Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Wow, what a clean sound, what a cool guitar!
Thanks for the great video, Tyler!

Hi Tyler!
Thanks for the video!
Good eye on the repeating triad inversion shape. I have to make sure I mute when I move those long distances. Especially with the amp cranked.
The first inversion of C and D looked like you used the first and third finger.
I have a Gretsch like that - The Chet 6120 model. Same amazing color.
Thanks for sharing!

Kurt
My beard looks like I lightly "touched" (not pressed) my slightly damp chin in the sugar bowl.

WOW ! Super amazing video Tyler , I watch a few times !
Clear mind , don't worry , even if the absent some times :)

Some way the forum is aways talk one string approach , and " Not looking " to play , some way is " How to accept the mistaken then learn from them .

So encouraging me Tyler , the video and your spirit , is so great that you sharing the experience , really help people !

Great observations, Tyler.

Tyler, I am totally in love with your video thank you so much for sharing. I think I do too much start stop I have not reached that realization. It has really helped me. Appreciation.

Very great progress Clay. Well done.

Amazing work, Clay! So good to hear how foundational work is helping you. Keep going!

Thank you Clay for Week 4 / Day 5.

Thanks for watching my Slow Blues in C / C Slow Blues… It is hard to stay in slow tempo. Best way to record yourself a little more often so you will notice when you start pushing your tempo. You need to catch yourself on your habits. Yes! Slow swing groove is so good to play with this video. I am so happy to hear that!

Good job! Chromatic 1212 on 4th & 3rd strings. I did this in morning. And R 3 7 Swing with super slow tempo. I don’t use a metronome now. Because I want to play as slow as I can get. Slower than 40 per beat. Great! I play with very loud amp so I have no choice to pick softer & hold a pick super light.

R 3 7 Swing groove. You can learn a few jazz standards like Autumn Leaves or All of me. Only need a few for a few months. Do same song everyday and play it for 7-8 times without confusion on chord progressions.

Think, say nots name before you play notes. Great challenge!
You are learning and doing very well.

Tomo

Thank you Serena & Sammi for encouragement.

Great progress and cosistant work!

He really reviewed foundation parts!

Yes! Keep going!

PS, Listening Joe Pass Vertuoso …this song Cherokee!
I never copied his notes but I have listened this so many times and without knowing… I use a few phrases from this solo.

Tomo

Thanks for your suggestions Tomo. I will watch your videos for those standards. I got the Real Book a few months ago too, but haven't focused on that.

Thank you Jeffrey!

Great demonstration on triad inversions!

Tomo

Right on Jeffery. I haven't gotten to try that yet, so busy with main focus July Triad challenge. I watched the video though. Good stuff.

Nice solid practice, Jeffrey! Thanks for updating us. Hope to hear you "play with Tomo" like Kurt!

Thank you Jeffrey!

Good job on Chromatic 1212 for 15 minutes! Lately I am adding a little more time on Chromatic 1212. So great for performance. Reviewing Triad Inversions. G, C and D. Great!

Thank you for checking out my Flying V slow blues! I love slow blues a lot! Great for my soul. i wish I have more time listening old records & play more blues!

Thanks so much for your kind words!
Good job!

Tomo

Thank you Serena & Sammi for encouragement!

Fun to play & jam with good simple slow blue!

Very solid practice! That would be nice to hear “Play with Tomo” Like Kurt!

Keep going!

Tomo

Will do.

Great job Kurt. I have been noticing some breath holding on my part too. Bad for me.

This is so great, Kurt! Good job noticing more and more. Thank you for sharing your experience :)

Echo this comment about touching the fret wire lightly. I discovered this during Chromvember but still am working to make it default habit.

Thank you everyone!

At GW … we do not press frets!
We lighly touch the fret wire! Super duper soft touch!

Thank you Linda for mentioning our Chromvember!
We made something so valuable together!

Tomo

Thank you Kurt for Week 4 / Day 6.

Good job for a long July Challenge! Yes! I have seen your everyday’s work! Amazing commitment and pure hard work! Beautiful consistency!

Thanks for mentioning these points!
Very important to have a good relaxed posture and natural breathing while you are practicing and playing guitar.

Think this way… I am still fighting / working / paying a lot of attention on “Less pressure / left hand “ becuase it’s so natural to press it than lightly touching. So it’s not natural to control “Lightly touch the fret wire” Constant reminder that you need to pay attention. So first, don’t play anything. Feel something inside of you… play it slowly thinking about ‘ Light Touch!

You’re very welcome! Glad to be helpful!
Good job! I don’t press… touching lightly!

I think this July Challenge.. I learned so much!
Lightly touch & Slower …. I love limitation very much!

Tomo

This is a treat!
Thanks, Tomo. Great view of how the volume swell uses 2 fingers. Pinky and third. The volume control is in a good spot on that guitar.
Kurt

I feel like we just got to see part of your heart that not all get to see. Thank you for sharing, Tomo!

Can't wait to try! More cat bends, with volume swells artificial harmonics too. Thanks Tomo!

Thank you Kurt!

I thought you would enjoy it so I didnot prepare anything...just turn that amp and played about 5 minutes.

Yes. I did a few volume swell. That's so great about Stratocatser type guitar.

Tomo

Thank you Tyler!

You guys are my family! I can show all! I played some chords in the beginning then I played more about my feeling! Very raw!

You're very welcome!

Tomo

you said it Richard practice, practice improve. Well done.

All great notes, Richard! "Getting better each day" Yes indeed!

Richard shared his wisdom:

" I think, no look, no noise, soft, slow, sing, say, identify, play, absorb".

That sums up what I am telling myself this month Richard!
Kurt

Thank you Richard for Week 4 / Day 6.

Great practice routine with Chromatic 1212 on 4th string. I practiced this on 4th & 3rd string in morning. Good job! Right hand palm lighly on lower strings. It’s hard to play this slowly but you are doing well!

Bb Swing Blues! Slow is better! Especially up stroke. Make sure hit all the strings and mute really well by lrft hand muting technique. Great! Super slow and light. I drop my pick very often.

C Major Scale. Single string. 5th string. G Major scale. 3rd string. 3 patterns. No looking. No noise. Soft, Slow, sing, say, identify, absorb and all! Well done! Don’t worry! Keep going!

Traid Inversions. Top 3 strings. G, C and D. Yes. Play 3 inversions then next! Please enjoy! You can play I IV V I sound.

Great preparation. Warm-up. Practice & practice = Imorove!
You are improving! Yes! Keep going!

Tomo

Thank you Serena, Sammi, Kurt for encouragement.

Richard is practicing so good! He is improving!

Yes! Great notes! Getting better each day indeed!

Yes! I love that part. " I think, no look, no noise, soft, slow, sing, say, identify, play, absorb”.

Tomo

Way to Serena - What a great update! Lots to dig into. Yes the rogue pinky! I too have that affliction that I am working on removing. The floating hand...
We continue :)

Thank you Al. Now I get what the floating hand is. Lol.

There is so much to think about, Serena...like Tomo has said, "It's very busy!"
When it comes to wondering if you should do this or that, do both, but one at a time. It doesn't have to be in the same practice, or even in the same week. You'll chip away at it.
Thank you, as always, for sharing with us!

Thank you Serena for Week 4 / Day 6.

A lot of notes! Great job! You are working very hard each day!

Good job for noticing something during your chromatic exercises. Chromatic scale 1212 on 4th string so you can palm mute by ruight hand on 5th and 6th strings. Good job on Single String Triads & Scale (3 patterns). Record yourself is so good! Don’t worry for uploading videos.

Good job on triad inversions. 2-3 times very slowly. Use less presure on left hand. Pick softly.
For Triad inversions, try to swtch from any inversions on 123 set strings. Don’t over think!
Once you learn each inversons… no need to think too much. You already learned all name of notes & intervals.

You should know each inversions clearly & you can also focus on top note.
G 1st, 2nd, root… top note = R, 3rd, 5th …
Great on bonus work on G blues! Play all 3 possible inversions from each chord.

Please don’t worry about commenting everyone! Many pages & many replies! It took me 5 hours yesterday. I listened Joe Pass Virtuoso on Week 4 so I think I listened over 30 times! Now I can hear each song so cleary without that album!

I only look my Instagram for 5 minutes. Post my morning post. Then I put my phone down. Even my wife texted me. I only check when I can.I am so good at my time management because I need to do many things everyday without any frustration. So i do things very slow but no distractions.

Good job telling your family about your important quiet time.

I love this forum so much! Everyone is doing so amazing!

Keep going!

Tomo

Thank you Al for encouragment!

I took care of my picking technique when I was a Berklee student.

It was hard to change. 2-3 months.. I felt like a beginner because I needed to slow down.

But those few months … struggle then I feel so free and I can feel improving more and more!

Floarting hand is so good!
Keep going!
Keep working!

Tomo

So fantastic Al. We do keep going up.

Yes we do, Al!

Thank you Al for Week 4 / Day 3.

Good job! Reviewing G triads. Not looking. Slowly! Great to hear that! I practice everything very slowly.
Please enjoy I IV V I triads.

Yes! Keep going!

Tomo

Thank you Sammi.

Thank you Sammi for your notes!

You are doing amazing job!

