What's Your Skill Level

[just strum]

Since I'm new here, I haven't really been able to get a handle on the skill level of the members and was curious as to the mix that participates on thefret. It would be interesting to hear from the members on where they think they are with their skill level. I sense most of us are hard on ourselves, so if you respond, be fair to yourself.

I would classify myself as a beginner. I've been playing/practicing for about 1.5 years. Between work and family (wife and two kids) I do not get the time I would like to practice more, especially week days. I still debate on whether I should take lessons.

My skill level is very minimal, I can play a couple Neil Young songs, two Dylan, do some various riffs and go through chord progressions and scales. Really haven't put it together to the point where I could contribute to a constructive jam session.

My strength: Determination

My weakness: Expecting too much

 

[Robert]

I'm somewhere in the middle...

 

[just strum]

I'm somewhere in the middle...

I was trying to come up with a scale so we could quantify beginner, middle, accomplished...

I thought about using examples of various artist or maybe even better yet would be noting the song we are best at playing.

Robert, we have an advantage of knowing where your at by watching your videos, but I have a feeling they aren't giving us a complete view of your playing ability.

If someone has a suggestion for a scale of measurement, feel free to make a suggestion. Right now my best idea would be noting the song you can play the best - mine is Knocking on Heavens Door and Helpless Helpless. Two really simple songs.

 

[250Keith]

I right were you are Strum.
I love trying to play though.

 

[warren0728]

well the last time i was playing slide i had a new neighbor call PETA and tell them someone was torturing a cat....what "cat"agory does that put me in? :rotflmao:

ww

 

[duhvoodooman]

well the last time i was playing slide i had a new neighbor call PETA and tell them someone was torturing a cat....what "cat"agory does that put me in?

Nearly purr-fect? Highly mew-sical? Playing with great feline? :thwap:

I could keep this up longer, but I won't....

 

[pes_laul]

you know warren i think your the king of funny puns

As for me I'd say I'm moderate I only know two lead scales though minor penatonic and dorian the hardest song I know is probaly the lead from bark at the moon and Sweet child o mine (oh i also know the lead from warpigs and i know suite madame blue)) I am not the biggest fan of playing other peoples music i like to find backing tracks (or make them) and play lead to them

 

[YerDugliness]

With me, it depends.

If you're talking fingerstyle, I think I can hold my own with most non-professional players, having played a classical guitar for 35 years. As for the song I enjoy playing most (keep in mind I'm still talking about the classical guitar here), I'd say it is Don McLean's "Vincent". It is perhaps the most beautiful song I've ever heard played on the classical guitar; Chet Atkins was the artist! As I play "Vincent", I have my eyes closed so I can see the slide show--every phrase in the lyrics relates to a different painting or drawing by Vincent. Unfortunately, the effort expended in enriching the guitar playing and visualizing the artwork renders me unable to engage the mouth, but that's OK, since classical guitar is mainly an instrumental endeavor. There are some songs I play on the classical and sing ("Yesterday" by the Beatles is an example), and I guess I do so well enough to avoid chasing folks off, but in my mind I don't have a very good voice. Still, I do what I can to make the song my own and have yet to be told I suck when I perform that one.

As for usinig a pick (something I only do with a steel string guitar, never with my classical guitars), I'm a relative newby at that, only picked one up 3 years ago. I must have a pretty good sense of rhythm, b/c a friend with whom I have played a few times tells me I'm an excellent rhythm player. I don't think so, as I have yet to master the faster rhythm styles, like bluegrass, but I think I improve every day. I have a pretty good chord vocabulary and that helps, as does being able to use barre chords well. I use the steel string for strumming only. I don't have a lead line in my head, but that doesn't keep me from wishing...........and hoping.................and dreaming.............oh, well.

