Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

In the new FT01 video, Tomo mentions palm muting while playing the chromatic exercise. Is the palm muting to keep the lower two strings (5, 6) from ringing? Or is it to end the sustain on the notes you're playing? Or both?

Love that we now have these 2 new Foundation Technique lessons. It helps me a lot to practice along with him to absorb and assimilate the details into my playing. Great review of November challenge too.

FT01 Simple Chromatic Scale Exercise 1 2 3 4
https://tomovhxtv.vhx.tv/start-here/videos/ft01-simple-chromatic-scale-exercise-1-2-3-4

FT02 Chromatic Scale Exercise 1 2 1 2
https://tomovhxtv.vhx.tv/start-here/videos/ft02-chromatic-scale-exercise-1-2-1-2

Thanks, Tomo and GW team for helping us keep going and growing!
Kurt

Chromatic and beyond!

Mr. Fujita. I have a serious question about palm muting and bouncing (as you mentioned somewhere before). I am working on the Chromatic Scale 1 2 3 4 exercise every day. I am left-handed.

First, it is difficult for me to hold my entire picking hand above the strings while picking. I have a habit of using my pinky and third finger to steady my picking hand. I seem to get more stability, but should I be doing that, or should I be floating my hand above the strings as I have seen you do?

Also, with my picking hand, I am generally not palm muting the 6 and 5 strings. I am muting the top strings with my index finger pretty well.

Do I let the string sustain as long as I can, then do I bounce the fleshy part of my palm underneath my thumb down and mute the strings, then bounce up to hit the next note? I am confused about how to do this because I am left-handed. I think I am doing it backwards. I tried to get a good look at how you did it in a video, but it is not clear to me.

Could you please clarify these two issues for me?

Thank you.

Thank you for responding so quickly. You are much appreciated!

I will continue to go super slow on the 4th string, allowing for good sustain and no noise. Though I do notice my fingers want to stick to the string as they come off it (especially descending), and that makes a small string noise. Should I go even slower?

The floating picking style will be a challenge since I have made a bad habit, but I will be patient and not worry. I will focus on making the new habit. HAHA. Yes, I am a very visual person. Videos would be wonderful to see. I am working mentally on expecting too fast. I'm taking deep breaths. HAHA. Thank you for your gentle reminders.

All my best,
Scott

Here is my video:

Mr. Fujita. For this video, I have the guitar on 8, Deluxe Reverb on normal channel one, volume 4, treble 10, bass 3.5. Pickboy 1.0mm.

Nice job Scott.
Keep working on chromatics in order to get it smooth like Tomo.
It took me a while to figure out exactly what I should be working on when practicing chromatics but here’s what I think it is:
1.) Sustain each note right up until you switch fingers
2.) Try not to make any string / finger noise.
Keep going.

Hi Scott! Thank you for sharing your video.
It's a great clean tone!
I never get bored of practicing chromatics.
Let's keep practicing together!

Ok - learned two new things today and I’m super excited about them.
1st is if you don’t press down on the string with your fingers behind the note you’re playing (and just lightly mute the string by hovering), when you lift your lead finger there is less string noise.
2nd is if you keep the thumb lower on the back of the neck (as Tomo is constantly reminding me), it’s easier to mute all the strings on the up stroke without getting any harmonics. For example when doing R 3 7 swing.
These are probably things Tomo has expressly stated but it just reached me today.
😊

Thank you, Tadashi! We'll keep going together!

I am finding that it is very important for me to position my picking hand over the first pickup in order to consistently palm mute the first two strings. I'm putting into practice Tomo's slight bouncing technique with palm muting. I'm also trying to mute the 5th string with the index finger of my fretting hand at the same time. I love how all this detail is helping me to learn technique and focus better. Thank you everyone for your wonderful feedback!

Richard, I am seeing this also about less string noise. Thank you for that. I am having string noise when I lift my finger, so I will try your suggestion.

Good job Scott! Very inspiring! Please keep going!

Tomo

2nd Chromatic 1234 Practice Video

Beautiful work Scott! More sustain now! Good job!

Your tone is really good too! I am so happy! From 5th fret to 9th fret = Great!

Please remember... slower when you are going down! You heard it!

I only listen this twice but I want to listen more! Keep going slow!

Tomo

Yes. I did. HAHA. Thank you Tomo! I started November 5th. 90 days. I will do it! This is so awesome. It's helping me focus so much more.

Scott