I was browsing this forum reading the range of different questions and was wondering when do people consider they stop being a 'beginner'?
I still consider myself very much a beginner. I've actually been playing for 6 years on and off (although with alot of 'off'). So obviously time isn't a major factor.
But skill is such a spectrum aswell! I can play quite a few 'famous' parts of songs but only a few songs all the way though! But then I see people asking how best to finger a chord and although I remember that it was a long time ago!
To sum up my skill level:
-Know 1-2 songs quite a few riffs.
-Know a bit of theory.
-Know 3-4 scales.
-Can tune guitar by ear.
I think most people would consider that beginner also. But what skill level do people consider for you to not be 'beginner'?
Tough question ,
when do you stop being a beginner ?
maybe when you stop learning ?
maybe when you have all the knowledge and can do wonderful and marvellous things with your axe that has never been done before?
I have been playing for over 20 years and still find something new every now and then so I guess I am still learning ?
doin what you have said is all part of the guitar , but being a beginner is not a label one should put on ones self . put it this way you play the guitar , Mark Knofler plays the guitar , I play the guitar we might not be as good as Mark but then again has he heard us ?as we have heard him .
cheers
L.K :arrow:
Aghhhh
Not only am I a senior citizen
I'm now a bloody senior member
Are you people trying to tell me I'm old or what ?
over 700 posts ( I really do need to get out more )
You know I participated in a poll recently about where you rate yourself. It's really silly. But if you broke down every guitar player in the world into self rated categories, it would fall out like this:
Beginners: 94
Intermediates: 1,876,982,357
Advanced: 47
By the time you have played long enough to ask the question, you probably aren't a beginner anymore.
On that basis L-K, I'm still a beginner after 31 years.
I think you stop being a beginner when you become competent, and competence comes when you know where to put your fingers to play "that" particular song.
Or does it come when you play something and somebody else recognises it? And is it any different if what they recognise is Wonderwall or Cavatina?
Tough call.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
I think I'll consider myself past the begginer stage when I can ...
1) make all of the major and minor chords without having to look
2) pick the correct string without looking everytime
3) know every note on the fretboard and where they are on the staff
4) 10 songs beginning to end without a mistake.
Logan5
There are 10 types of people in the world ... those who know binary ... and those who don't.
I think there's a lot of different aspects to the guitar. A lot of students are concerned with where they are, so I do have definitions....
Rhythm - I'd say you're a beginner if you're still working on open chords and simple strum patterns. You're intermediate if you're working on barre chords, chord inversions, and mixing bass note runs with strumming. You're advanced if you're doing extended chords and altered chords with syncopated patterns
Improvisation - You're a beginner if you're working on pentatonic, blues, major, and minor scales. You're intermediate if you're working on these scales in all positions, and changing the scales you're using to fit modulations and chord changes. You're advanced if you're working with improvisational forms as a whole (rather than taking things chord by chord), working on alterations of scale tones, and working with musical 'ideas' instead of fingering shapes. Please note - there's nothing about speed or technique in my definitions... great improvisors need not be fast and great technicians don't necessarily improvise well!
Fingerstyle - You're a beginner if you're working with patterns, like P-I-M-I-A-I-M-A. You're intermediate if you're working on including walking bass lines, mixing patterns, and syncopating rhythms. You're advanced if you're also incorporating the melody in a voice.
Reading - You're a beginner if you're reading in first (open) position. You're intermediate when you're working with closed positions. You're advanced when you've learned to read in all positions, and you're working on odd time signatures, irregular beat divisions, etc.
Then there's technique... that's going to vary by style; what's important to an intermediate classical guitarist isn't relevant to a bluegrass player. I don't rate for technique - that's a lifelong study no matter what style you choose to play.
Me? I'm advanced in some aspects, beginner in others... so overall I'm with the rest of the intermediate crowd after 30 years of playing. Target where you want to go, figure out what skills you need to get there, and don't worry so much about labels - today's beginners are tomorrows masters.
One other thought about labels: they're big in martial arts. Folks progress through belt rankings, and have an idea of where they are in relation to others. One of my brothers a teacher of Tae Kwon Do - I think he's a fourth or fifth degree black belt now. He gives belt rankings to his students.... but I've noticed with him and his buddies that the belt rankings are only important to the students; the art is important to the masters. A lot of students get a black belt, and then don't pursue it anymore, because they've reached that level - the folks who keep going and continue to advance never really cared about the ranking to begin with.
It's not where you are, it's where you're going :)
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
One other thought about labels: they're big in martial arts. Folks progress through belt rankings, and have an idea of where they are in relation to others. One of my brothers a teacher of Tae Kwon Do - I think he's a fourth or fifth degree black belt now. He gives belt rankings to his students.... but I've noticed with him and his buddies that the belt rankings are only important to the students; the art is important to the masters. A lot of students get a black belt, and then don't pursue it anymore, because they've reached that level - the folks who keep going and continue to advance never really cared about the ranking to begin with.
Kind of ironic - my guitar instructor also teaches Tae Kwon Do.
Blame it on the lies that killed us, blame it on the truth that ran us down.
I actually study Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwon Do on top of everything else. Helped me learn how to really concentrate on something (which helps a lot with my music). It also keeps me in good shape, so when I have to jump around on stage, I'll be able to. :)
Yeah, I'd have to say I'm intermediate in some respects and beginner in others. But I'm getting better all the time. Just like with my martial arts. :-D
Henry Garza, Saul Hudson, and Darrell Abbott could not be here tonight, but they all had sex and are proud to announce the birth of their two-headed baby, Rodya S. Thompson.
- Paraphrased from the Tenacious D series
I like David's definition of the stage at which a beginner moves in the intermediate ranks:
To me, in all seriousness, here is the difference between a beginner and an intermediate:
An intermediate guitarist is one that has started to think for his or herself.
David Hodge--Moving On Up
The beginner who invests him/herself wholly in the instrument, makes associations; and applies his/her knowledge in different ways can be considered no longer merely a beginner.
I think being able to play proficiently with others is also very big. Because music is a collaborative thing...
(Do I ever have a lot of work to do! :)
And a lot of time to do it in, God willing... :) )
Later,
Ghost 8)
"Colour made the grass less green..." 3000 miles, Tracy Chapman
Little story:
I applied to a rockband's slot for a guitarist a month or so ago. When I was called they asked me how skilled I was. Should've expected it, but didn't, so I was kinda floored. Since the only thing worse then playing poorly in front of others is playing poorly in front of others who think you are good, I said that I hadn't been playing long. I could see the guy on the other side in the line look dissapointed, but I persuaded the guy to let me come over and play some 'simple tunes'. So I gave him some songs I could play somewhat ok and agreed upon a time and date to meet.
Ofcourse, the songs I gave where all rocksongs I knew very, very well, and when I played with them they were really impressed. To them I was advanced. To a non-musician friend I was a genius. But am I really that good? Ofcourse not. I just played the things I could do well and didn't try to do what I couldn't do well yet.
So why do I say this? Because I don't think musicians can be thrown into the 'beginner/mediate/advanced' groups. After you've been playing for a bit you will probably be able to do a few things well, some things ok and whole lot of stuff badly. And the more you play the more stuff you can do well. if you are a beginner or not depends on the quality of the things you are doing at the time. So you can be a highly advanced Nirvana player, but a beginner Jazz improviser. Maybe you are a killer in fast tapping solos, but a total newbie with blues solos.
Noone is master of all skills, and noone can do nothing at all. Just keep on learning and when people try to judge you do the things you can do well. Never forget there is plenty to learn but also never forget the things you can do. If you can play a G-chord you can do more then 96% of the world population. Be proud of that. If you can only play a G-chord, 99% of the guitarist outclass you. Let that motivate you to get on.
The only thing you can be sure of is that you sucked worse before, and will suck less in the future. The rest is of no interest.
*steps of the soapbox*
