Skill level

Thanks, I will try those things. And I think maybe I should start a new post for this, but who has any advice, or knows a place where I can get advice on finger placement because thats what I currently seem to have trouble with.

Oh BTW in response to Rahul;s question about my ID, its my ID number for my university which i have had stuck in my brain seeing as Im doing a four year long course! Nothing mystical about it, and no, i wasnt born in 1748 :P LOL

These are a few things I wish I had practiced when I started playing;

3) Use your pinky! Although it is the least used finger, it is by default the weakest. Again, I left using the pinky for a while, and soon became frustrated when it became the only finger that would not do as it was told! Forming G using the 320033 formation is a good way to strengthen the pinky, as it switching between 320033 and 032033, as this requres the pinky and side hand muscles to tense and release as different stages - hence building up thier strength.

i am a bit different ...seems like my pinky really does a lot of work :wink: (and its the strongest)

Hmm, maybe I didn't put it right then...

When I said the pinky is the least used finger I didn't mean in a guitar capacity, but in a general life capacity. Obviously once you begin playing and using it to form chords it gets stronger :) but when you just start off playing most people find it the hardest finger to use.

I was playing a few months before I impressed someone. It took me several decades before I impressed myself.

Hate to be the one to say it but the first thing a self teaching guitarist should get is a teacher :)

They aren't vital but a good one can ensure you at least get the best possible start.

skill level....I used to think I was a hot guitar player....then thirty five years elapsed and I feel I am just now getting respectable.

skill level is relative. I was always happy with where I was at. if you learn the things you want through practice and having fun while doing it then you are a real player.
no mistake about it.

a few things that made me a better player was learning how to listen, really feeling those notes I played because a few notes are sometimes better than a hundred , and knowing when not to play...space is good.

another thing is to get a good sense of rythm. some day a hot shot lead player will come along and you will be able to support him/her.
lastly, play with others as soon as you can.

I think I started impressing people about 3-4 months after I started. That's about when people started recognizing what I was playing.

I impressed myself a couple weeks afterwards. I was playing but completely stopped thinking about what I was playing. It was like my fingers had a mind of their own. I completely lost myself in the music I was playing. So much so that I jumped a few times, then threw myself down on the floor all while still playing. At the end of the song I got up and said "wow........did I just do that?"

Don't know how many teachers show you how to do that, or if that makes me a good guitarist, but I don't really care...........it was fun. When I play on stage in a band, I'll have to do that again.

I think I started impressing people about 3-4 months after I started. That's about when people started recognizing what I was playing.

I impressed myself a couple weeks afterwards. I was playing but completely stopped thinking about what I was playing. It was like my fingers had a mind of their own. I completely lost myself in the music I was playing. So much so that I jumped a few times, then threw myself down on the floor all while still playing. At the end of the song I got up and said "wow........did I just do that?"

Don't know how many teachers show you how to do that, or if that makes me a good guitarist, but I don't really care...........it was fun. When I play on stage in a band, I'll have to do that again.

props one wing.
you found the zone.
you only know youve been there when you come out of it and say things like you just did.
it's awesome. it happens often too so enjoy.

there is no teacher that can teach that.....um, maybe Jack Black....nah.

So I have a question. I have a friend who is the same age as me (16) and he is really good. I assume he has been playing for a few years. But then at another website forum, I can't remember which one, there was a guy who said he had only been playing for a few months...So my question is, I know practice makes perfect, but how long have (or did) some of you play before you were actually good enough to impress someone. My goal is to join a band later in the future, but I feel like I have started playing the guitar to late.

I just have one more thing to add. One thing that Anthony Robbins said that has stuck with me is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in one year; and underestimate what they can accomplish in ten years.

Patience, Perseverence, and Commitment...

later,
Ghost :idea:

For me, it took 2 months just to convince myself NOT to GIVE UP immediately. Once I was past that, it took about 6 months before I could play something I was happy with. Another 6 months to reach a level where I was happy to play in front of another person. I say happy..... I'm approaching 3 years now and although I'm good enough to play in a band, I still make excuses when friends demand an impromptu performance.

So, in answer to the original question, I would say one year of regular practice is a reasonable point at which to be able to impress a non-musician. YMMV.

I am 29 and started playing at 14. I'm okay in my opinion. Friends say I'm really good. But I compare myself to all skill levels, not just my friends.

Anyway, I would like to add that it is very important to practice accuracy and control in fretting and picking. In my opinion, I have made quicker more dramatic improvements in the last year than I did in the first 14. So if you practice the right things to start, you can reach a good skill level while you are still young. :D

Just a note to Rahul (and Americans too....)

We brits don't write the date the same way as you....

For today's date, 6th Jan 2006, you'd write 01/06/2006....whereas a Brit would write 06/01/2006.....

This is why, on these forums, I always refer to forthcoming dates as, for example, 8th of January - if I read 01/08/2006, I automatically think "1st of August".....to avoid confusion....

:D :D :D

Vic

I have been playing since 10 months and i play classical acoustic guitar.Shows all the mistakes right then and takes time to get a song.

Played david hodge's blackbird recently...loved it.David ROCKS.He really impressed me !! 8)

Just thought I'd throw my story out there...

I started playing about the same time as the original poster, the end of my 3rd year of high school. Now 2 years later I've played in one band (didn't work out as the drummer chose he'd rather smoke dried veggies than show up to gigs, and I had a falling out with the other guitarist), have jammed with a few friends, played an open mic with a friend of mine who is a vocal major at the best music school in our area, and whenever I'm playing with friends in the commons of our school, we get compliments from pretty much everyone who hears us and is somewhat into our style. I can play a few songs solo that impress people (mostly Dave Matthews Band tunes) and so on. With practice you'll get good and be able to impress people (a lot of lady-folk too, if that's what you're after). Keep it up.