Guitar lessons, music theory and personal philosophy on video, presented by Tomo Fujita, professional guitarist and Professor at Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts USA.
I listen at a pretty low volume, and halfway through the chromatic exercise, it was hard to hear you playing - in a good way! You are definitely playing softer and softer :)
Very cool to see your progress with the R37 exercise. Getting smoother with the changes and has a nice triplet feel. Now you have Tomo's feedback to help you with muting! So amazing.
I really appreciate your dedication to the 90-day timeline and the way you've updated us every few weeks. It is highly effective for you to get feedback, take some time to work on another detail, and then provide another recording to check your playing. You should be so proud of yourself!
Over the past two weeks, I feel that my R37 Swing Groove has started to feel much more natural, especially with muting. I believe this improvement comes from Tomo’s advice — focusing on pressing clearly with my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers, while keeping the 1st finger placement more stable. As a result, the overall pressure in my fretting hand has become lighter.
I also worked consciously on another point Tomo mentioned — not gripping the neck too deeply with my thumb. By creating a bit more space behind the neck, I noticed that chord changes became much easier and smoother.
For my right hand, I’ve been paying attention to my strumming motion, especially bringing the upstroke back a bit quicker. That also seems to help the muting sound cleaner.
Regarding Chromatic 1212, for the past two weeks I’ve focused simply on playing as softly as possible. I’m not sure how clearly the softer volume comes across on video, but by playing softly and holding the pick much more gently, I feel I’ve gained a better sense of how to reduce picking noise. That said, I’m still not sure whether I’m truly controlling dynamics well yet, so I’d really appreciate any advice on that point.
Over the past few weeks, the feedback I’ve received here has helped me stay focused and patient. Being told that my chromatic exercise became almost inaudible at a low listening volume — in a good way — made me realize how much softer my playing has become. Hearing that my R37 feel is getting smoother also encouraged me to trust this slow process even more.
Looking back on these 90 days, I truly feel that I was able to come this far thanks to Tomo’s guidance and all the encouragement from everyone here. Reaching Day 90 made me realize that this is not a goal, but just another starting point. My guitar journey definitely continues.
Along the way, I also started working on triads, and recently began the alternate picking challenge as well. I’m planning to keep going and continue this journey for another 90 days starting tomorrow.
Now that I’ve completed this 90-day challenge, I plan to keep working on these exercises, but I’d love to ask you, Tomo — what do you think would be the best next step to focus on after this?
Thank you so much, Tomo, and thank you everyone for all the support and inspiration.
Wow!! Amazing accomplishment Kazufumi! I am so happy! Glad to be helpful! Great job! Please be proud of yourself! I think you should keep going this! Actually Guitar Wisdom really push me very well with these foundation exercises. I have been practiting chromatic scale & R 3 7 Swing Groove everyday! (Softer strumming!) Thank you so much! Fantastic job! Your pure hard work is so beautiful! So encouraging and so much inspiration from this thread!
Keep these and maybe you can speed up slightly on chromatic 1212 (No metronome so that you can focus on both hands timing....Plus you can play softer and softer! You can practice with a metronome on R 3 7 Swing Groove. From 48-75 per beat... then try 40-45 on 2&4 etc.
You can add a few things on R 3 7 Swing Groove. 1) Blues 2) Jazz Blues 3) Standards.
For blues... Bb, F, Eb, Ab etc,,,, for Jazz Blues ... Bb, F for Standards... Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves, All of Me, There will never be another you etc. Blues for alice, Donna Lee... more fun!
Yes! Triad inversions on 3 ways. Just in case... Shuffle Blues Rhythm Guitar (Simple Riffs), Shuffe Blues Bassline and sing melodies. You can add something you are interested in.
I love this Kauzfumi!
Right on man, solid!
You can go anywhere (as Tomo mentioned above :))
I learned so much from this thread and your work. Now, I can use it in my practice. Thank you my friend!
Thank you so much, Tomo.
Your words really mean a lot to me.
I’m especially grateful for the clear and concrete next steps you shared.
I’ll keep working on Chromatic 1212 — staying soft, focusing on timing without a metronome — and continue practicing R37 Swing Groove with a metronome as you suggested.
Expanding R37 into blues, jazz blues, and standards sounds very exciting, and I’m happy to keep working on triads and shuffle ideas as well.
I truly appreciate your guidance and encouragement.
I’ll keep going and enjoy the process.
