Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Hi everyone!

I just joined and started going through Foundation: Techniques and Essential music theory, and I want to ask how should I practice/learn my scales, should I finish learning all my major scales in all 12 keys before moving to Dorian, the same with triades and arpeggios.

Thank you in advance!!

hello! for guitar, since you can get a "new scale" just by moving the same position up a fret (or however many frets!) I *personally* think its more worthwhile to really internalize one position in one key first, and then add in different positions in the same key.

But add variety! For example, do one position in C major, and another different one in F major.

The important thing about major scale practice at the beginning is to internalize the intervals in terms of *sound* and fretboard distance. Since there are many ways to play the same notes on guitar, using the 1s1f (one string, one finger) approach is really helpful in making you aware of the halfsteps and whole step patterns, as well as get you a feel for how big the distance between 1 and 6 really is! Bc if you play it in the same position, the distance doesn't seem that large. Then you play it 1s1f and then you realize its quite far!

Thank you Kim for encouragement and suggestions. I agree to do less items and focus deeply.

One Finger One String Approach is so important especially improvisation.

If you want to apply a scale to song, Learn Just The Two Of Us. Play that melody on only 1st string. Then practice F minor scale. Thinking notes/intervals etc. Fun! Learn these chords.

DbMaj7 C7
F-7 Eb-7 Ab7
DbMaj7 C7
F-7

Tomo

Welcome to Guitar Wisdom, Duc! That's a common question, and what you're wondering probably comes from an unspoken expectation that learning more is better. This reminds me of what Tomo calls the problem with guitar...You can learn to play guitar at a surface level and feel like you are improving by acquiring more information, but working on it incrementally and understanding it deeply is really where growth happens.

At that point, what you learn becomes knowledge, which then becomes understanding, and that stays with you when you want to apply it. In simple terms, the lessons we have here are meant to be rewatched and revisited many times, so that what you learn is a process: Information --> Knowledge --> Understanding --> Wisdom.

What Sun Ho described is crucial to understanding why Tomo emphasizes going as slowly as you can. Learning the C Major Scale is more than simply repeating a pattern - it's understanding the notes within the scale, hearing the distance between notes, and internalizing where these sounds live and how they relate to each other.

Remember this: Do one thing at a time, and do it really well. And just know that it requires a whole lot of patience, so don't worry, don't compare, don't expect too fast, and be kind to yourself!

- Sammi