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Location: Vernon CT | I am very curious as to the type of "player we have on this board. So, I was thinking we should "poll" ourselves and find out. Please answer honestly. |
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Location: Brighty in Blighty | Voted. |
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Location: North Carolina | Voted, but some sort of term definition might have been helpful. |
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Location: UK | Me'thinks trying to be more specific with definitions could open up quite a can of worms!!!
Perhaps a new thread defining a "Beginner" ..... should provide lots of scope. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | " lack of talent " category was missing , so I could n`t vote.. |
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Location: Vermont USA | I fit three categories 1 sometimes I'm good, 2 Sometimes I'm not bad, 3 Sometimes I'm terrible.
Pauly |
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Location: Hong Kong | Originally posted by First Alternate:
Voted, but some sort of term definition might have been helpful. Yep, that would be better... |
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Location: Vernon CT | I kept it simple for a reason. I was thinking just a general consensous of "what kind of Talent we have here. I have heard some of the members play here and am extremely impressed. |
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Location: Central Massachusetts | You left out, "What, you're supposed to PLAY these things???" ;) |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by dvd:
You left out, "What, you're supposed to PLAY these things???" ;) ...aka 'I just hang on the wall with my guitars'. :D |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Originally posted by dvd:
You left out, "What, you're supposed to PLAY these things???"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...aka 'I just hang on the wall with my guitars'.
With my neck pain, that would be really painful...lol |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I keep buying guitars until I find that guitar that already Knows how to be played!
I looking for the one that has the Dreamboat Annie/Crazy On You intro built-in (kinda like bundled software)... |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Its just like skiing. I think I'm o.k. until I hit the really steep bumps covered in powder, then I reconnect with reality. |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | Mate I can't even get off the chairlift.
AJ |
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Location: NJ | in all honesty
what does this mean?
what does it prove or matter?
I think it all depends on your personal goals and perspectives. I can point you to a dozen players that will have you believe they are the best thing since the robot guitar but IMHO they are horrible.
people tell me I am a good player but when I listen to al demiola, alan holdsworth, joe pass, wes montgomery, jimi, etc etc etc, I don't put myself in any where close to that level of profeciency.
I have a very difficult time with taking compliments about my playing because my standards are so high. I think it is all about perception. I often tell my nephew, who feels it is necessary to brag about my playing, that we should just let the fingers do the talking. If the fingers talk then people will listen and appreciate.
as a former teacher, I always told my students that we learn until the day we die. I will never stop learing both things in life and guitar. I feel that I will never master the guitar. I don't even know or can grasp what mastering the guitar means.
let the fingers do the talking.
add me to the beginners |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Which category does SUCK come under? |
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Location: Tennessee | Over here next to me in the BLOW section. |
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Location: Tennessee | Edit: double post. Servers seem a bit slow lately. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Going with Brad's analogy, I was talking to a kid in a ski store about replacing my skis. He insisted that the average skiier would have worn them out. I asked him how many times he thought the average skiier skiied in a year. He said 50. I kept the skis for about 10 more years.
As long as I'm improving, I'll put myself in the intermediate. If I stop improving, I'll go back to beginner. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | As long as the people who compliment me think I am better than I think I am, I will be ok.
When I reach the point where I think I am better than they say I am, I will be in trouble.
I'm with Bob, Beal, and finger talking Al! |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Sometimes I surprise myself, but not often. My wife can't stand to hear me play. I have to wait till she's gone to practice. I am a hack at best. If I could sing, I'd score much higher... |
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Location: CT | I voted average and that might be a stretch.... but it was in the morning. If I voted tonight after several cold ones, I would probably have voted higher. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I don't remember "average" being a choice. ....but then, what do I know...maybe I voted in the wrong poll or can't read before my first cup of joe! |
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Location: Omaha, NE | The cool thing is the poll lets you vote in more than one category. So I checked off all four. Which is exactly right.
There are songs I could play where you would think I am an absolute badass. There are some where you would think I had the "suck" knob turned up to "11". Just depends.
FWIW, here's a set list for a gig we are playing this weekend. This is a Heatseekers gig. We are a three piece outfit. I play guitar and sing.
Set #1
Substitute (killer old Who song)
Good (from Better Than Ezra...pretty much a filler)
Let It Rain (If you don't know better, you'd think I'm pretty good. If you do know better, you'll know I'm totally faking the lead at the end)
Paint It Black (Lots of power in this song. Always kills).
