Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Thank you Eiji for posting this video!

Great job for playing Blue Monk Melody.
This is very helpful for others.

I posted this video on other Blue Monk thread....

Try this too!
Keep going!

Tomo

Thank you for the wonderful performance, Eiji! I've started practicing too. Let's keep going!

Thank you Tadashi for encourgament & appreciation!

Tomo

Thank you I will practice this version too.

Wow Eiji, very flawless. I thought you did well moving your body and not looking at all at your fingers. I am totally impressed. I appreciate you putting in the effort. I am not as far as you but soon. Well done.

Thank you Johno!

Bb7 = 2,3 4 fingers
Eb7 = 2,1,3 fingers

Do you need any additional lesson video?

Tomo

Thank you Kurt for Blue Monk Chart!

Tomo

I found this printable lead sheet online. The melody is correct, I think.
There should be an Eb7 in measure 10. It shows F7.
Kurt

https://www.swiss-jazz.ch/standards-jazz/BlueMonk.pdf

Hi Tomo, nah, I don't need another video on this technique. I think I have seen so many and all the notes and references are noted. I fell into a bad habit of my own familiarity of muting with say my 2nd finger on the R37 in the IV chord Eb7 on the 6th string. I really am looking at all the details and see the correct fingering in your video examples and I am working to change that to the better method. I like the instances when you step to the 5th degree on the 6th string from the R in R37. It makes sense to have that option open when viewing your examples. It is one of those findings where I like the walk down the bass line notes. Anyways, working to challenge this song for October :) best -johno

Thanks, Tomo! This is super helpful.
Love the color coordination too!
I'm lucky if my socks match :-)
Kurt

Thanks Tomo sensei. This video made everyone clear that you need your right hand up to chest and down to thigh.
And you need really soft picking touch too to make this sound.

Yes, OK, I learned another tip on that thumb position 'avoid harmonics'. Makes sense to understand placement there. A bit more advice each time. BIG lite strum. Thank you Tomo!! Nice gray finish on that Guitar. Maybe today you stand out more in the colorful 'Autumn Leaves' :) - johno

You're very welcome Kurt! So great to hear that! I am happy to be helpful! So Grey today! But my feeling is very happy!

Tomo

Thank you Eiji! Exactly precisely! And super slow!

First learn that movement then you can focus working on your dynamics.

Tomo

Thank you Andy for checking my demo video.

You can pracrtice it slower tempo... much slower so you can apply that chord change while you are playing that upstroke.

Tomo

With Etude and all kinds of goodness. Working It :) Tube sounds really nice. Much appreciated Rich!!

Thanks John!

Really nice Rich! Sounds great and you got the "no look" going as well! Thanks for the rig rundown.
I've got the melody learned, and I can play "ok." I've got about half of the etude down, and I'm working on playing cleaner with better feel while I learn the last few bars.
Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Clay.
Can’t wait to hear your performance.

Wow Richard, You are definitely soaring. You noticed you moving your body. Well done. You have also really grasp the notes and outline really well. I am still working on grasping all parts. You should be really proud of yourself. Keep rocking brother.

You're very welcome!

1) It is very hard to do with right hand mute with no noise. That's why 70 is too fast. Go 60 or below,

2) Yes! You can use more picking dynamics. For instance, when you play 5th string... should be much softer (almost you cannot hear)

3) R 3 7 finger picking. Pick a little softer. You should feel this very difficult to play it becauase amp volume is very loud.

This exercise will take a weeks to settle in if you practice much slower.
Practice chromatic scale exercise everday even 3 minutes. After first pattern... you go softer and softer so towards end... you cannot really hear anything! That soft! Consistency!

If you play these without an amp.. it's so hard to hear from your guitar because your picking volume is very soft,

Wait! What amp do you use? If amp volume is 10.... not good! Could explain your amp setting? And your guitar volume & tone? Can you explain... just in case.

I use a Hot Rod Deluxe amp at Berklee and I set Volume at 2 (very loud amp)
Everything is full except Bass. Lower middle a little.

I think you need a few more days. One day is too soon!

Good job!

Tomo

Tomo -

I’m using a Fender Princeton Reverb ‘65 reissue with the volume at 10.
My guitar volume is at 4or 5.
Let me know what settings you think I should be using.
I never seem to be fully happy with my tone and it may be volume related.
Thank you!

I’ll practice the Chromatic exercise with picking dynamics getting softer and softer for a few weeks and then I’ll post again with whatever settings you suggest on my amp and guitar. (At 60 bpm)

Thank you Rich for sharing these details.

So your Fender Princeton Reverb '65 reissue is a tube amp right?
That's way too much! Volume at 10! You should go maybe 5-6 at the most.
Then try Treble 10 & Bass 0! What is your EQ level?

Guitar volume is 4-5... then guitar tone is 10 right?
About your tone.... we can work on. Okay?

