Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced? What gives?

sbutler
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Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:47 pm

So lets look at this from the outside in. If WE were teaching, and I believe Andy is, would we need to classifie students into certain groups? Yes we would. It certainly wouldn't do to start someone who just picked up a guitar for the first time with Classical Gas. Its way to advanced.

Thats not to say that this individual wouldn't want to tackle such a challenge. Hell, thats me.

But there isn't a lesson here on this site, that i can play cleanly, clearly and up to full speed within a few minutes of hearing it. Maybe some of the lower difficutly level strumming/campfire songs. When I can do that with most of the songs or all of the songs that are lessons on this site, I will have a catagory type for myself. I ain't there yet.

I can easily play a chromatic scale while listening to a metronome, but I'm lost at the Sage. I think its a little better defined when you look at extremes. I think certain skill levels speak for themselves.


Scott


tombo1230
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:34 am

[b]thereshopeyet wrote:[/b]

mmm... still doesn't change the fact that I'm a beginner!

:laugh:


You could just think of it as a journey and you are only so far along that road, but you always have something ahead of you and something to aim for. (Of course if you run out of petrol you're screwed!) :laugh:

Tom N.


thereshopeyet
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:42 am

Thanks


tombo1230
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:57 am

thereshopeyet wrote:
Tom N Wrote:
Of course if you run out of petrol you're screwed!
mmmmm..... nearly very true..... soon won't be able to afford it!

:(
How true! :(


thereshopeyet
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:15 am

Thanks


tombo1230
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:40 am

Very nice Dermot. Now all you have to do is pick up your guitar and turn it into a song. :) I'ts there for the playing. (The poem/song I mean) :) Good luck.

Tom N.


suziko
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:07 am

Well Tony, I've been missing your ímpossible questions, so I'm glad you raised another indeed impossible one! :P

So of course I've been thinking about it, and I see that in the meanwhile lots of definitions are already brought up. Not sure if I can add anything to it anymore.

But indeed, in the end it's about playing.....I myself was quite inspired by this guitarplayer Nancy Wilson (one of the Heart-sisters), about 10 years ago, she plays just gréat! Actually I also heard Neil say in a little preview for Crazy on you that she is indeed a great guitarplayer who does incredible things. However, when watching a tutorial-video of her, where she explained how and what she plays, believe it or not, she really didn't care about the chordnames and stated that she often doesn't know what they're called. I thought that was quite funny, since it doesn't change a bit on her playing and her ability to write phenomenal stuff, that is how Neil puts it.

Or a friend of mine, he plays nice solos but is quite a sloppy guitarplayer. However, he creates really beautiful songs, but he has absolutely nó idea what he is doing. He just shows me the chordshape and says: Look, this one! Yet, we've made a few great songs that way.

The other side of the coin, like Dermot, I think he understands a great deal about chords in keys and so on, but he considers himself a beginner when it comes to actually playing the guitar.

So I think all the defintions are kinda true and all of them have exceptions as well...

As for myself, I've always considered myself an intermediate player. I used to say that whát I play, I play well. Nowadays, I guess I'm more than an intermediate player, still not an advanced one. But I'm still young, so I guess I will at some point.....and what was the definition of an advanced player again, when can I call myself one??? :P

Thanks Tony for wrecking my brains again! ;)


michelew
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:21 am

Well if Ness isn't advanced...I'm a monkey's uncle and will give up right now on any idea that I will EVER be able to call myself advanced. Not that I think there's any chance of that happening in this life time.

I think I'm with Bear on this one.


MarkM
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 9:19 am

Tony,

Chalk another ponderous question to your long list with this one. After reading all the responses I'm not even sure if I remember the original question. However here is my .02 cents worth. A beginner is an easy classification. Enough said on that one. Advanced for me is about the playing much more so than the knowledge of theory as it pertains ability with the instrument. An expert/advanced player I would imagine has at least three things going for them. One they have the drive to practice, the dexterity to play at a high level (although this can be achieved with pratice I also believe that the great ones are born with an ability that most aren't) and third and most importantly is an incredible ear for music. This was also mentioned hear in this thread. There are some players that can't read a lick of music but they create outstanding compisitions based soley on what sounds good to them. That is an incredible ability. Now as I write this I'm thinking that I really have no clue. Intermediate is the vast majority I would presume. A dedicated and hard worker who strives to get better by sheer patience and determination who has a love for the guitar. For me I'm probably just crossing the threshold of beginner to intermediate. My ear for music sucks and my level of dexterity is lacking. Its a journey but I do strive to get better as I watch folks with a greater abiltiy and hopefully learn from them as I'm inspired by what they do.



MarkM


AndyT
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Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:19 pm

tovo wrote:
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!
And that describes all of us Tony. I'd bet that if you ask Neil where he rates himself, he's place himself as an advanced Intermediate. The more you know, the more you know how much you don't know.


Scott,
Yep, I'm teaching. I have two groups I place students in. Beginners and everyone else. Once you get to the point of campfire strumming, you're on your way out of the beginner group. However, I also have to teach them classical style, so that is included. I have a set of lessons that once you master them, you are no longer a beginner.

I saw an interview with Clapton where he placed himself as a beginner. LOL So Tony, you're in good company mate. Cheer up!


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