Stacy's Mom (Damn fun song...Always shout out something like "any of you ladies have a daughter named 'Stacy' before you start)
Run Like Hell (Pure power. Our drummer wishes we could play this song all night long)
Smokin In The Boy's Room (This is one of those that is automatic. Never misses. We do the original version, but then add the Motley Crue ending)
Summer Breeze (Always works. People aren't expecting it. Variety, variety, variety!)
Broken Hearted Savior (There is a very complicated and technical lead at the end of this one and I completely fake my way through it.)
Possum Kingdom (Sorry all you "Guitar Hero" fans...this song is actually pretty simple once you get the groove down. We have to re-cast it a little since we only have one guitar, but it totally works.)
Set #2
Born On The Bayou (As long as you and the bass player are dialed in together, you can't miss with this one)
Gel (Collective Soul...this is what I call a "drummer song"... you have to let the drummer pick a song once in a while...)
Gimme Some Money (Spinal Tap : Flipping hilarious song)
You Don't Know How It Feels (Lets be break out the harp. Nice mellow song.)
Stray Cat Strut (If you are a dedicated Brian Setzer fan, you will hear my suck. But if you just like music, you'll like it)
Can't Explain (Another one of the old Who songs that always works)
Sharp Dressed Man (This is one that for some reason is really in my wheelhouse. I kill on the leads on this)
Can't Get Enough (Snooze...total filler song)
Fast As You (Closest thing to country we do)
Funk #49 (Gives the drummer a workout, but totally smoking song.)
Set #3
Runnin Down A Dream (Play it FAST!)
Hey Jealousy (Filler)
Keep Your Hands To Yourself (Fun, fun, fun! It would be better with two guitars playing synchronized leads, but we make it work)
Hard To Handle (Filler)
Rockin Me (I'm surprised at how popular this song is)
Face In The Crowd (Love this one...slow Tom Petty stuff usually works)
Saw Her Standing There (Guaranteed stone cold lock to get the ladies dancing. Start it off by shouting "One! Two! Three! Four!" and watch them jump up)
Californication (I always thought we sucked at this, but we get more compliments on it than about any other song. Weird. As for guitar playing, the lead is stupid simple)
3:00 AM (Snooze)
Crossroads (Great jam song. Again, if you really know what EC sounds like, you'll know that's not me. But I can still throw down some pretty convincing leads on this.)
Set #4
Mary Had A Little Lamb (I'm no SRV, but we can make it work)
Moondance (The girls always love Van Morrison)
Who Do You Love (We kill on this. I do a thing where I play the E E E A E riff, then throw down a bar of lead, then back to the riff, and so on. It works)
Lookin Out The Window (I'm not sure when we started doing this...pretty much a filler)
Jenny Jenny (Drummer song. Kindof a nice guitar riff though)
Squeeze Box (Last of our old time Who songs. This is another that gets the ladies going ... you can always see them singing along on the "in and out and in and out" part)
Pink Cadillac (I wish I could say we don't play this, but we do.)
Islands In The Sun (Good song. A little pop for us, but it works)
What I Like About You (Another guaranteed dancer)
Good Love Is On The Way (Great closer, althought that main riff is a little tricky and you need to pay attention to it.) |
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Location: NW Washington State | Other posts have described my, uh, ability:
"If I stop improving, I'll go back to beginner."
"My wife can't stand to hear me play. I have to wait till she's gone to practice."
-Steve W. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | OK, just voted. I can't be a beginner, 'cause I teach. I can't be advanced, because I teach, and one of the most important things I teach is that you can always get better, there will always be someone better than you, and if you want it badly enough, you can do it. So, someday, I will be advanced. (But if the day ever comes when I think I am, it'll be all over.) |
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Location: chicago | If you are not having fun then your no good to anybody. |
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Location: Jet City | Depends on what I'm attempting to play. Sometime I can dazzle with BS.
I'm very much a beginner with the styles of music that interest me these days. But put an electric in my had and let me get a bit loud and crazy, well then I move up to a solid mediocre.
Oh, and I'm exercising my right NOT to vote :D |
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Location: Alberta, Canada | I guess I'm a slow learner. Been at this for 40 years and I'm still in the beginner stage.
