Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Thank you Scott for sharing your feeling! That what I exactly feel sometimes! We are humans and we are expecting a lot of things nice way (perfect way?) but many things are not going as your plan or as you feel.

This is my personal experiences and my personal suggestion. I just don't listen any negatove or even when I am not motovated to do things. That's why I decided a few things that I don't have to think about it and I do without my expectations.

Maybe you need to have other options:
1) Listening
2) Play songs (Rhythm guitar or melody)
3) Play anything and try to make it sing (try to get nicer tone)

Don't worry!
Don't compare!
Don't expect too fast!
Be kind to yourself!

No matter what... I feel thankful and grateful.

- Be Kind To Yourself Today!

- Don't Expect Too Fast! (Patience is key)

- Stop Comparing Yourself! You're So Special!

- Don't Worry! (Nothing can change today)

Thank you!

Tomo

Thank you, Tomo. I am learning not to let negativity win, but to remain positive at all times. And not to beat myself up when I make mistakes.

I have a passion for guitar. And I will not give up. I am firmly committed. Everyone at GW is so supportive. I appreciate it so much. I am learning a lot about being patient, not letting my feelings rule over me, and not worrying so much. This is why your t-shirts are a constant reminder to me when I forget.

Thank everyone for this wonderful community. I am glad you are all here with me, reminding me we're on this journey together. Thank you for your patience and commitment to me. Yes, thankful and grateful indeed.

YEAAAHHHH SCAAAAHHHT. I worry all the time too, Scott, especially with the clarinet now. All my peers seem to be ahead of me. Comparing. I have not played clarinet at this level in about 6 years now. Even longer maybe 7-8. I expected myself to just be able to step in again no trouble play just like I did my early years of Highschool, which did not go to plan. Well the right plan anyway.

Do you like raspberries, Scott? That helps me too when I am feeling anxious. Eat something sweet that will last awhile. The original Sweet tarts are a great trick for me recently.

Also, our first 2 rehearsals for concert band were this last week. I was sooooooooo nervous and sooooooooooo excited at the same time. SHAKING. lots of shaking. fingers unsteady. um reeaaaally hard to play clarinet that way.

It is difficult for me because I think people start to think that I am crazy, which I am sorta, but I feel it makes people talk about me negatively.

I have started to try and not care about this so much, but it is very hard. very, and i cannot suck on candy while playing clarinet, will ruin clarinet.

It is really hard for me to be this forthcoming and open in person. See above.

I think this communication on these forums are helping me so much with that.

It is weird what sort of relationships you can form on the internet, but I do say I love you guys.

-LaVoy

You’re very welcome Scott! Think this way, if you have a place to sleep, things to eat and you are healthy. I think you are so rich inside! I understand things are negative feel. I try not ignore it. If you ignore it then you remember it. I acknowledged it and I don’t pay any attention to any negative things at all. This one is also…. “Practice”

Nothing is natural until you noticed it and fix it. So it’s as same as Chromatic scale! My life is Chromatic scale!

Tomo

I know I feel that way sometimes Scott. I pursue various ways through, taking a break, going to the music store, walking, playing with the dogs, or sleeping and meditating on a lesson as I drift off..

Playing songs even one string with an artist can be uplifting for me. Simpler the better when i need to recharge something I know really well. Somewhere over the Rainbow , Georgia on my mind, White Christmas, Happy Birthday :). Idea for me is to make music with something easy. Now with GW I can identify the chords that might go with the melody by identifying chord tones so I know this type of ear training has a bigger purpose for me.

MY favorite thought is Tomo's message of "Be kind to yourself"

Thanks, man! I super appreciate you sharing this with me. It's very helpful indeed. Sometimes, I practice all that and just stop because I don't want to over do it, you know. I'll try that tuning afterwards. I'm so OCD that I do it before and after! LOL.

Nice input Jeff! Hey Scott - I'd add maybe trying to pick up a song or two. If you're already working on R37 swing blues, then maybe Blue Monk. I get a little demotivated on exercises, but I always feel good when I can play a song. So building up a few songs you could play might help. Plus, I feel like learning a song gives more immediate rewards. Sometimes improvements in exercises come very slowly or very subtly. But songs can go from knowing nothing, to knowing a little, to knowing the whole thing in a fairly short time. Of course perfecting the performance is a whole other journey, but just getting a progression down feels pretty good to me. Hope that helps.

Clay, thanks for your help! Where is Blue Monk at in the course material? I keep hearing about it, but I haven't seen it anywhere.