With the electric I'm even more of a newby. I just got my first electric this past spring and really don't play it much, but I do have a few songs I reserve for the electric. The favorite of those is "Temptation", by Tom Waitts, but I don't like his version, so I do Dianna Krall's. This song I can sing as I play the rhythm portion. Here's a link to a YouTube of Dianna Krall''s version (I'm listening to this as I type these words):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0ZT7c8e_tQ

So, Strum, I guess it should be obvious that within my journey from beginner to advanced, I tread on many portions of the path at the same time. As you get more experience, you will find that you will, too. The great (???) thing about it is that if you really love playing guitar, have music in your soul, there will always be challenges and therefore you will never reach the end of that path, where the pot of gold lies at the end of the rainbow.

My dream??? I have a motto: "I'm going to live to be 100 or die trying!!". Here's hoping that whenever that happens, it happens with a guitar in my hands and a song in my heart.

Dugly

 

[Spudman]

I'm somewhere in the middle...

Maybe the middle of the upper 1%.:AOK:

 

[warren0728]

truly i'm beginner to moderate....i really want to learn more theory and understand when to play things i play...i keep promising myself i am going to start really "learning" how to play instead of just playing around...it's all about time management though....i need to make time to really work on guitar....

owning my own business i seem to always make time for my clients.....i need to start making some time for just me!

WW

 

[WackyT]

Beginner still learning scales and chords.

 

[warren0728]

If you're talking fingerstyle, I think I can hold my own with most non-professional players, having played a classical guitar for 35 years.

a long time ago in a galaxy far far away (university of florida in the 80's) i dated a girl who was classically trained on guitar....she didn't play for many people but she would play for me....blew me away every time she took out her classical guitar with the huge neck and nylon strings and played.... :drool:

ww

 

[just strum]

truly i'm beginner to moderate....i really want to learn more theory and understand when to play things i play...i keep promising myself i am going to start really "learning" how to play instead of just playing around...it's all about time management though....i need to make time to really work on guitar....

owning my own business i seem to always make time for my clients.....i need to start making some time for just me!

WW

Warren, I have the same goal - to learn some theory, just to have a better understanding of what I am trying to learn. When I watched that Truefire DVD, I realized the importance of theory to improve the learning process. It's not a necessity, but it certainly would help.

Own your own business? I thought guys like you have all the free time in the world:rotflmao:

 

[just strum]

My dream??? I have a motto: "I'm going to live to be 100 or die trying!!". Here's hoping that whenever that happens, it happens with a guitar in my hands and a song in my heart.

Dugly

I take mine from Steven Wright "I plan on living forever - so far, so good."

 

[stingx]

I'm slightly better than "suck".

 

[warren0728]

Own your own business? I thought guys like you have all the free time in the world:rotflmao:

now that's funny i don't care who you are....it's 9:53pm my time and i am still getting emails from clients because i had a server start acting up and during the transition to a new server some of their php stuff isn't working....i'm ready to move somewhere out in the middle of nowhere (spud, there must be some land near you you) and living OFF the grid and growing my own food!!

the rat race can not be won!

ww

 

[just strum]

now that's funny i don't care who you are....it's 9:53pm my time and i am still getting emails from clients because i had a server start acting up and during the transition to a new server some of their php stuff isn't working....i'm ready to move somewhere out in the middle of nowhere (spud, there must be some land near you you) and living OFF the grid and growing my own food!!

the rat race can not be won!

ww

Yep, would love to find a way to dedicate serious time to playing guitar and being involved in music - probably one of my few regrets in life - I wish I would have started my pursuit at a young age.

 

[just strum]

I'm slightly better than "suck".

I'm not buying that - come on give us a real description of your skill level.

 

[duhvoodooman]

I'm slightly better than "suck".

That works for me, too. Thanks, StingX....