If I learned everything else this slowly I'd still be in grade school! |
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Location: big island | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
Its just like skiing. I think I'm o.k. until I hit the really steep bumps covered in powder, then I reconnect with reality. i can relate to this brad. i suffered two rotator cuff injuries on powder in colorado. it was painfully embarrassing to be taken down wolf creek mountain in the red toboggan.
i do play guitar a mite better than i ski. we don't get much ski practice here. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Damon, I'll look forward to meeting you at Miles'. We sound like polar opposites. I started out learning electric and never got it. I'm mediocre at acoustic. I thought I was getting good. Awhile ago I bumped into a guy I knew that was playing guitar in a trio. I told him I played a little and all three of them asked if I could play lead. Unfortunately, I had to say no. Someday. |
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Location: Jet City | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Someday. That's what I keep saying about fingerstyle pickin' |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Oh come on , just 6 strings , how hard can it be...D..A..D..A..G..A..G..A..F#G , this is tiring..
Vic |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by Trader Jim:
Sometimes I surprise myself, but not often. My wife can't stand to hear me play. I have to wait till she's gone to practice. I am a hack at best. If I could sing, I'd score much higher... You've nailed me, TJ.
The guys at work think I'm fantastic, but anyone who actually PLAYS guitar would know instantly that I'm perpetually mediocre.
Where you're at depends on where your audience is at, I guess. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | HumblePie,
Could you repeat that chord progression again but type slower this time?  |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by alpep:
...people tell me I am a good player but when I listen to al demiola, alan holdsworth, joe pass, wes montgomery, jimi, etc etc etc, I don't put myself in any where close to that level of proficiency.
...I have a very difficult time with taking compliments about my playing because my standards are so high.
...I will never stop learning...
add me to the beginners The other day I was playing with my apartment door open, and a woman complimented me on my playing...
I have also heard my neighbors talking about "Who's that playing the guitar?" and saying I "ain't bad"...
BUT! None of these people Play Guitar!
I take these compliments graciously, But I know that I play like... well, not very great!
But I enjoy myself, and I will Always have something to Strive For!
(sorry for editing-butchering your quote, Al) |
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| Odd thread in a way, nice to see if we have some talent in the crowd but that is best determined in person. I gave up playing for so long I had forgotten a lot of things I am still relearning today. As far as level; well I have a hard time rating myself as I can rip through some songs that are considered fairly difficult but that is beacuse like a monkey I have watched and used my ear to figure out note for note a song and sent it to the memory banks and practiced for some time to get it totally down. If you started off a simple song or if you needed an accompanyment on some other song I would be lost unless I cold see your hands and then have time to work out the patterns to keep up. As for Lead, well that defines a guitarist, there are a lot of guy's like me that can play songs from many bands with practice, but it is the guy's who understand scales and how the patterns work depending on the chord progressions, that are impressive to me. This takes you to the advanced category and I am not quite there yet. I am working on the leads I find I trip over myself at times trying to keep my picking hand up to speed with my note fingers. And it is harder coming down a lead progression than it is to run uphill. Also understanding and remembering the differences in MAjor and Minor..... So in this dicipline I am a total beginner, I think it was Al who said he is always learning, I guess that is the true sign of a good guitarist for any of us, right there. It has a lot to do with the endless quest for knowledge and the desire to keep up a diciplined practice schedule to apply what you have learned. I still say MUSIC is the best thing you can do for fun that is free! After you buy the instrument or instruments. ! Enjoy.
Randy |
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Location: Simpsonville, SC | Rank Beginner!! :(
Always will be I suppose. Afraid that I started way too late in life, but it ain't stoppin the fun that I am havin!! :D |
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Location: East Tennessee | I voted and will have to agree with Al, "...I will never stop learning..."
To stop learning would take away a lot of the fun.
I do OK as I accompany myself. I play by ear.
A tip to the younger players while it is good to be able to play by ear, learn to read music. I never did and does limit me as a player. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
HumblePie,
Could you repeat that chord progression again but type slower this time?
Iffy , actually people pay me for not playing the guitar ...I`m that good.. :)
Vic
..Em7add11....get yer knee on that one , and ,yer in business.. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by HumblePie aka Solid Top:
..Em7add11....get yer knee on that one , and ,yer in business.. pfffttt... Em18 ...geeez 
Vic, I did have to look that one up. Cute... 
BTW, that one is now in my repertoire!  |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I pretty much agree with what Al says. For me "mastering the guitar" simply means being able to play what I want. I'm not at that point, nor will I ever get there unless I decide to practice, play and learn more.