Basic Blue Monk lesson is here in the Jazz Standards course list (where you can find many more songs):
https://tomovhxtv.vhx.tv/videos/js06-blue-monk
And then there is so much detail and deeper info on the "Blue Monk Challenge" thread here in the forum.

Cool. I will look it up and give it my best shot then! Thanks.

Kurt, I haven't picked it up yet. I need to start it. Part of why my motivation is low is that I've been dealing with some sciatica issues myself and got a shot in between my vertebra 10 days ago. Starting to feel better now. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate your support. It means so much.

So glad you are feeling better Scott!
Blue Monk is fun.
Lots of bonus lessons in the Blue Monk Challenge thread and the GW playlist where Tomo goes over the details.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLENaipLZZvuSe09K52-fo1VPMLrWfJa46

Kurt

Go Kurt awesome Day 154!

Thank you Kurt! Your voice is touching very deeply here at Guitar Wisdom! Great suggestion! The Sight-reading thing is so much pleasure working! Many different ways to tickle your brain! That title “Sight-reading” is a little stiff but I love learning many subtle techniques through that…. funny part is I am not expecting my sight-reading skill… other parts that not easy to notice otherwise.

Kurt, please be proud of yourself! That’s a real Guitar Wisdom. Not about pace or numbers of pages. Commitment and dedication… beliving things deeply! Great job! I have a huge respect to you!

Loosing our motivation and inspiration… very normal to me. Someday…. rain…snow.. a little unexpect…
I am healthy but I still need to go after. My body exercises are more important than my job or guitar. I am very serious this part in 2026! I can’t say “I didn’t workout… I was busy!” So I am feeling really good now! (Consistency)

Amazing your day 154!

Tomo

Scott, My Grandma deals with sciatica pain. Very bad some days. I feel for you.

-LaVoy

Thank you markos for encouragement & sharing your experience!

I play some songs... my own song KYOTO... Melody, chords, improvisation ... so much joy!

Tomo

Beautiful Eiji! Absolutely wonderful. I love the passion in your performance! I think I need to try this slow blues, too! Thank you for lifting my spirits with your playing. It made a real difference!

Good to hear that, Scott.

Thank you for sharing those sweet blues, Eiji!!
Really sounds great this morning!
Kurt

Ejii, sounds so sweet and blue! I could listen all day.

So nice Eiji! Great work, and I am sure it lifted you up. It did me.

Me too, my friend, me too. But we'll keep on going!

This is very helpful!
The good stuff adds up!
That is so true!
Never thought to write it down.
Thank you sincerely Sammi.

Thank you, Sammi. I appreciate your support. Writing it down makes it real for sure! Praying helps me to refocus on what's important, too. I am very blessed in so many ways! Great things to mention in my Guitar journal.

Today was a snowy cold day here at SDSU. Crunchy, Dry snow.
Very satisfying.
Good night to Everyone.
-LaVoy

San Diego State University? Fellow Aztec? Oh, wait....snow? Crunchy? You're not in San Diego, are you? Hmmm.

Linda, I was wondering the same thing!

I was thinking South Dakota State U.
Kurt

south dakota state sounds right to me kurt.
(i don't remember snow in san diego...unless lavoy is studying astronomy or physics and he's up high or way low...)

linda i didn't know you went there!
wife finished undergrad with the tritons.
we were there for a few years, made a life long group of friends, i miss san diego, especially the food. ...probably mentioned it before too many times.

i wonder what south dakota is like,
never been there. always wanted to check it out. imagining lots of space and lakes? amazing home prices, i am sure.

hey tomo, i am glad you're back at it, *and* taking care of your health.
balance ✊🏾.
have a great semester!

Thanks, Matt! This is generally what I do: follow my intuition about it all. I totally agree with you.

Me too Matt. I do that sometimes. I know there is some hard earned wisdom behind that, to just let it go. Sometimes that is key.

But it's also too easy to slip out of the habit of practicing (for me).
Like right now I'm worried about my sore knee, that too many days missed will mean my exercise regime goes out the door. I know that it is mostly just empty worry but still, it's happened so many times for me. Important to come back to the good habits that are taking me where I want to go.

I think generally it takes effort over time plus a lot of "trial and error" to find a balanced schedule that works.

Hey Scott, and friends, thank you for the 80s jam song suggestions! I think I need something that keeps folks mood up and buying beer! Haha. It's a bar, and the patrons want to feel good.

