Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Tomo— I’m wondering what you think of running through Leavitt’s exercises in his books fingerstyle. I’ve got a phenomenal teacher in Seattle and we’re working on chord melody and some classical studies to get my right hand moving without a pick. But I’d like to keep up my reading chops and Leavitt has been great for that.

Also happy holidays y’all!

My first guitar teacher back in the 80's wanted to be James Taylor in the worst way (even though he looked more like Dan Fogelberg). During those lessons he refused to let me use a pick. As it was the 80's I was more interested in EVH than JT, but I stuck those lessons out for about 2 years. Fast forward 40 years and I'm SO GLAD that I did stick them out. Quite literally the first thing I play every time I pick up a guitar is some Travis picking progression.

Being able to play with your fingers really brings a new dimension to the guitar, plus you won't be completely out of sorts if you're performing and drop your pick. :-)

I only played fingerstyle for most of my life.
I'm learning how to correctly use a pick here.
I REALLY like using the pick with the method book. It helps my accuracy so much.
I'm also enjoying learning how to control the guitar volume with only my pick. Depends on how tightly you grip it!
Kurt

Thank you Matt for sharing your side. Definitely it is so great to have both options. Walkng bassline & comping... I use all finger picking. Mostly I use my pick to performam but I use my finger picking when I play any solo guitar / chord melody. I also use my pick and finger picking together so we have 3 choices.

Tomo

Thank you Kurt for sharing your picking experience here at GW. So happy to hear that. Some people prefer for finger picking feel and tone. I love using a pick for my performance.

For instance, Matteo Mancuso is a great finger picking guitarist. He really wanted to learn his picking technique but it was a little too late that he really developed his finger picking that he can really play single notes so well and fast!

PS, My former student John Mayer... when he heard Robben Ford around 1998... He discover "Finger Picking" So Robben influences John to use his finger picking at first place. You never know!

Tomo

Someday I want to develop fingerstyle, but will probably wait a couple of years or just learn what is needed for songs that require it. Always admired JT's playing. And I would love to be able to do ragtime arrangements for guitar. And of course this guy.

Matteo Mancuso fingerstyle looks amazing to me!

How does he keep his nails?

Mine keep breaking so I keep going back to the pick, and pick+comping.

Tomo do your fingernails hit the string like a pick or is it all flesh?

Sunil, you know ping pong ball trick! I don't cut my nail not too short.
My right hand nails are slighly longer than my left.

Great! I love 3 choices!

Tomo