As far rating myself.. or anyone else for that matter.. again.. and I tell this to talent I am recording also. Play it until YOU are satisfied. If OTHER PEOPLE like it, that's just a bonus. |
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Location: Nashville TN. | your basic chord stummer
use mostly open chords as perfer the sound |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
I looking for the one that has the Dreamboat Annie/Crazy On You intro built-in (kinda like bundled software)... OMA, Good to see there is someone else with my delusions of grandeur. My goal for this year is to learn the intro to Crazy on You. I've got most of it down now and am working on speed. I'm up to about 55% (using the Software Amazing Slow Downer), but I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get anywhere near 100%.
Let's have a race, see if one of us can hit 90% speed with 95% accuracy by the end of this year (or next?). |
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Location: Vernon CT | With all due respect to everyone, My intentions of this "poll" was to get a honest general idea on the abilities of this group comparing us to the Avereage Joe, Not Eric Clapton or any accomplished profesional musician. I have been playing now for 8 years. People who don't play tell me I'm a good guitar player. But, I'm smart enough to know that you WILL NEVER STOP LEARNING how to play.
I once described learnning guitar to a family member as "Think of an Iceberg" If the goal of your average "Joe Shmo" is to play 3-5 Chord songs and do nothing but strum Chords then that would be the "tip of the iceberg sticking out of the water". Stick your head under water and you see that the task of learnning everything there is to know about playing is impossible!!
The more you learn , the more you realize there is so much more!!
Thanks to all that voted. I beleive that some of you though are very modest!! You know who you are!! :D |
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Posts: 486
Location: North Carolina | OK, so who are the eight (as of this post) who consider themselves advanced, and why?
I'll start by pleading guilty. I can play any song that interests me and at a level suitable to be played in public for money. The arrangements are complex, interesting and dynamic. They are not strum the chords and sing along. In my book, that's advanced; in others' books, it might not be.
I know it's not good form to toot your own horn, and when asked socially about my playing I'm very low key. But I'm good and I know it.
BT717 asked for honesty. |
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Location: Vernon CT | F.A. You are the MAN!!! :) |
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Location: Chehalis, Washington | Originally posted by NostrAdamas:
If you are not having fun then your no good to anybody. +1 for that!
I consider myself a solid intermediate. I play mostly rhythm guitar, but graduated past 3-chord songs a long time ago. The mastery of lead still eludes me, but I can play rhythmically with style any song I want, and can lead a band as well, so I'll sit solid in the middle. |
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Location: Brisbane Australia | I'm a hack, end of story, as those who are attending the NW Jam will find out.
I really did think about my ability and guitar playing expertise when I considered attending the Jam.
Then I thought, what the heck?
I look at it as an opportunity to meet people with a common interest and I'll most likely learn more in those few days than could be taught by a tutor in a year.
AJ |
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| Jim, learn? are you kidding, this bunch will just getcha drunk and play your guitars all weekend and you'll go home with cashews in your guitars.
The sad truth.
Wish you could bring the Deacon, that was originally brought into our fold through Miles. He can certainly tell you a great deal more about its history than I could as well. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Crazy on You was one of my goals to learn before the NW Gathering, but I haven't started yet. Considering that it took me a year to learn Classical Gas, I don't think I can acheive this goal in 3 weeks. Arthur will have to come up and teach it to me. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | This is just like golf. I'm a 14 handicap there, probably about the same for guitar. |
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Location: NJ | In that case, I'm in the sandtrap . . . |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I hit a bystander... |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Moody was the bystander. |
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Location: Cicero, NY | ...so Jeff hit him a second time. |
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Location: Tennessee | That's 'splains the temporary insanity ... |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | I called myself an intermediate.
I play barr chords. I can do the simplest of fingerpicking. I try to work on my accuracy...like changing quickly to the next chord so you don't hear a split second of all-open strings. I hate that.
I can't play and sing at the same time.
I'm losing ground little by little to arthritis in my left hand, so I find myself looking for thinner and thinner necks.
I don't have time in my life to work on learning more, and that's OK with me.
I've been on several factory tours and I can compare my playing to some other peoples'...we all do some of that. IMHO, my playing is below Brad's. It's WAY below yours, Cliff.
The only playing I do regurlarly is on Sunday at church. My 12 string adds rhythm and texture to what the first guitar and the rest of the band are doing. It's fun because when I hear a 12 string on a recording that BIG strumming is what I like most; it's what made me fall in love with the 12 string all those years ago. I can make THAT sound and that's all I ever wanted to accomplish. John <>{ |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Crazy on You was one of my goals to learn before the NW Gathering, but I haven't started yet. Considering that it took me a year to learn Classical Gas, I don't think I can acheive this goal in 3 weeks. Arthur will have to come up and teach it to me. Sorry Mark... I don't know that! I haven't even started to learn it.
