Time For Honesty: How Good Are You?

[Magnawolf]

1. rhythm playing - 6.7 I have great timing but no, I don't know THAT many chords. There are some diminished and augmented that I don't know off hand but I can pretty much play any chord. I have good rhythm imo and I can sing well at the same time.

2. lead playing - 3 I know major and minor scales but I don't know modes. I'm not that great at improv but I can easily solo over anything basic.

3. fingerpicking - 0.3 i dont play acoustic

4. creativity - 8 - I have good riffs and chord progressions. I have good tones too. If someone gave me a guitar in the most random tuning I can easily make music out of it.

[sax4blues]

What I am really good at is fitting in a band. - 10
I learn songs quickly including lyrics if I have to sing. - 10
I know song forms, dynamics, breaks/stops, rhythms. - 10
I can communicate with eye contact with players who have good feel. - 10
I can play live gigs with comfort. - 10

My guitar playing - 3 everyone I know is better than me.

I play in three gigging bands and play live 4-6 times/month.

[soulman969]

I'm pretty damn good but some say Clapton is even better.

[hemingway]

Rhythm - hmm, not so great. I don't really like it. 5

Lead - hmm, not so great. Even though I love it, and it's what I try to play most. But I'm judging myself here on my deficient technical twiddling, which is only part of the story (see creativity, below). 5

Fingerpicking - better. Actually, the guitarist who influenced my playing more than any was not Buchanan or Clapton, but Leonard Cohen. That man Spanishes pretty good. 7

Creativity - this is where the delusion kicks in. 8

Total 25.

I think one real mark of a good musician is knowing when to shut up and not play. We've all played with the full-volume ham-fisteds who just love the sound of their own derivative claw-hammering. Give me a little silence sometimes, a little light and shade.

[Stickyfingers]

My score was 60......then I woke up and picked up my guitar........

[jjkrause84]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

HAHAHAHAHAH

Excellent!

As for the guitar stuff, I haven't a clue. I tend to see weaknesses in myself and take strengths for granted (I assume we're most like that). I know plenty of pro guitarists and they've taught me that I'm no pro! Not even close. I'm competent enough to hang with them, but couldn't "compete" (if, for some reason, we found ourselves in a competition of some sort). To a beginning guitarist I sound and play like a real champ, because they understand how difficult it all is. To someone who is not at all musically inclined I'm "ok", because I don't play with a band. Playing with a band would make me "amazing".

So, in short, even if such measurements were possible, one would have to decide who you are measuring yourself against and why. My guess is that if you're using a scale which includes every musician alive that the scores here are VASTLY overblown.


Oh! Lastly, as to Fezz's link. It's no myth...at least once they get over the intimidation of how large it is. Just sayin....




[Please women, do not be offended! Just a joke....]

[frankthomson]

Originally Posted by max_twang

It's not a contest.

thats it....you're disqualified!!!

[rangercaster]

this a great !!! ... why don't we do like they do in golf and create a handicap system so all players can be equal ??? " ... gee, Fred, that was a lousy solo, but your 8 handicap brings it up a 10 !!!" ... my buddy Tom is a scratch player ...

[gitold]

I sound like me, I wouldnt want to play like anybody else but me, I play well with others. I deserve ALL THE NICE GEAR i HAVE BECAUSE i PAID FOR IT AND PLAY IT...NA,NA,NA.

[PapaLion]

I used to demo guitars some for Mom's and beginners in the store, so they could hear the potential and buy it. Once in awhile a 16 year old would walk in, ask to play a guitar. I'd set it up and go back to whatever, and he would proceed to overwhelm me with stye and ability.

The value of your stack of guitars means nothing, the passion and love you have to enjoy them means everything.

Never judge a 16 year old by his hair color:) And it's best not to over rate your guitar playing ability:) Like quick draw, always somebody much better.

I need a 20 handicap please.

[djalt]

Here. I'll go out on a limb. Im submitting this for peer review.

Played a PW Bbender, sequenced the bass, played B3 simulator, looped drums.
Original song, 'Snowed Inn'
http://db.tt/DihOBCVN

Ireland pub impromptu
http://db.tt/rUrKr6bv

Sat in on Trad session
http://db.tt/IBvjARQV

Be honest, Ill take it like a man...
:)

[shorty1]

Im better than SRV is.

[tonyp145]

I like this topic, I've recently had the revelation of realizing I'm not as good as I thought I was. Shouldn't have been a surprise as I don't practice as much as I used to and even when I used to practice constantly I hit a plateau I could never get past. Here are my scores:

Rhythm - 7
Lead - 5
Fingerpicking - 3
Creativity - 5

That's a 20. I'm currently playing guitar in a trio and it has exposed all my weaknesses. I play bass too (and have since I was a kid) and I'm currently mulling a return to that instrument. I really prefer being a support player anyway.

[Wailin' Tele]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

So I should stop applying the ointment...

[djalt]

Originally Posted by djalt

Here. I'll go out on a limb. Im submitting this for peer review.

Played a PW Bbender, sequenced the bass, played B3 simulator, looped drums.
Original song, 'Snowed Inn'
http://db.tt/DihOBCVN

Ireland pub impromptu
http://db.tt/rUrKr6bv

Sat in on Trad session
http://db.tt/IBvjARQV

Be honest, Ill take it like a man...
:)

Wow, want honesty? Don't rate yourself, Get getbents opinion on your playing.... :)

[ifallalot]

the art/sound/tone is more important than technique

unless you are into wanking/shred/math rock its about making it sound good rather than technical wizadry

[dutchgoff]

Fezz???

[Arbiter]

Rate yourself as a guitar player. Use a scale of 1 to 10 and use these categories:

1. rhythm playing
2. lead playing
3. fingerpicking
4. creativity - your ability to come up with a complete song (chords) or a lick or solo

7
0
5
9

Problem is, I'm not a guitarist by trade, I play mostly to write songs and cut demos.

If we're talking bass, which is my primary instrument, well, don't mean to be "that guy", but it would be tens across the board save for slapping - I'm "good enough" but my hands just aren't big enough to do what, let's say, Les Claypool can. But I'll pull it off. I am "all tens" good and have no problem saying so.

And if you'd ever played with me, you'd say so too.

EDIT: reread the OP - my gear totally shows it. My guitars are decent enough, the effects are pedals, the amps are a Valve Jr. and Champ 600. It's a bedroom player's/recording rig, not a gigging rig.

My bass rig: One 2-digit serial Steinberger L2 fretless (this usually stays in a rented vault these days because it's irreplaceable), one Steinberger Synapse fretless, one Cort b4 fretless (my beater and most recent main axe) going into a SansAmp RPM -> QSC USA 900 power amps -> 2 SWR Goliath I cabs (made by David Eden, and kind of cool that it says so on the back) - a rig I'd take into a stadium and be confident that it could get it done. This rig has been more or less stable since 1989, save for the Cort, which is new. That Cort B4 fretless is simply a great bass. Probably get another one soon.

Small gigs get one cabinet If I drag everything out, it's bigger than my fridge and weighs a LOT more.

[oramac7891]

8
5
2
2
Unless we are talking about when I enter my guitar room, then
10
10
10
10
I am awesome, when I play by myself

[greytop]

9
5
5
7