Yes. Plesae keep practicing chromatic scale with dynamics. So no finger noise! No string noise! Do this everyday! That wound be great!

PS, I watched your video again. Picking dynamics.... a little louder than normal picking to me. Definitely you can play a bit softer picking volume overall.

Tomo

Yes the Princeton Reverb is a 12 watt tube amp with a 12 inch Jensen P12Q speaker. I will lower the volume to 5 for the next video.
Treble is at 10 on the amp and bass is at 0.
Guitar volume was at 4 or 5 and guitar tone was at 10 on the video.

I would absolutely LOVE it if you could help me with my tone.
I have spent a good amount of money on my gear and although I think my tone is acceptable…I don’t love it.

Thank you Richard for explaining all the detaisl. Very helpful.
I feel that you can play a little loud at your place.

Great! Amp volume at 5, Treble 10, Bass 0.
Guitar volume is usually 7-8... Tone is 10.

Do you have any single coil pickup guitar?
Your PRS is too rich! I would love to help you to get your tone.

Gear part should be simple.... your touch (both hands can make your own tone!)
That's why simple single coil guitar is great to work on your own tone.

Tomo

Thank you Kurt for sharing this video!

It's fun to practice other parts with these videos.

Alaways great to review this lesson video a few times and go for slower tempo a lot.
Especially 60, 55... those tempos can really teach you something that you didnot notice if you didnot play slow tempo.

Pick trick! Good job Kurt!

Tomo

I so need to practice the tuck, Kurt! I hate to admit it, but I still put my pick in my mouth as soon as I go to finger style. I know it's wrong - but there are so many other bad guitar habits I'm having fun breaking right now! You've inspired me to prioritize this one.

Thanks for reposting this, Kurt. And thanks to Tomo for this excellent lesson. I learned a lot from these 15 minutes (I rewatched many times so it is more hours than 15 minutes :-). Some learnings:
- the finger positions and the difference in sound when switching strings
- the super important point to use the song melody to then work on the solo and ensure that you are yourself melodic
- The rhythm part in the beginning and how to be in the groove with your full body and presence.
Really great lesson! Thanks so much.

I try to post a video of my Blue Monk work in the next days.

Thank you for your notes, Thomas! Looking forward to it.

Thank you Serena.... YouTube videos are mostly for fun! This video, I made it for Guitar Wisdom! Thank you so much!

This forum is so amazing!

Tomo

Awesome Tadashi! Nice work - it sounds good. For sure let's keep going!

So good, Tadashi! I really like your attitude that shines through on this — during the whole thing, but also when you made the mistake and you laughed! Let's keep going!

Thank you Tadashi for sharing your performance.

Good job over all on playing melody... A few notes... can sustain a little longer.
Your tone is a little round. What is your amp setting? How's guitar volume & guitar tone setting.

Thanks for capturing so real... good recovery! When that happen.... keep listening "Melody" so that you can hit a wrong chord or not play a few seconds... very important not stop "TIME"

Keep going!

Tomo

Oh, wow Tadashi! Only 1 week? So good! You are really making music!
Thanks for inspiring us!
I'm working on the pick trick too!
Love that guitar!
Kurt

Wonderful Tadashi!
Let’s keep working and post again in 3 weeks.
We can see how we improve together.

Thank you for starting this thread Eiji.
You are certainly a part of the guitar wisdom family.
As Tomo always says…everyone here is so special.

Hey, Eiji! You're also a precious member of the GW family! Let's enjoy the guitar journey together.

Thank you Eiji for encouragement and sweet support to others!

Thanks so much for making this Blue Monk thread! So good!

Tomo

Thank you Rich!

I am so grateful to have you guys! You guys are so special! What a great guitar commnunity!

Tomo

Thank you for giving us this audio example of
Very soft
Soft
Normal volume and
Loud.

Now the work comes in trying to play at those levels consistently.
I’m going to really focus on this with the chromatic exercise.

You're very welcome! Glad to be helpful. I have one more important exercise for picking volume so I can share it later.

You really need to know your picking volume.

Maybe you want to focus on picking volume exercise first.

Tomo

I would love to learn your picking volume exercises.
I NEED to work on them!

Yes, I like the picking volume differentiation. Tomo, your recording volume is very good and sensitive to dynamics. It seems sound and volume somehow gets lost in my personal process. I am wondering about my phone or its microphone and how it adjusts levels sometimes on its own. Gonna try some things like a different phone or an external mic to my phone and setup. Softer picking and lighter touch is preferable to my ears, yet the phone mic may need some tweaking or cleaning, or it is plain damaged. Will have try a few more things. Good topic, - johno

Thanks Tomo - the volume levels you demonstrate will be a helpful practice framework. Like, for 1212 chromatic execise, I usually play "normal" and then "soft." But now I want to try using all 4 levels. Same with Blue Monk practice.