That is why I need a guitar that already knows how to play it.
But if you can do Classical Gas, you should have no problem.
I am happy that I can do Wish You Were Here! :rolleyes: |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
I called myself an intermediate. Using your 'definition', I polled correctly. I have most of the same issues as you, except for the time issue. I have time in the 24 hour day, but not the years to get to where I'd be happy with my efforts (if that's EVER possible with a music lover).
Nonetheless, I'm blessed with the opportunity to enjoy my meager 'advancements' and sample the world of 'O's. Hopefully, my Grandbabies will have the time to get to where they want to go musically; for they'll have no excuse as to instruments ('O's are only a part of it)!
I still say that there are some 'understated' self-ratings here that skew the results. But I can relate to and accept your definition. |
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Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by First Alternate:
OK, so who are the eight (as of this post) who consider themselves advanced, and why? I ranked myself as advanced. I also ranked myself as a beginner. I think both are true. I think they will always both be true. |
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Location: GA USA | I ranked myself intermediate. Before you laugh, here's my reason. My birthday was this week, and for my present from the family, I gave myself 3 months of Workshop Live .
I looked over their acoustic lesson plans and thought I had some sort of handle on most all of the beginner stuff, and planned to enter as intermediate. Would that be a good measuring tool? |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | C_L,
You'll have to keep us posted as to the 'value' of the package.
Oh yeah,  ! |
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Location: GA USA | Will do, Iffy.
My daughter is supposed to be taking this state required online driver's course. She is taking a looooong time to finish it, but has to be done by the end of June. About that time, she is going to Peru, and the wife is visiting family in Nebraska. I will probably wait a couple of weeks to sign up and dive in big time while I have the computer to myself. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Before my trip to the UK at Christmas, I'd considered myself an 'advanced intermediate'. That trip was a wake-up face slap.
The talented people that I met in the short time I was there clarified the gap that exists between OK and good, and the even greater chasm between good and great.
The nail in the coffin for me was when I tried to learn the Stones version of "love in vain" from my friend's guitar mag tab which even had a CD to play along with. Y'know. I just couldn't get it. The point of this little ramble? - The tab was rated beginner / intermediate.
I was a beginner nearly 40 years ago. Looks like I'm finally on the cusp of being intermediate. |
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Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | If I could play "Ziggy Stardust" at the Homewood Suites on a Friday night, then catch a plane back to Calif, the next morning. I would consider myself a Star. Hey StoneBob. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by Captain_Lovehandles:
Will do, Iffy. I'm looking forward to that review too, CL.
I don't get their pricing though?
"$2.50 / week, monthly: $19.95" I dunno. My maths says $2.50 / week adds up to $10 / month.
(maybe I shouldn't think metric dollars) |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I never considered myself that good of a player, but I guess I'll put myself in the intermediate level.
I can't do barre chords for prolonged periods of time, I finger pick every now and then, and fake stuff with the capo as my closest ally. I do know that I can do simple chords, play simple songs and get to finish it in its entirety.
If my playing goes downhill and suck serious a**, then I'm going back to beginner. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Ignimbyte quote - "I can't do barre chords for prolonged periods of time, I finger pick every now and then, and fake stuff with the capo as my closest ally. I do know that I can do simple chords, play simple songs and get to finish it in its entirety."
Amen!
I do "Find The Cost Of Freedom" by CSNY with barre chords, just to practice my barre chords...
Without capo it has a Bm and an F#m in it, so I do that to strengthen my fingers.
Even the original version is done with a Capo and no barre chords.
But I either use a Capo, or transpose some songs down a step to avoid alot of barre chords.
Hey! I can't/don't sing, and I am playing for my own enjoyment.
But my Kyser spring capo sure is handy! And it came Free in the case with my Orange Flame T! :D |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | I'm not sure if it's laziness or just a challenge, but I avoid the capo like the plague (my singing is the fifth horse of the Apocalypse, so no requirement there).
As a result, I've found that certain barre progressions are actually 'tighter' and smoother on the fretboard as opposed to playing open. That's not even counting the chord/melody fulfillment (Does that make sense?).
I'm sure that many here are more than aware of the barre capabilities. But since the topic came up, I had to share.
For some reason, 'way back when' I couldn't barre worth a hoot. When I picked up a git after over thirty years, barring kinda fell into place. I'm still having transition issues with the barre C shape though. Practice, ditto, ditto...
