs in the morning and sharing with my wife for many years now…sometimes, I think maybe this is the only reason we are together…but now my 11 yo is using what we don’t in the morning…it is very high quality and I tell her to dilute and she does…and now sometimes she is going to not-so-good sources and they cut it with I don’t know what…these drug dealers she goes to with her friends have become very large, and dangerous.

Also finding the drugs make my heart race and hands feel very sweaty and uncomfortable to play.

So I have finally switched to strong black tea in the mornings!

And Kavya doesn’t go to The Starbucks Corporation with her friends anymore…I think…I hope…not such a big problem as I thought it was.

I am glad I was able to look at this pattern with no moral judgement, deep empathy and compassion while still being kind to myself. We are all human beings.

All interesting states of mind.

I heard if you drink coffee before you exercise in the morning you will crash after lunchtime.

I haven't been to a Starbucks since the Starbucks owner sold my Seattle Supersonics basketball team to a guy who moved them to Oklahoma City in 2007.
Kurt

Yes, lots of games with caffeine.
Insidious drug, like alcohol, like nicotine.
Speeds up the heart.
I have diabetes now.
Caffeine also affects hormones system …idk…I get all this info from my drug dealer. Actually, she writes a note to her subordinate…then that person gives me the drugs. I have to take metformin morning and evening, statin only in the evening. Drugs are keeping me alive man.

Don’t do drugs though. It’s a good rule but then how did anesthesiology arise? How did religions arise? These are good things. But we are not shamen now…just use your closest super computer to search the supermind.

See how Joe, Stevie, Miles, the Trane…how did they live? How did they not-live.

The brain reaches physical maturity around 25 years old for men, earlier for women.
Look around at the other maestros, the ones that left early in their lives especially…

I want to get high like Tomo, just from playing the guitar. (Do not smoke your guitar friends..bad for you…really bad for guitar! Hahaha)

I will be holding these thoughts in my heart while I think of the great Leland in the sky.

Oh there he is now…sup Leland…man…I love the beard…check out this beard maaan…I’ve been growing it for 56 years…yeah I know you can’t see my breard…yeah man…too itchy…gotta shave it of every week or so…also hate shaving…what…where did you go Leland? Where you at bro? Man so rude…was he even here at all…?

Leland in the Sky!
Oh my Sklars!

Willie says it's ok to smoke him, but not yet.

Kurt

'Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die"

Kurt, love you man. I think you really are my big brother. Even though I’m the oldest, and even though we may never meet. Haha.

Hey man, don’t smoke Willie either. Haha…maybe wipe Willie’s ashes all over your forehead and say “oooooohm” a lot? Eee. Idk man…but that’s what got me into being an eng.

Hahaha. Good to laugh.

Hi Tomo!
I watched it 2 times last night :-)
It is amazing. I'm absorbing it!
I left the comment below on the original post.
Kurt
>>
Wow Tomo!
Thank you for sharing this one. It is special.
That sound is so beautiful! It's fun to hear about the history of your guitars.
The 1967 335 makes me think of you now- instead of just Freddie King and Larry Carlton :-)

Love how you put it, "Brightness and Sweetness. Loose, but tight!"

It's fun to watch you enjoying playing the blues!

Important point you made about keeping at one thing for "90 days" :-).
One day you get confidence as you improve, and you get energy to push forward to be better, not best.
Thank you very much for the nice words about me and everybody here at the GW Forum at the end too!
It's fun to stick around here with you and everyone.
Kurt

As always, super inspirational playing and words. Thanks Tomo!

Thanks so much Clay! My pleasure! I am so grateful!

Tomo

Kurt! This 335 video is up now! I did use this as a title of this video. I can compare two titles.

Title 1
What guitar can make "Brightness and Sweetness. Loose, but tight!" TONE?
Title 2
Can you play blues? Really good?

Tomo

I vote for Title #1.

Hi Tomo,
I love the way you just let those blues unfold when you play.
It keeps the listener wondering what you will do next. So Musical!!!

The idea of working toward getting "better" really hit me.
Maybe a title could be:

Work on getting "Better" (not being "Perfect" or "Best".)

Everyone can get "Better" no matter where they start.
"Better" is a journey. Only competing with your past self. It's about progress and growth.

"Best" is limiting and depends on comparisons, "Best" creates pressure to compete, not grow.

"Perfection" is unattainable. Chasing "Perfection" leads to frustration and burnout.

I wish I had a title that would break the internet :-)
Kurt

Hi Kurt! I just posted new "Jam with my Berklee student" video on my YouTube channel.

Thank you.

Tomo

Oh, that is really nice and so helpful to hear and see. Thanks for sharing!
Love when you play with those talented, hardworking students of yours!
Very inspiring!
Kurt

Thanks so much Kurt! I just saw your comment too! Thank you! Tommy can play many notes and a great player. But too many notes! So I picked super simple chord progression and limited things so he had to play simple!

Tomo

That was very cool, Tomo. Echo what Kurt mentioned about being able to watch...helps to confirm the chords. This will be fun to practice along with.

Thank you Jeff! So great to hear that! This video is all about blues playing! Yes! Most people add vibrato too automatic way! I hold it and wait a little then I add vibrato. Thank you so much! Bb Blues is very deep! You're very welcome!

Tomo

You're killing it Kurt! That was great.

Thanks Clay.
I'm going to keep working. Triads added in next.
I may never had heard of that tune if it wasn't for GW!
Happy to be here enjoying my journey.
Kurt

Lovely playing Kurt! You are dueting with me! So good! Following with those chords! Thank you for your support!

Tomo

Thank you Tomo!
Kurt

And yet another cool guitar. Beautiful, Kurt! You and Tomo complement each other so nicely.

Thank you sir!
That is a 2017 Fender CS '50's Telecaster Thinline. Aztec Gold! It's light!
I want to try some flat wound strings on it sometime. I never play it.
Kurt

Thanks George.
Good idea. It would have been a lot better. More Bossa! Would have been easier too
Should have fingerpicked R37 chords with the rhythm.
I think I played bigger chords because I had just seen his video on playing those chords for that song.
Could have picked them, but R37 would have been better.
Have a great day!
Kurt

Thank you Sammi!
Kurt

Blue Funk it is!
Eiji

Thank you Tomo!
Love it! Funky School! He sounds great! You both do :-)

Very fun, cool progression. That last chord sounded like only notes D,C,E and G.

I think the progression might be:
G7
G9 (or Bdim7)
C7
Dmin11 (no 3rd(F), no 5th(A) ?.

I practiced with both of you today!
Thanks!
Kurt

I tried to record practice earlier but thought it was silly and deleted my one attempt to record.
I just looked at it again and thought I'd give you a laugh.
I don't know what I'm doing but I have fun :-)
Also wanted to show Jeff I'm in the White Strat (Jeff Beck version) Club too :-)
Kurt

Fun! Love that guitar.

Thank you Eiji!

Funky!

Tomo