Blue Monk Challenge

Hi, Chan! Nice to meet you! That was a fantastic performance. The clean tone and soft picking really inspired me. I look forward to your future posts!

5 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

3 months ago

Thank you Chan Chun Yin! So happy to see your video! Good body groove and repeat at good timing! Picking position, you could pick a little bit toward front pickup. Do not use Fronf Pickup & Middle Pickup mix position or Middle Pickup and Rear Pickup mix position. I prefer to use only ONE PICKUP. You can make your strap a little shorter. Good job!

Tomo

6 Likes

Hugo W

3 months ago

Hi Tomo,

Just a follow-up Q: my guitar doesn't have single coil on neck or bridge but has split coil only. Should I use the split coiled neck or bridge pick up for practice? I understand they can't sound like single coils. The context is the beginner series that I am working on (Triads, R 3 7 swing groove, scales, one string one finger).

If I'm not wrong, people told me that my neck pickup is warmer; bridge pickup has the loudest output (quite obvious).

Besides, is it that the reason not to use "two" pickups together because of preserving the "glassy" and clean feel of only one single coil pickup? Thank you!

Hugo

5 Likes

John Fiers

3 months ago

Beautiful guitar. Very clean and steady rhythm. Lots of practice in on that melody. Sounds really good. Thanks for sharing.
-johno

6 Likes

Jeffrey Croteau

3 months ago

Great job on this one Chan chun yin. Sounds really nice. Loving the guitar too

7 Likes

Jeffrey Croteau

3 months ago

Practicing counting

6 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

3 months ago

Thank you Jeff for sharing your video. Great job on counting! I hear a little other string(s) is ringing while you are playing melody. You should play with a rear pickup a few times. Just make sure your muting techniques. On V chord.... Play that triplets (F) on the 4th beat. Check that area. Then all good!

Tomo

5 Likes

Jeffrey Croteau

3 months ago

Thanks for watching and sounds good on rear pickup and muting. Will review and going to head back over to sea to sea lesson too.
For checking the V chord I am making sure I play the F right on the 4th beat down beat right

5 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

3 months ago

You're very welcome Jeff! I practice two ways.... 1) To enjoy my own tone with reverb (to hear my dynamics too) 2) To understand any techniqual problems with more treble, less bass, no reverb, amp volume is uncomfortably loud, guitar volume around 7-8 (If I play 10, almost impossible to play! this way it's so clear!) Use middle pickup or rear pickup. Front pickup is too comfortable!)

Please check that melody/rhythm and timing.

Tomo

3 Likes

Jeffrey Croteau

3 months ago

Sounds great excited to check that out and rhythm and timing. I’m definitely working on this will do . And rear pickup your right on about this too I don’t use often. I’ve been listening to Albert Collin’s for awhile now and I think he uses the rear pickup. I’m excited to dive into that sound more but also for the reason number 2

4 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

3 months ago

Thank you Jeff! I use more middle pickup and rear pickup when I practice. Good job!

Tomo

2 Likes

Sammi Fujita Mod

3 months ago

Thank you, Chan and Jeff! We can learn a lot from watching and listening to your videos. It's so cool to see what you're working on. Blue Monk challenge forever!

2 Likes

Richard John Albano

about 1 month ago

Wanted to give this a shot again after practicing only Chromatics / R37 / and triads.
Hoping it sounds like I’m using more dynamics and less string noise. Obviously always room to improve but hoping it sounds better than my last attempt at Blue Monk.

8 Likes

Clay

about 1 month ago

That was awesome Rich! Sounded really good to me, and you look so at ease.

5 Likes

Tadashi Morita

about 1 month ago

Wow, that's really cool! I'm surprised you're barely looking at the fretboard! The shirt and guitar colors match really well. Thank you!

6 Likes

Andy

about 1 month ago

Nice, Rich! Aside from being really smooth and not looking at the fretboard, I love how you bring a kind of "Rich" feel to it.

6 Likes

Tomo Fujita Mod

about 1 month ago

Thank you Rich for sharing this Blue Monk melody. Good job!

Overall very good! Definitely more dynamics and less noises.

You can play much softer and think about string noises.

You can more! Yes! Please keep going!

Tomo

4 Likes

Serena Bobbi

about 1 month ago

Really great Rich. You made it all the way through. You did not at your fretboard. Amazing. I believe a specific advice I was given is to not sway side to side but move body forward and back. I hope this helps.

4 Likes

Eiji Tatsumi

about 1 month ago

Great performance, Richard. Very nice and smooth.
Eiji

7 Likes

Jeffrey Croteau

about 1 month ago

Nice work Rich also see the No looking. Nice. That’s a nice PRS!

6 Likes

Tobi

25 days ago

I want to join this challenge too!

I will post a video soon !

I’ve been practicing “Blue Monk” for a while now, but still struggling with the counting

Also I gotta share something I’m really excited about—I put my 12-inch speaker cabinet on my practice room's table, aiming my head… it’s HUGE, like impossible to ignore ! somehow it just makes me focus way more on practicing.

Lately I’ve been using the bridge humbucker, louder volume, bright tone. My 5W tube amp is finally loud enough but still clean. It’s actually kinda hard to control, but it forces me to pick softer and find the right angle—otherwise it sounds really harsh.

Honestly it wakes me up instantly hahaha, works better than strong coffee.

3 Likes

Eiji Tatsumi

25 days ago

Good to hear that Tobi. I am looking forward to watch your video.
Eiji

4 Likes