BTW, I'm loving the 'revelations' in the thread!  |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
(my singing is the fifth horse of the Apocalypse, so no requirement there).
BTW, I'm loving the 'revelations' in the thread!  |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
Oh yeah, I suck at blowing trumpets too!
Great .gif OMA! |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | OMA, I do the same. I practice "Just One Victory" by Todd Rundgren for the barre practice. It has E, A, Am, Am7 and Em7 forms. I have been practicing barre chords pretty religiously for a while now and still have trouble with some. |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | For good barre chord practice, try Bob Dylan's Lay lady lay. Most of the song goes A C#m G Bm repeatedly. Try to get to the end without a cramp. No cheating by speeding up. |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | More barre chord advise, If you have an electric, play lots of barre chord songs on it. When that gets easy, switch back to acoustic and start over. Your fingers will be a little stronger and more used to the shapes and changes. You'll just have to work your way up to the extra resistance you get from an acoustic. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 80
Location: On The Fringe Of Ground Zero | ALPEP : as a former teacher, I always told my students that we learn until the day we die. I will never stop learing both things in life and guitar. I feel that I will never master the guitar. I don't even know or can grasp what mastering the guitar means.
let the fingers do the talking.
add me to the beginners I agree life as well as music is a life long journey in learning.
I'm jump starting my love of the guitar after 15 years of hibernation. It's like learning how to read/walk all over again. |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 1017
Location: Budd Lake, NJ | Hmmmmm.....play lead. No. Play written guitar music. No. Play from tab. No. So far, not too good. Play in flat keys, yes. (Don't like it, though.) Transpose on the fly, yes. (With accompanying fits of heartburn.) Play barre chords, yes. (Though the ones built on A aren't my favorites.) Let's see......add that, subtract that, multiply times two, divide by three (resharpening pencil)......I think I come out somewhere in intermediate. Oh...I forgot...absolutely crazy about playing--advanced! :D
--Karen |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Hybernation..?..is that the part where everything is subdued.. :)
Vic |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I find it interesting and insightful that so many of y'all find it hard to rate yourself...
(conversation that I had with a co-worker)
Avery asks me, "Can you play that?" referring to a song on the radio...
"Yes, but not very well" I reply.
"You've got a dozen guitars, and you're telling me that you're not good enough to play That?"
I say, "If someone tells you that they are 'Good', they are either Really Good or they are Really Conceited! (or just lying) and it is usually the latter!"
For me, the answer was easy... I am a beginner, with flashes of the intermediary! :D |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | To me "beginner" is that stage where you know less than a dozen chords and struggle to make changes smooth enough to keep up with your singing or a smooth rhythm. Once you've got beyond that you can call yourself intermediate, which I do.
Advanced intermediate is where you can learn some fairly complex pieces (e.g. intro to Crazy on You) within a few weeks (which I cannot do) and have a range of playing styles you can access (e.g. advanced strumming, fingerpicking, lead).
Top level players can do all that and more and are able to play very difficult pieces with a level of polish that makes the rest of us blanch. When I'm around a top level player I want to hear him/her play my guitar, so I know what it is really capable of. Those of you who are making money from playing are probably at this level. The fact that someone knows they have a lot of improving left in them doesn't make them not advanced.
I'm a psychologist and a defining feature of some of the master counsellors is their humility and willingness to admit what they don't know. Doesn't mean they are not masters.
Echoing what others have said, I enjoy playing and if I can keep making little improvements, I am happy. I can't see anyone every paying to listen though, as long as the neighbours don't complain ... |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 125
Location: UK | Can play the CD player real well but not so hot on the VCR.
Feel I have lost the plot ................. need a coffee. |
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Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Richard, we need to talk.
Yeah Paul a coffee might help.
The mentality, not the playing and mine not yours
AJ |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Originally posted by PaulUK:
Can play the CD player real well but not so hot on the VCR.
Feel I have lost the plot ................. need a coffee. Funny thing Paul. I bet you don't have nearly as many TVs and VCRs as you do guitars. |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 125
Location: UK | Very true.
Don't play them as much either. |
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May 2008
Posts: 16
Location: new jersey, u.s.a. | i can play WAY better than any 2 year old on my block!! :D |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I find that when I start comparing myself to other people, that's when my headache comes back. I play better than some, worse than others. I keep trying to learn and improve. And I try to enjoy it whenever I pick up a guitar.
What else is there? |
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Rate your Guitar playing ability: honestly