Just realized last night all of SRV's (famous) work is in the 80s.
Also looking at Stevie Wonder, funk, even Red Hot Chilli Peppers....
I just want to do the simplest thing, play chords, rhythme and be asked to come back. :) I will figure it out eventually.

Also, about motivation, I feel like I got over the hump by doing all of the above.
Took a break (a few days); talked to gw fam in the forum; went out for live music with my fam; took my guitar to my local shop.

Actually I am very grateful for the last one. My local shop is Danville Music. Everyone working there is a working musician -- playing for a lifetime, giving lesson, playing at major venues in the bay area and abroad, made albums.
It would be intimidating to walk in but they are all so humble, kind and inviting.

I walked in with my red Fender '61 AVRII strat. Sometimes the bottom string (thickest) is not lined up over the fb.
I was feeling down about my progress etc, and I just brought it in and asked to send it to the luthier. They have my other white strat too. Neck pu was dead, I thought it was the switch, and luthier has a good relationship with lollar so they are placing under warranty. I was so happy about I brought the red one in. I also told them about what strings Tomo uses and his suggestions.

Then they asked me to leave it until they get these strings back in stock. A few days later they said its ready. Just needed a slight neck adjustment
and they put on Tomo's strings EPN110!
Just some handshakes, funny stories and wisdom, and I was out the door. Love that crew! Makes me feel so good to go there.
They love to play Blue Monk there (makes me want to practice blue monk haha) and last time I heard Tom Petty.
I learn something every time I walk in.

I practiced most of yesterday, and feel like I got my motivation back! Oh also I used some reverb, and I put boost, delay, chorus back on my mini pedalboard. Ordered some tubes too, can't wait to hear 5751 pre-amp tubes in my amp.

Hope you guys are getting the mojo back too!! Change strings, change pedals, change habits for a few days then pit them back. All helping.

Always appreciate the things you share, Sunil! Yes, I got my motivation back. Working on Bb Blues Soloing lesson. I can see my progress because learning the progression seems more intuitive than it did before. I've been influenced by the gold old R37! This whole journey is exciting and I'm glad to share it with you.

A good crew can definitely lift your spirits. You go in and you know immediately they get you, where everyone else you have to explain yourself to, you know? That's so incredbile! Usually, going into my local store is all I need!

I have been putting off changing strings. I have that Ernie Ball slinky top heavy bottoms to try, but I am tired when I get back. It is not difficult to change strings physically, but I enjoy cleaning the guitar, polishing frets, cleaning fretboard. It is a whole maybe 1.5-2 hour task. Most likely overestimating.
-LaVoy

Geez, Sunil. They installed your fav strings just because. Hospitality lives on at Danville Music.

Sunil: "I learn something every time I walk in." True Guitar Wisdom right there.

Sunil: "Took a break (a few days); talked to gw fam in the forum; went out for live music with my fam; took my guitar to my local shop."
Great advice, sometimes it's best to just ease off on the throttle a bit. Take a season of refreshment. Lighten up. Rest, and regain perspective.

Is there a difference in neck pressure with heavier bottom strings? I am also worried about it twisting. An instrument repairmen said, when I brought in a bass for advice with truss rod adjustments. he mentioned if there was a sort of twist or s the neck is basically ruined. I have one guitar and I do not want it ruined. there are 2 dead notes on the d string as well. I am not sure why because it looks like they have space. my action is also pretty high.
-LaVoy

Yes, this is so true Jeffery.
I am usually learning by maintenance.

I did see a nut guidance tool and some inexpensive files on stewmac but haven't bought that yet.

But...I think practicing guitar helps me fix the guitar, actually.

I did not understand intonation until practicing triads.

Actually I going to go practice now, I outta here! :)

It's really better the second time:

"Actually I'm going to go practice now.
I'm outta here!"

And brand/make. For instance, if you have a strat with a flatted (flush with body) bridge, which the back springs are holding down with just enough force that it won't raise when doing bends - a NYXL set will lift it up big time, when changing from many string sets of same gauge. Floating likewise will need stiffer springs and/or claw screw adjustments.

Same make and gauge rarely need a setup, maybe check intonation.

Thank you guys. I do kinda like the bassier tones of the E string being 52.
-LaVoy

I once had probably a 10-52 set on a used guitar preinstalled, and grew to like it. It's a cool set.

Just a little note, for preventing any future mishaps:
52-set bass strings probably won't fit on a factory standard nut, so one needs to have the nut filed preferably by a good tech, and then stick with that gauge -or something close.