 

[warren0728]

Yep, would love to find a way to dedicate serious time to playing guitar and being involved in music - probably one of my few regrets in life - I wish I would have started my pursuit at a young age.

i started playing in middle school but never took it seriously...played a little in high school then when i finally decided to take it up again (after several years of marriage...now divorced)...a few years ago i had a couple of kids and of course....put the music aside....now my 11 year old son is interested in playing but i don't know enough to teach him properly....wish i would have stuck with it during the early years! Maybe we can learn together!

ww

 

[snarph]

If no one is listening I'm great specially if the don't know what they are listening to I can fake it really well

 

[marnold]

I'm the best crappy guitarist I know in my house that I'm aware of.

 

[ted s]

You too Marnold ?!

 

[Spudman]

....i'm ready to move somewhere out in the middle of nowhere (spud, there must be some land near you you) and living OFF the grid and growing my own food!!

the rat race can not be won!

ww

Might be a good idea to get here soon before the rush. I can also help you with your playing and you can teach me how to mix drinks.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Maybe the middle of the upper 1%.:AOK:

Hmm, commented on his, but no thoughts on yours? Nah, can't let you get away with that. Come on, out with it! :beer:

I am beginner plus. Been playing regularly a year and 5 months, and electric not quite a year. I can play along on simple strummed rhythms on simple rock oriented songs, keeping decent time and anticipating chord changes pretty well, but would be considered sloppy by anyone more professional than the local guys in a garage. I know the pentatonic scale and its mirror decently, and the blues scale, and can noodle out a solo, though again it is sloppy. I am adding chords as we speak beyond the normal open shapes, can barre ok with simple barre shapes (E shape, A minor shape), and have an ok ear, and can sound out simple melodies on a fret board. learning some about theory, but it seems harder to me on a fretboard than on a piano keyboard where the it is all laid out in linear fashion in black and white. Probably just a mental shift needed there.

I also don't get enough quality practice time, but am working on that. I also am determined, and also can tend to expect a lot sooner rather than later. But I am having a lot of fun!

 

[warren0728]

Might be a good idea to get here soon before the rush. I can also help you with your playing and you can teach me how to mix drinks.

my job would be easier...get a good single malt scotch...pour how much you want and don't do anything to it but sip it!!

ww

 

[t_ross33]

I've been playing since I was 11 or 12, so that makes it... aaahhhhrgh! almost 30 freakin' years! How can someone who's been playing for 30 freakin' years still suck so bad! :rotflmao:

I consider myself beginner to entry-level intermediate. Completely self taught, so I really have no idea why I do what I do, I just noodle until I find something that sounds somewhat "right". I know all the major and minor open chord shapes and can barre major and minor chords up and down the neck. I can hold my own as a rhythm player I think, on electric or acoustic (comes from my bass-player roots I guess). I'd be pretty comfortable sitting in and jammin' in just about any situation.

I can wheedle out a few riffs, but not much that you'd call a "lead" or a "solo". The first song I taught myself was "Wildwood Flower", followed by "Tennessee Flat Top Box". Can read some tab, but can only follow along if I slow the song down to about 1/4 speed or slower :messedup: Don't really know any scales. Theory - yeah, right :whatever:

One song that we do, and I think we do it quite well, is Jerry Doucette's "Mamma Let Him Play". A cousin taught me a couple of riffs from this song years ago. We were foolin' around at a practice a few months ago and started jammin' it and the song just came back and flowed from my fingers ude: Sorta :rotflmao: Anyway, it rocks and the audience usually can't tell if I'm running it through the blender or not.

BUT...

