Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced? What gives?

[tovo]

tombo1230 wrote:

So he performs at a high level but his theory is lower. On the other side of the coin I know someone who knows a lot of theory but this is not matched by their playing skills. Which skill is the most important and how would you rate these guys next to each other?.......difficult.

Surely the more important skill is the ability to PLAY? Surely! What real use is knowledge that you can't use?

This human doesn't so much have a need to categorise things. I have a desire to discuss things. Something I would have thought is reasonable in a forum.

[lueders]

Here is an interesting quote I found in an old Guitar Player Magazine article:

" Sure some great musicians claim not to be able to read music. But they are not great because they can't read music. They did it the hard way and they know it! Can you imagine taking a course in History and having to keep all that information in your head without taking notes? The system of musical notation is over 500 years old and we can and should learn what other musicians have done before us."

- fingerstyle legend Charlie Byrd

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[AndyT]

I think this is an easy question.

Beginners are learning to do what I can already do.
Intermediates are where I am.
Advanced is where I want to be.

Replace "I" with your name and you have it.

It's far too subjective unless you create a set of rules and the level requirements yourself. Otherwise, the above should cover it.

[tombo1230]

Surely the more important skill is the ability to PLAY? Surely! What real use is knowledge that you can't use?

This human doesn't so much have a need to categorise things. I have a desire to discuss things. Something I would have thought is reasonable in a forum.

I agree the most important skill is playing, no argument here.

The part about humans categorising things is a generalization about people and wasn't aimed at this discussion or your question, it was aimed at labeling in general which I have observed in people......... and we are discussing it are we not?

Tom N.

[tovo]

AndyT wrote:

Beginners are learning to do what I can already do.
Intermediates are where I am.
Advanced is where I want to be.

Sounds pretty good Andy. I like simple. By your definition though I figure I will never be advanced as I will always be where I am and there will always be a higher place (in terms of skill) that I want to be.

An intermediate for life!

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[tovo]

tombo1230 wrote:

it was aimed at labeling in general which I have observed in people......... and we are discussing it are we not?

Tom N.

Indeed we are Tom. Thanks mate. I guess I just felt the need to point out that I don't particularly feel a need to categorise...indeed I think I am pretty much against strict categorization.

Thereshopeyet seems a very apt handle..there's hope for us all. Absolutely agree and have met many people who claim to have been playing for 20 years or more but are actually quite poor players in terms of technique and their range of tunes.

[tombo1230]

tovo wrote:
[quote I just felt the need to point out that I don't particularly feel a need to categorise...indeed I think I am pretty much against strict categorization.
.[/quote]



I totally agree with you on that and sorry if it looked like I did think that you did. (If you catch my drift)

Tom N.

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks