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?

[Colt W. Knight]

I suck, but I enjoy the hell out of myself.

I remember when I first got my banjo, my parents told me to go practice outside on the porch. Now they tell me to go get my banjo when company comes over.

Still suck at guitar though, and only reason people think I can play banjo is because people are just happy to see and hear a banjo. They dont know what its supposed to sound like.

[Vol. Knob]

I'm 38, been playing since I was 6. I totally suck for someone who plays as well as I do.

Thats 32 years, but I sound like I've been playing for only 10. Can't read music, can't tell you what notes are in a chord unless I have a chart in front of me so I can lay my hand on the fingerboard and compare the two.

I learned Stairway to Heaven, note for note, when I was 16, and I've spent the last 22 years ensuring that I forget it.

I recently learned how to play "Blackbird", but I keep screwing up "House of the Rising Sun".

I can lay down some beautiful lead lines that will start to make you weep, then hose it with a nasty clam half a measure to the end.

And anyone who's been in a band with me, including current bandmates all have the same complaint, I rarely start a song in the correct key.

I am a blond saggitarius guitar player with ADHD. Yup, I'm a walking human punch line. I'm the "D" average student in the gifted class.

[rand z]

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.

i can identify with this statement... i have a tendency to lose sight of how important space and phrasing is.

i gotta keep listening to satchmo, bb, miles, bill frisell and jj cale/tony joe white. all masters of what they DONT play.

imho.

rand z tropicalsoul.net

[basher]

I've been playing for 31 years. I started out playing classical, then drifted through jazz, rockabilly, punk, and Irish music. Currently I'm wanting to find a few teenagers in their 40s like myself to start a good honking crashy garage band with, somewhere between the Stooges and Jet (and if any of you lot in the DC area are interested, give me a shout).

In all modesty, I'm a pretty good rhythm guitarist. I have a thorough knowledge of chord substitutions, scales, modes, all that stuff, and my sense of rhythm is generally spot-on. My lead chops, though, are still in the same state they were when I was a 12-year-old Kiss fan. I find turning up the volume, playing lots of repeating licks, and making impressive faces to be my path to greatness.

[jkoch]

I stayed up all night practicing, and finally reached level 3!

[Beerts]

I've been playing for 18 years,(quit smoking at 30 and bought my first guitar) and I have never learned how to play anyone else's music. I can play one riff from several different songs, but it doesn't really interest me to learn them. I met the drummer that I play with about 6 months after I took up the guitar and we've been playing all original christian rock&roll ever since. mostly I play rythmn and leave the lead playing to better qualified players. right now we have an amazing guitarist filling that position and I'm loving our music! I think that I play like I type (not particularly well) but it seems to be right for what I'm doing.

you can hear some of our live stuff here...
http://www.myspace.com/motelearth

[mudbean]

Originally Posted by Vol. Knob

I'm 38, been playing since I was 6. I totally suck for someone who plays as well as I do... Yup, I'm a walking human punch line. I'm the "D" average student in the gifted class.

PRICELESS!!

mud

[WillieWaylonKri]

Great thread OP
I'm 40 and have owned an acoustic guitar since college. I picked up the basic open chords, E shaped barre chord, a three string A barre chord. Terrible rhythm. Couldnt play a song.
I knew the 5 shapes or positions of the Am pentatonic scale, but not how to use them. I understood I IV V so I could transpose the Am pentatonic into different keys. But, still didnt know what to do with it.
I started lessons last year. My teacher quickly filled in theory gaps like when to play the Am pentatonic. And how you can play a few measures of A minor scale as well. Or sound old timey blues or country by playing the F# major pentatonic scale instead. He really pulled lots of other things together as well.
My rhythm got better because I played more because it was fun. But I still have awful rhythm. I have also learned to play the "expensive" chords like
F#7-b5 in several positions on the neck at decent speed.
It sounds "advanced intermediate" on paper, but its not.

[daviddoubleu]

Originally Posted by Tele Fan

Beat guit box, sing song, keep in time.

Same here, well most of the time.

[charlie chitlin]

People at gigs tell me I'm real good.
I always tell them that after 30 YEARS (!!!) I should be much better!
In the last couple years I've really started to see that the end of my life is closer than the beginning, and I've really gotten to work.
I think of things like coming to the end of my life and thinking, "Hoo, boy...I wonder if my time could have been better spent than watching every episode of FRIENDS."
Or, would I rather say, "I worked like hell to get better at that old guitar!"?

[Charlie Bernstein]

"...down in a mine shaft admiring the view,
with my eyes full of sand and my head full of you...."

Leon Fullerton

[garytelecastor]

I have been playing for 30 years. I have worked with local, regional, and national acts; as well as recording commercially. I play fiddle, guitar, harp, mandolin, pedal and lap steel, and keys.
I have a degree in music and I have yet to learn a huge expertise in anything.
I am basically as talented as a bag of hammers.

[hondo76]

im a full blown beginner still learning my chords i can play the star spangeld banner all the way through but thats bout it

[TeleGent]

The logic of the fretboard is not obvious. Seek other paths to find your way down this road.

[Papa Joe]

Been learning for about 67 yrs...50 yrs.of that as a weekend warrior....