I'm taking my first lesson Saturday! Should be interesting. Wish me luck :AOK:

Trev

 

[jasongins]

I'm 34, I have been playing for just under a year, and have been taking bi-weekly lessons for about nine months. I would classify myself as beginner. I can play all five minor pentatonic patterns and am able to connect them vertically up and down the neck to some degree, though I am having problems transitioning from playing scales into something that sounds like a solo and not just a series of notes. On one of the patterns, I can add the flat 5 (blues), maj 6 (dorian), maj 3, and 9th. I can also play a major scale (ionian). I am also working on being able to change key at a particular location on the neck by changing the pattern rather than moving up or down the neck to a different location. Doing ok with chords - plenty of open chords, barre cords (major, minor, seventh , minor seventh), some 9th chords, I even know A13. I am currently working on triads on the G B and E strings, four part chord voicings (G7, C7, and D7 using strings 2 3 4 and 6 in several positions up and down the neck). I can play some arpeggios as well. I can see that my teacher wants me to understand the instrument rather than just learn to play songs, so I have been focusing on doing what he tells me. I am hopeful that learning songs will come easier as my understanding of the instrument increases. As for songs, I can play White Room, but I am lousy and unoriginal when it comes to the solo part. I can muddle my way through Purple Haze, but it gets too crazy at the end. My rhythm playing and right hand technique need a lot of work, but it isn't something my teacher and I have really focused on just yet. In addition to taking lessons, I grab bits and pieces from Robert's videos, from other videos on YouTube, and from the online lessons from my Line6 Toneport GX.

I am hoping to achieve a level where I could sit in with the band at a wedding, or play ridiculous 80's covers with a band at a bar, party, or reunion.

 

[Adrian30]

Well here’s where I am:

Completely self-taught, and know very little theory. Just like T_ross, I can play major, minor and barre chords, but that’s not what I usually like to do. I like to solo / improvise along various tunes and I do it exclusively by ear. By “various tunes” I mean from every guitarists favorite (Hendrix, SRV etc) to traditional music from Balkans (South-Eastern Europe), often playing along, or trying to imitate violin and clarinet pieces. I guess it would be appropriate to say that I am more attracted to the melodic aspect rather than rhythmic.

For the last 6 years, I played only electric guitars (started out on an Ibanez Jumpstart pack in 2001), in my teen years I “messed around” with an acoustic. Hanging around here (The Fret) has taught me a lot. Like Henderson’s phrasing lesson, and I’m not talking about Ed having sex with his girlfriend.

Though I still consider myself a beginner, often somewhat sloppy in playing, I can jam along, probably more contributing with single-line melodic passages than actually leading.
I don’t know does this make any sense…

All in all, I still suck, and I need to practice much more, just like this guy.:R

 

[R_of_G]

I'd label myself an "intermediate" player. I have been playing for 7.5 years, electric for 5. I can read tablature but cannot read or write musical notation. The first few years I was strictly rhythm, mostly 12 bar blues and simple 2 or 3 chord songs [a lot of Dylan, Neil Young, CCR, etc] with friends, one of whom is a great player who would solo over what we were playing. Eventually, I started to be able to solo myself. Our friend who did most of the soloing moved to California a few years ago, so now it is just my friend Steve and myself. He plays rhythm and I do the soloing.

For the past year or so, when we play together we haven't really been concentrating on playing "songs" as we used to, but have focused more on developing our improv skills. Our playing now is more along the lines of "pick a key and a style and go" [for example, a slow funk groove in A, or a rambling blues in E, etc]. It really helps develop the ability to listen to what someone else is playing and figuring out your place in the whole piece. I am trying to develop into the kind of player who can be thrown into any improv situation and come up with something relevant to play.

When I practice alone I do often still play actual songs, usually as a way to warm up my hands for an hour or so before I start working on my own stuff. some of the songs I think I play particularly well [ie. chords, riffs, solos and all] are "Jockey Full of Bourbon" and "Rain Dogs" by Tom Waits, "She Said, She Said" by the Beatles, "Train in Vain" by the Clash, and the one that used to be my signature tune, "Having an Average Weekend" [aka Theme to The Kids in the Hall] by Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. I know a ton of other songs [incl most of the Ramones' catalog], but these are the ones I seem to drift back to time and time again.

As far as development of original material, I have yet to write a complete piece, but I have fleshed out a handful of ideas [chord progressions, melodies, etc] that I would like to get around to completing over the next year. ude: