Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Thank you Leon for sharing. I don't do like this way. Improvisation and styles is very difficult teach. First without listening any styles of music and theory will not do anything without understanding music and sound. This type list can make satisfiy people's mind quick (but I am not sure how much can you make yourself freedom in this way) but I think posisbilities from listening music and I don't follow only theory too much this way. I checked it. Some of information is not correct (Each chord has a few functions in one key) and some chord has more choices. I am curious how you come up these information? Maybe I can explaing this topic by video.

Tomo

Thanks for the reply Tomo!
I understand what you're saying, maybe it's a bit too schematical and it could confuse a bit. It was indeed a good practice to look back at all my notes from your lessons and do a little resume, just so I make sure I have really internalised everything you said and played.

I admit that I should spend more time listening to classics and "stealing" some licks here and there...

If you can, like you said, I'd love to see a video about this!

By the way (This isn't really for this thread but I was curious) are you going to be at Berklee's guitar sessions this summer? I'd love to meet you once!

You're very welcome Leon! Great hard work! It is a little bit too mathmatical way and music is like WATER and there are a few choices and there are a few "incorrect" way is good too. So it is hard to decide things as lists. That's why Guitar Lesson books are not perfect.

You can do this by your own way and do not list up but you can study these items around songs. Learning licks are great tool but you need to use essetial theory to analyze each notes against each chords. For example... min7 chord has a few function so if you belive that you can use "Dorian" on min7... they you will fail (in improvisation). Let me make a video on this topic. And I can explain a little about how I have learned my improvisation. Not coming from any books! All came from old records and I use essential theory to organize ideas without list up. I keep things open.

Thanks for asking. No I am off from Berklee until end of August. Thanks so much!

Tomo

Hey Sammi! Thanks for replying. You're right, practicing the single "tastes" could be a good idea with like a single chord vamp. Tomo said there are some mistakes... Hope he can do a video about this!

Hope this is helpful to you.

Thank you.

Tomo

Thank you so much Tomo for taking the time out of your day to give me this little private lesson :)

Now I get it: what I did was for example looking at your dorian soloing lesson and seeing you using the dorian scale on A-7, so I mistakenly put in my mind that m7 = Dorian, without thinking about all of the different functions it can have.

These videos really helped me to get your concept of freedom while soloing, I'm going to implement what you said in the next days and PRACTICE!

I'm also going to choose three records and pick some ideas to transcribe and analyse through note values (3rd, 5th, b7, etc)

Thank you so much once again and I wish you a great weekend!

Greetings from Switzerland,
Leon

You're very welcome Leon! You are working very hard and you are doing so good!

So happy to hear that. I am glad to be helpful. If I follow your list.... I cannot play freely. Now you got it!

Great idea! Focus on music but only a few records. So 3 records.... so good! Then you can learn R 3 7 Swing Groove... triad inversions too. I really appreciate your communication! From Boston USA to Switzerland!

Tomo

Man - that was just a great "philosophy of music" lesson. Thanks Leon and Tomo!

Hey, thank you so much!
I took some time to listen at live at regal too. I tried a little improvisation with some ideas I picked up from it... It's in my reply to Tomo's comment

Jazzy blues is very entertaining on a nice summer day outside by the BBQ. Lots of Brass, rhythm on the 2&4, guitar dropping in some horn stabs, and keyboard setting up the lead on a diminished descending run. Is there an influence on your ear today Tomo? Yesterday listened to Charlie Parker, Donna Lee, bass line focus, inspiring, complex, and fast entertaining jazz. Jazz blues today, would be - Senor Blues.
-johno

Thank you Johno! This is my video response to your comment.

Tomo

Deluxe office hour Tomo, Bravo from over here. I really like to listen to this song. I hear a lot of brass on the vinyl, yet you break it it down to guitar wonderfully. What a treat, thank you. I will have this ear candy for today. It is a big dream to one day play jazz like that. Truly appreciate your insights on this one. Thank you,
-johno

My pleasure Johno! Having you here is a treasure for us! I am so happy to hear from you! Yes! Just like my Berklee office hour! You said something and I reply with my playng! Donna Lee!

Tomo

Hey LMS ~ very nice.
Your bending sounds great and your ability to stay with the blues form throughout the solo is amazing.
I love that pick guard. Was that custom made? Very cool.
One question - were you on your front pickup or in between front and middle?
I think for the purpose of clarity of tone Tomo likes us using the front pickup.
Excellent work!
Hoping to get to that level soon.

That was great Leon. I could see you getting more into the feel as it went - you were swinging in the last ~minute. Nice work. Also love that pick guard.

Hey Richard!
Thanks you so much!
The pickguard is from an artist in Spain: Engraver's Dungeon, you can look up his website... He has very affordable prices for amazing pieces!
I was playing between neck and middle pickup.
Thanks again!

Thank you Clay, Glad you liked it!
I don't know if I can send links on here for the pickguard, and I don't wanna risk getting banned or something like that, but I wrote the name on my answer to Richard's message :)

Thanks! His stuff is incredible!

Hi Leon -
I haven’t really been practicing improvising much. Still banging away at the fundamentals. But even with that there are some days where I feel like I’m playing the chromatic scale super clean with no string noise and my picking and fingering completely synchronized. And then there are days where I can’t stop making string noise and I’m muting every other note I play.
So I think it’s just the nature of the game. My goal is to have more better days than bad days.
But there really is no such thing as perfection so I just keep plugging away and try to enjoy the journey.
(But I still have hopes that I have a magical moment like Eiji!).

Hey Leon -
I don't do a lot of melody improvisation, but I do often come up with chord progressions. I hum and whistle a lot. Especially in the kitchen. I've recently been keeping my phone handy to record if I come up with something pleasing. Then I transcribe it to guitar. I can't yet go straight from brain to guitar in real time, but have the same hopes as Rich.
Anyway, if you have a blues progression in your head or playing in the background (maybe BB, Freddie, or Albert), maybe humming or whistling parts of a solo could give you some ideas.
I know I didn't answer the "good days vs. bad days" question, but this is how I've been getting "unstuck" when I'm doing creative stuff. Hope it helps some.

Great topic Leon! Thank you!

Yes! Many days... not so great so I pay attention to the details but I try not feel bad at all.
This is the process and I try to do more foundsation so that I would have more good days!

I focus on Chromatic Scale exercises, R 3 7 swing groove (Time & chords) then listen less material deeply so I could hear those phrasing without transcribing.

I focus - foundation and - blues.

Tomo

Thank you for sharing your experience. One of most wrong concepts is "Just keep playing!" Good imitation on good melodies and any great melodic phrases are great to learn.

Most people don't pay attention on rhythm part. Just because thinking scales and theory will not bring this important essence of rhythm.

Making mistakes is so valuable on improvisation so please record yourself as much as you can but "do not play anything too long" For blues... 2-3 times is enough length to review.

Looking forward to today's GW Live Streamning at 1pm EST. (Saturday 6/6/2026)

PS, Please watch this video. It's amp demo video but I played a lot of solos that I was not thinking "Scales & theory" I was thinking "Music" Because simply these great amp tone can inspired me as a player!

1) 1973 Fender Bronco Amp. This amp is exactly same as a Vibro Champ amp.
2) StewMac Amp Kit '57 Champ
3) 1956 Gibson GA-6
4) Fender Blues Jr. 30th Anniversary amp with Celestion G12M-65 Creamback speaker
5) Roland Boss Katana Amp 50 watt

Tomo

Good stuff Sun Ho. Thanks for sharing.