I’m very happy to hear that this thread and my work were helpful for your own practice as well.
Let’s keep learning and enjoying this journey together!
Day 90! Congratulations! This is such a beautiful reflection, Kazufumi. Thank you for taking the time to share your process so thoughtfully. You’ve shown so much patience and dedication over these three months, and it really comes through in the small adjustments you’ve made (lighter touch, softer picking, more relaxed fretting, cleaner muting). Those details gradually transform your playing.
I also love how you’ve been approaching everything with curiosity rather than pressure. The way you’re experimenting with dynamics and paying attention to your sound, even wondering how it comes across on video, says a lot about the musical awareness you’re developing. That’s such a big part of Tomo’s teaching, and you’re really working it.
I’m so glad you mentioned that Day 90 feels like another starting point rather than an ending. That mindset is exactly what keeps the guitar journey joyful and sustainable. I think Tomo’s suggestions give you plenty of fun ideas to explore - continuing with the foundation work, adding blues, jazz blues, and standards, etc. It’s really inspiring to see how you’re building things step by step.
By following through on this commitment you made to yourself, you’ve built real consistency and discipline in your practice. That kind of work is not easy! I hope that this process helped you build confidence in yourself and trust in your journey.
Thank you again for being such a steady, kind presence here. Your updates don’t just show progress; they encourage others to stay patient and keep going, too. I’m really looking forward to following along with the rest of your journey!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and encouraging message. It truly means a lot to me.
I’m very grateful that you noticed the small adjustments I’ve been focusing on — lighter touch, softer picking, and relaxed fretting. Hearing that these details are coming through is very encouraging.
I especially appreciate your words about choosing curiosity over pressure. That mindset has helped me enjoy the process and stay patient throughout this 90-day journey.
I originally thought of Day 90 as a milestone, but I’d love to continue sharing my journey and updates here as I move forward. This thread has become a very meaningful place for my learning.
Thank you again for your constant support and kindness.
Wishing you a wonderful start to the new year.
It’s been a little while since my last update, so I wanted to share where I am now.
Even after completing the original 90-day challenge, I’ve been continuing to practice Chromatic 1212, 1234, and R37 Swing Groove every day.
These exercises have really become part of my daily routine.
In this video, I’m working on R37 Swing Groove with the metronome set at 40 bpm, focusing on locking in with 2 and 4.
I feel that my overall tension has decreased quite a bit compared to before, but I’m also realizing how challenging this exercise really is.
When I focus too much on the metronome, my left-hand muting can become less secure and my strumming starts to feel a bit messy. On the other hand, when I concentrate on muting, strumming, and smooth chord changes, my timing tends to rush or drift.
Because of that, I feel this exercise demands a very high level of concentration and awareness.
After passing the 90-day mark, I also started working on triads. By following the videos, I’m slowly getting familiar with C major triads, but I still don’t feel I fully understand them yet.
So I’d like to keep practicing them a bit more before uploading a video.
I’ll keep moving forward step by step and continue enjoying the process. As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated.
Thank you Kazufumi for sharing this video. Good job! You are keeping your time very well. Congratulations on completing your 90 days challenge. You just enter your life time work!
If I heard this with my tape lesson students then I give new homework.
1) Practice it slow (no metronome)
2) Practice it with a metronome at 50
3) Practce it with a metronome at 60
Move your body with a tempo!
I cannot really understand this tempo clearly just watching your body motion.
Right before chord change, I hear a little open strings. (This reason, you can't use this tempo)
I think you need to work on 5th string root thumb position. A little too much grip.
You can place your thumb slighly behind the top of your guitar neck. Very subtle but it is very important. I need to listen this 10 more times and I will think about ideas for you.
Very important note:
When something is not quite doing cleanly. You cannot stay that tempo. Simply just won't work. No matter how many hours you put in. This is where most self-taught players could make a wrong decision or simply not notice the difference ... it is very hard to decide it.
Nice work Kazufumi. R37 practice is so good for so many things. Since you've started triad work, I highly recommend digging into the July challenge. It was all about triads, and starts with C. Here's the link to week 1. You can search "july challenge" to find the rest of them when you're ready:
https://tomovhxtv.vhx.tv/forums/general/74733-july-challenge-week-1
I really appreciate the encouragement and the suggestion.
R37 has been opening up so many things for me, and I’m just starting to explore triads more seriously now.
I’ll definitely check out the July Challenge and take my time digging into it, starting with C.
