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?

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? :

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%.:

[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....

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

[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

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....