Tomo

Worthy to note Sammi ;) Greatly Appreciated, - johno

Thanks for this month Kurt! Have enjoyed reading your comments as always. I’m also trying to know the note names faster. And a lot of what you’ve mention am working on too
Tonight practiced G C D G triads. Pressing lightly trying to play as soft as possible. I believe I’ve found a new softer dynamic. I keep thinking about what Tomo said about pressing down until you reach the feet. Softer. Am excited to deploy this maybe will use on string 1 up higher sometimes. We’ll see where it takes me

Fret

Lol

Hi Jeffrey!
It's fun to read everyone's practice updates. We've been staying on it!

Knowing the note names fast feels so good when it happens (if we notice).
Yes- Finding the new softer dynamic!
My breakthrough on dynamics really started when I cranked my amp and could use my pick to control volume. You can really play softly!
Also, I was pressing lightly. Now I'm touching lightly :-)

Kurt
New Softer Dynamics and Beyond!

A month well played Kurt.

Solid practice Clay! This is so good for us!
Yes! I think of Tomo too, as I pass the 5th fret and play softer!
Kurt

It's been fun Clay. Well done

Clay, I've really enjoyed your contributions to the forum.

Thank you Clay for Week 4 / Day 7!
You did it! Great job!

Good job! Playing your comping with my slow blues.
I am curuous that did you do this first then Chromatic 1212?

Go slower! 50 is too fast! Set a metronome a little then play it no metronome then check with a metronome at the end. Keep going slower and catch yourself when you go faster that your starting point.

Chromatic 1212… do softer after 2nd run and go softer and softer almost no sound. Keep it slow!
Keep all softer side if you want to keep same dynamics.

Good job working on triad arpeggios & C Scale Jam over FMaj7 / Am7 G

You’re very welcome!
George, Sammi and I are so excited to see everyone’s comments & conversations.

So amazing! Beautiful forum! Yes indeed! What a great community! Please tell this to outside of GW!
Keep going!

Tomo

Thank you Kurt, Serena & Linda for encouragement!

Great soild practice! I go 2nd run, I go softer.

Well done & fun!

Great contributions to the forum!

Tomo

Love your vision Richard. So much growth.

Cheer for you Richard !
I love your words , sometimes make me big laugh , sometimes is provide so clear mind and inversion for us !
This is best Richard !

Thank you Richard for Week 4 / Day 7!
Amaing job! It went pretty fast for me.

Thanks so much your encouragement for eveyone at GW!
What a great community! Because people like you!

Good job! Continue! Keep writing your notes on your note book!
Your goals are excellent! These are great foundations that will help you as a player!

1) Ear Training with regoginition on intervals, note name, singing, movable Do
2) The Fretboard knowledges by Major Scale/One String Approach. Triad Inversions.
3) Techniques. Soft touch / left hand pressure. Right hand palm muting. Soft picking.

I believe that you accomplish many aspects of importamt foundation.
Congratulations on your July Challenge efforts!

Yes! Let’s keep going!
To Carnegie Hall!

Tomo

Thank you Serena & Jiayang for encouragement!

Great his vision and efforts!

Richard is the best!

Tomo

Thanks for sticking with us, Richard! Your daily practice notes are great for anyone to review!
I agree, this is just the beginning. So much good ahead of us all :)

Goodnight Johno great work.

Thank you Johno for Week 4 / Day 7!

Great job running through GW July Challenge!
You gave your encouragement to many members!
Thank you so much for your kindness and appreciation!

Good job! Finishing up with very calm triad inversions with a lot of smooth sustain and slow relaxed feel on G C D triads. You are alreday playing those beautiful triad inversions over I IV V I cadence (each inversion is different!)
1st / Root / 2nd
2nd / 1st / Root
Root / 2nd / 1st … play a little rhythmic… now what song? Jump?

Go softer, slower … smooth tone…
Sleepy time!
Well done!

Good night!

Tomo

Ah, yes, the triad inversions lullaby. Great job, Johno! Sweet dreams

Feeling good with triads now :) I had one more day of revelations in my notes. Week 5 /Day 1,i love it :) it was that last day the light shined bright, had to document those thoughts, I could not write fast enough, sloppy ink and no glasses. I consider it a Major :) break through in my practice. Triads, triads, triads, Thank you Sammi, Tomo, and Serena. *smiles* Much love, johno

Thank you Johno! So happy to gear that! Feeling good with triads! Triads are so good!

I am wearing that T-shirt that Sammi designed! By the way, my hand writing is horrible!

When I have a meeting with Sammi... I write things on my note book. Then I need to translate it by myself. If I wait to next day... very difficult to figure it out.

You're very welcome!

Tomo