Thanks again for sharing the link and your support!
Thanks Tomo - really appreciate the detail on volume control. I struggle with this - especially in songs like Another You with the high Cm7 - so loud. I'm going to focus on this with R37 swing practice and try to apply better in songs. Hardest thing for me is keeping same velocity but changing dynamics with pick grip.
Thank you Clay for sharing your experiece. R 3 7 chords... some position is a little louder so I need to set my amp a little uncomfortable level so that I cannot play them easily. This way I am so keen on my picking volume and my left hand pressure. Without this type of practicing I cannnot perform my song Just Funky. This exercise is super helpful!
It really helped me understand how important the relationship between R37 and picking volume is.
Also, it’s very clear from this video how important it is to spend a long time carefully working on the same thing with patience.
When I watch this video closely and slowly, I can hear that the tone in your R37 playing is cleaner and more even compared to my own.
With lighter picking, the tone becomes gentle, and with a bit more attack, it becomes sharper and more articulate.
It’s obvious that developing the ability to control and switch between these tones takes a great deal of practice.
As Clay mentioned, maintaining the same tempo while changing dynamics only with pick grip is very challenging.
However, to add expression to music, being able to control dynamics with picking is essential.
This really shows why continuing this practice consistently is so meaningful.
Thank you again for such a helpful and inspiring video.
Your comment really helped me understand what I should focus on next.
I can clearly hear now that the open strings before chord changes mean I’m still pushing the tempo too much.
I’ll slow it down, work without a metronome first, then move to 50 and 60 as you suggested, focusing on clean muting, body motion, and thumb position.
I really appreciate how deeply you listened and your guidance.
I’ll keep working patiently.
You're very welcome Kazufumi. Thanks so much for sharing your video. So happy to be helpful.
When something is not smooth. In this case, noise level and thumb position / left hand pressure.
For myself, If I noticed a few things like this, I will stop practicing that tempo. It will not work. So I slow down.
I do 1) No tempo 2) Super Slow Tempo 3) Then 50-60... I will turn up my amp and more treble, less bass so I just cannot miss things.
With the chromatic exercises, I’m working very slowly and softly.
When I gradually increase the tempo, I notice that my pinky and ring finger — especially on the descending part — tend to get cramped and uneven.
When that happens, I slow the tempo down again and adjust it until the notes stay clean and relaxed.
On the other hand, with R37, I tend to speed up without realizing it.
Before I notice, the tempo is faster than I intend, and the playing becomes messy, like in this video.
This really made me realize that slowing everything down is the key to improvement.
After doing the same exercises consistently for around 130 days, it’s natural to want some change, and I find myself tempted to push the tempo faster.
I’ll continue focusing on playing as slowly and softly as possible, aiming for clean and relaxed sound every time.
Hi Kazufumi! I really appreciate the update on your journey. For what it's worth, Tomo also uses triads to teach better thumb position. So, not a bad idea to keep practicing the C major triads slowly with greater focus on your thumb position and using less pressure. This R 3 7 and chromatic scale exercise will stay with you forever, so don't be afraid to chip away at the triads. Find a balance between exercises that feel good for you - it will all work together to strengthen your foundation. Thank you for sharing your process and mindset with us!
I really appreciate your thoughtful advice.
It makes a lot of sense that triads can also help improve thumb position and left-hand pressure.
I will continue practicing the C major triads slowly with more awareness of my thumb and lighter touch.
It’s encouraging to know that R37 and chromatic exercises will stay with me long-term, and that everything works together to strengthen the foundation.
Hello everyone, it’s been a while since my last post.
I’ve now been continuing the 90-day challenge exercises for about 217 days.
Recently, my Chromatic 1212 exercise has become much smoother compared to before, and I can feel some improvement from daily practice.
However, I still notice that when I lose focus, especially during the descending pattern, the timing between my pinky release and picking becomes inconsistent, and the notes sometimes get stuck or muted unintentionally.
I uploaded this video on purpose because this problem still hasn’t been fully solved for me.
Also, with R37, my muting still becomes inconsistent sometimes — not only during chord changes, but also when I lose concentration for a moment. Then I hear unwanted noise or muted notes.
Even after 217 days, this still happens more often than I would like, and honestly it can be frustrating.
Each time, I try to remind myself to slow down and use a softer touch. But when I start getting comfortable, my tempo gradually speeds up again without realizing it, and then my tone and muting become unstable.
After starting the open G string exercise, I began to focus more on the strength and consistency of my picking. Then I realized that I was probably picking too hard.
When I slowed down and used a softer touch, both my R37 and chromatic exercises started to sound much better.
Do you think I should simply continue practicing slowly and softly like this?
Or would it be better to isolate and focus specifically on the ring finger and pinky?
I would really appreciate any advice from Tomo and everyone here on how to improve these issues.
Thank you!
As you keep doing this, you will discover deeper things. Over a year after starting this exercise (and using it to kick off each practice session) I am still observing and discovering more things.
Now my ears are super-sensitive to finger squeaks when I'm playing stuff other than the chromatic exercise. I think "Ah, I need more chromatic exercise".
Thank you Kazufumi for sharing your videos. Good job! That’s a little too fast for me. When something is not going smooth then you need to stop that tempo and do it slower. Almost there! Keep practicing slower.
R 3 7 Swing Groove. I think you can work more steady consistency on your touch picking nuances. This one also I would go slower and softer. You need to play tight to strum all the strings once yet you need to hold your pick softer.
Correct! Definiteky you should practice open G string exercise everday. Great job!
I noticed that each time I get more comfortable, I gradually speed up again without realizing it, and then the mistakes and inconsistent muting return.
Even though I keep reminding myself to slow down and use a softer touch, I still tend to go back to my “comfortable” tempo too quickly.
I also understand better now that the picking touch should stay soft, even though the strumming motion itself still needs to be tight and controlled.
I will keep focusing on slower tempo, softer touch, and consistency.
It is really easy to speed up. I try to go slower and slower. Once you find any inconsisency, you want to slow down. Keep reviewing the details. I try to play as soft as possible.
Strumming part with softer touch is very difficult. R 3 7 is so deep! Keep wide strumming motion and tight attack with soft touch. Yes! You got it! Slow, Soft and do not rush!
Thank you Kazufumi, Linda and Tomo, for your example, experience and wisdom.
Kazufumi, your efforts make me think of my own. That is all I can legitimately comment on.
I hope you don't mind. I hope my comments are helpful.
I have been working on 1212 chromatic and R73/R37 Bb swing groove exercise almost daily since December. I am learning from you and the community here and daily efforts that it may be a lifelong effort. To simply do it everyday like brushing my teeth. Without expectation. That is not easy. I am working on it.
I like this idea of breaking things down and slowing down to problems solve. Maybe that is what "foundation practice" is? It is anything that helps you focus on one or more specific action or skill. Good entry point to next livestream perhaps?
For me, G string exercise and November Challenge (chromatic meditation exercise last nov or the nov before...?) also both helped me focus but also helped to re-invigorate my practice. They are great re-entry points into practice, for me at least. They are great to do when I get down on practice.
Some days are good, some not. I am also not consistent in playing quality: 1212 I am still working on muting and dynamics; R73, working on consistent stroke and getting the blues chord progression right.
So I must need to slow down as well.
But it is getting better slowly.
Sometimes I feel I am able to get a subtle bit of control I did not get earlier.
I also started taping G string exercises, I am getting more comfortable with the practice.
I think progress is maybe slower without video taping myself regularly.
I hope we all continue together, thank you for reading my comment! Peace everyone.
Great job Sunil for practicing Chromatic 1212 & R 3 7 Swing Groove! Same! I practice those everyday. Very slow, careful and softer touch. I always challenge to go slower. Yes! These are great foundation practice.
G String exercise is also super important! Practice this slower and softer for 3 months. Only 2 minutes top. No need to go too much. Less and deep.
We are all humans so we all have ups and downs. Don't pay attention too much when you feel down. Be patient. R 3 7 Swing Groove. Practice Bb Blues with super slow tempo. Metronome at 50.
I am finding your suggestions for Kazufumi (and honestly all guidance for all students) helpful for myself as well.
(Thank you Kazufumi for your efforts and example of patience with anything I've said above)
During my down time, I watched all nine Star Wars movies, and modern Disney off shoots...I learned I usually can take in a lot of watched info then process slowly. So I used this skill(?) to watch almost all thirty videos in the "Essential Theory" section. Processing slowly. :)
My pleasure Sunil! Loved your Open G video! So good! I think each person is so special and each member's video post can inspire others so much and so deep! Amazing!
Please watch Essential Theory videos. Yes. 30 videos and I play all different guitars. 30 guitars!