When is a person considered a guitar player?

blueoval
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Mon May 23, 2011 4:20 pm

Don't know exactly where to post this..............

Went to a little graduation party and took my guitar for my step-son to play. Along comes a girl while I had the neck in hand and asks, "Do you play?" I really don't. I don't think "House of the Rising Sun" qualifies me.

But I wondered when a person should honestly say they can play. Six campfire songs done to perfection?

Turns out she was quite the player and songwriter. Sure was glad I said I was only a student. I've never heard such music come out of my guitar. If a guitar can weep, mine is grinnin' like a possum eatin' grapes.

Sam


tovo
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Mon May 23, 2011 4:43 pm

I don't think there's any particular number of tunes or chords or techniques that qualifies you to claim to be a player. But if you have a guitar and use it (for other than looking cool) then you are a player of sorts. Sure, in the situation you describe you probably would have been left feeling a little silly if you had talked yourself up a good game and then realized you were talking to a much more advanced player.

So I think the key is some humility. Even very good players here on TG don't come across as arrogant or all-knowing. You show people your skills via your playing not your talking.

Important thing is keep playing and practicing so that one day you can play WITH her.


RicksPick
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Mon May 23, 2011 4:52 pm

Very nicely put Tony

What he said,,

RicksPick


thereshopeyet
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Mon May 23, 2011 6:32 pm

Thanks


millponddave
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Mon May 23, 2011 6:40 pm

Interesting topic. I've asked that question of myself for some time. When asked, Do you play?, I used to say "Well, I have a guitar" but upon reflection I realize that I am indeed a guitar player, Not a very good one perhaps, but a guitar player none the less. I own several guitars and am always thinking about playing or how to improve my skills. I am improving at a slow rate, But I am improving. I thank TG and the wonderful community here for that. It is so nice to be able to learn at my own pace and be able to play a lesson over and over again until I get it. It is also nice to know that many of the folks here are in the same boat and I'm not alone in my struggles.

Dave


haoli25
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Mon May 23, 2011 7:10 pm

Sam, I think from the time you strum your first chord, you are a guitar player. From the beginner to the most advanced, we are ALL learning. That learning process is where music is created. If there were nothing left to learn, it would be time to lay that guitar down.
When you meet a more experienced guitar player, don't think of them as 'better than you'. Think instead that they have practiced more than you have. Every new day gives you the chance to catch up a little.



Bill


AcousticAl
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Mon May 23, 2011 10:02 pm

Well put, Bill.
When are you considered a guitar player? When you stop being afraid to call yourself a guitar player.


AcousticAl
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Mon May 23, 2011 10:28 pm

"When you stop being afraid to call yourself a guitar player." Well, I'm afraid I'll be afraid a just a little while longer. (Dang! That sounds like a country song!)

Thanks for the replies. No, she did not slap me. I just wish I could have spent more time with her in a quiet setting. Kids in the pool made it hard to converse. Next time, maybe.

I can see where the guitar is sort of like a doctor's practice. Sometimes I cut off the wrong leg!

So, then, back to the woodshed......

Sam


tvarga
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Mon May 23, 2011 11:14 pm

AcousticAl wrote:
Well put, Bill.
When are you considered a guitar player? When you stop being afraid to call yourself a guitar player.
Well dang it ... that's the problem. I'm still very afraid to call myself a guitar player. Sure I've stepped up to play in front of my TG friends, but I have yet had the guts to play in front of anybody else ... family included.

What a wonderful question. Something I've been troubled over for a long time. I sure wish I had an answer ...

Somehow it feels like I'll first need to have a repertoire of at least six or maybe ten songs memorized that I can play well at will. My biggest problem is that as soon as I start working on a new difficult song, I quickly forget all the others that I've learned before. :(


Lavallee
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Mon May 23, 2011 11:51 pm

tvarga wrote:
AcousticAl wrote:
Well put, Bill.
When are you considered a guitar player? When you stop being afraid to call yourself a guitar player.
Well dang it ... that's the problem. I'm still very afraid to call myself a guitar player. Sure I've stepped up to play in front of my TG friends, but I have yet had the guts to play in front of anybody else ... family included.

What a wonderful question. Something I've been troubled over for a long time. I sure wish I had an answer ...

Somehow it feels like I'll first need to have a repertoire of at least six or maybe ten songs memorized that I can play well at will. My biggest problem is that as soon as I start working on a new difficult song, I quickly forget all the others that I've learned before. :(
Hi Tom I saw you play and sing. You are very good so I have no idea what you are talking about. If the definition is to be excellent no matter what condition, then there is no guitar players on this site. Learning a song which you spend a lot of time on it forces you to forget some other stuff since you are no longer keeping on the muscle memory of the old song. Everybody is the same. When you started playing Just breathe with Al, you had not play the song for a long time, it is not an easy song, still you managed to do a great duet. So what if you forget something, blame your boss ;)

Marc


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