At what 'level' is everyone at?

[Lerb21]

I was just thinking about the stuff I play and where I was at as a guitar player. Everyone always says that there is never a true mastery of guitar you just keep gettin' better.

Anywho my abilities are somewhere around the following: I have managed to memorize about 80-90% of the notes on the fret board. I know what the majority of their relations are to various chords as well as other notes on the guitar. I'm comfortable at playing at a sixteenth note speed, but can go at a thirty-second note speed if I have open strings available. As far as improv I know the major and minor scales along with pentatonic versions. I (think) a know a fairly large amount of country licks along with a respectable amount of blues licks. When I listen to a record, I can normally pick out the melody line on my tele on the first go with little errors. I have primarily studied the styles of Luther Perkins, Don Rich, Merle Haggard, Roy Nichols, SRV, and Eric Clapton. Those are listed in order from best to least in comprehension. My primary weakness is the transition from G to B string in improvisation, and I still have troubles using my pinkie finger. I also have issues with the 'fluidity' of my playing as well. I also plagued by the inability to pick in a Merle Travis fashion, I cannot make the fingers on my right hand do different things at different times. Oh ya, and anything other than a major, minor, or 7th chord is my enemy.

Okay, I've blabbed enough about my playing. If I can do this after 6 years, tell what you fellas can do.

[ibobunot]

5036 feet above sea-level...

[RodeoTex]

OK so I'm a 30 yr beginner but here's where I'm stuck:
I can play chords, sometimes even 'hear' them in music. I can learn some tabs and impress non-guitarists. I know a couple of scales and cannot relate them to any chord but can move them around and usually find the root chord of any song.
I don't know where to go from here and if I ask I always get a flood of recomendations about books that usually start out way over my head.
I'm gonna go play golf.

[Al Watsky]

Sounds like you have studied some great music.
If you learn the music you love you can't go wrong.
It takes a long time to perfect anything.
Its good to learn to enjoy the process.
There are so many sources these days.
So many books and videos.
Teachers.
CD's to learn from.
It takes a long time.
There's always something new .
The next thing.
While the candle burns theres still time to work.

[bender-freak]

i'm somewhat better than i was in 1959 when i got my first Sears plywood acoustic, but about 10 light years away from where i would like to be......

[woodman]

after 40 years, i'm at the level where learning what *not* to play is more important than learning what to play.

[jazztele]

i've been playing 17 years. i still learn something new almost every day.

from what you said, i'd work on chords. learn 'em all over the neck, and learn how to make 'em--what notes--don't just learn hand grips. spending a whole year on chords was the best thing i ever did for my playing.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Originally Posted by woodman

what *not* to play is more important than learning what to play.

+1 on that Woody...

I've been playing for 34 years (Yikes!). Have toured with a bunch of bands, recorded a lot, played sessions, taught guitar privately and at a music college in London and am fully aware that I am still learning...

[Spidercaster]

I'm also in the learning when not to play camp. My main goal is really to just improve as time goes by. I'm still a hack, it's just less people notice it now.

[Lerb21]

Originally Posted by BritishBluesBoy

+1 on that Woody...

I've been playing for 34 years (Yikes!). Have toured with a bunch of bands, recorded a lot, played sessions, taught guitar privately and at a music college in London and am fully aware that I am still learning...

I'll second that. Better to play a little bit that was well executed and tastefully than a whole lot that is just filler.

[jhundt]

after 40 years, i'm at the level where learning what *not* to play is more important than learning what to play.

another +1 for the Woodman.

This is SO important! How often have you gone to see a band (any kind of music) and seen the guitar player NOT play for a beat or two, or a phrase or two, or even a verse/chorus or two? Most guys just PLAY TOO MUCH!

I have been playing for 40 years. My level? ... hard to say "Advanced amateur" maybe, since I don't play for pay. I think that I could hold my own in most rock/country settings, IF I didn't have to do note-for-note covers. And I would never do that sort of gig anyway, because it would not suit me.

I could never swap hot chicken-pickin' leads with Bill Kirchen or Junior Brown, but if they showed up at my house I would sure like to sit around and play some stuff!

The thing is - if you are a normal guy you are always able to improve. (Guys like Bill K, Redd V etc are exempt from this list). But at a certain point you realize that you play OK, and that is pretty satisfying too.

[octatonic]

I can do this:

http://www.jamesrichmond.com/nov07/dontwant_to_know.mp3

and this: http://www.lotusthrone.com/scape1.mp3

[Tele Fan]

Beat guit box, sing song, keep in time.

[bargoedboy]

funny , but for me i`ve been the lead player in my band for last 13 years , been playing for 30 years but allways saw myself as a second guitarist who took the odd solo now and then . taken me a long time to feel at home being THE guitarist in band still not happy with my playing but then again who is ?
one thing is we are all better than we think we are but not as good as we would like to think of ourselves!
if that makes sense.

[Stevie 202]

+1 to all the above.......

AND BTW did you guys check out that Rockin' Carl vid that Mandy posted?

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaste...ler-video.html


Ummmmm... I'd call this guy the 'humbler'..yikes!

[Dean Gray]

Better than I was, but not as good as I will be.

[Rick J]

I'm an 18 handicap golfer. I consider myself about a 6 handicap guitarist.

Rick J

[mudbean]

Bass: Weekend hack, 18 yrs
Acoustic Guitar: Cowboy strummer, 30 yrs
Telecaster: Rank newby, 6 mos

mud

[ehren]

Originally Posted by woodman

after 40 years, i'm at the level where learning what *not* to play is more important than learning what to play.

This is very important and something that is often missed by up and coming guitarists.

As for me, I'm at an age where I'm still very much progressing in my abilities, but am simplifying everything I play. I'm trying to make my playing fluid with the music I'm writing. I'm focusing on *writing* solos that speak emotionally within the meanings behind the songs. My goals these days are to have my playing speak from *within* the song rather than running all over the top of it. After my gigs I want audiences to go home thinking that they just saw a good band and that they liked the songs as opposed to just seeing a smoking player.

My new motto is, "Serve the song, at all costs to ego."

That is where I'm at, I've been listening to a lot of Neil Young, Dylan, Garcia ect...

[mudbean]

Originally Posted by ehren

My new motto is, "Serve the song, at all costs to ego."

All guitarists should adopt this motto, IMHO.

mud

[ddewerd]

I'm kind of near the advanced level of intermediate

Cheers,
Doug

[JKjr]

"Serve the song, at all costs to ego."

I've been playing poorly since the early 70's, mostly by ear. Virtually no formal training, but after all this time I can nick most pop tunes, lots of blues, etc...I'm NOT a musician by any stretch of the imagination, but I can play with musicians, if that makes any sense. Biggest problem: Practice!! Playing a few hours a week whether you need to or not doesn't cut it. Have only gigged occasionally over the past couple decades, but am working up some covers to hit the clubs with some more old farts like me. Wish me luck!

[squeezebox]

I've been playing guitar for 33 years

I've been learning how to play guitar for about 2 years

[teleon]

I'm at the "not quitting my dayjob anytime soon" level, but my wife and kid dont tell me to shut up, nor does the dog howl.

[Brent Hutto]

I am that level when I sit in a boring meeting at work and think "all this wasted time when I could be home playing the guitar". What level is that?