What level of guitar playing to you consider yourself to be?

[stephen sawall]

I did not vote... I have heard lots of good players here. First time I saw Ed D play live I never wanted to pick up a guitar in front of him again. I have seen a lot of people play live.... None of them from any style really blew me away. Via was pretty good... So was Eric Gales. Paco, Jeff Beck, Paul Gilbert, etc... Too be honest I am rarely blown away by guitar players. But Ed made me completely relearn my technique. He's that good when he is on.

 

[hammered]

I've been a beginner for 35 years!

thats me. still a hack after 38 years. lol

Hacking for 39yrs here

 

[bgh]

You guys are humble. It's hard to rate yourself vs. most guitarists rather than rigtalk guitarists. We have a bit of a niche. I'm a novice here, but am "amazing" to people who have no idea! LOL

I voted "above average". But not because I see myself as a great, or even good guitarist. I voted based on the level of all people who stake a claim at knowing how to play the guitar. I pictured the "average" guitarist as thus being one who has nailed all the "cowboy" chords, understands song structure, and can pretty well knock out any song they want to sing around the campfire.

I would guess the percentage of acoustic players to electric players is quite high (i.e., those of us that have played, or are playing, in bands make up a rather small percentage of people who can play the guitar).

If I was to have voted based on my level as part of the RT population, my vote would have been lower.

Hope that made sense.

I have zero confidence that I could knock put any song someone wants to song around a campfire.

If we're being brutally honest, the "average" guitar player out there is probably not very good.

I'd agree that a good majority of people posting here are probably a good step above a truly "average" player.

I hear you. I was thinking of the "average talent" guitar player as being one who knew enough chords and could, for instance, play "Country Roads" or some other such tune (like maybe "Who'll Stop the Rain?") "around the campfire".

I agree. There's been plenty of times we had gone camping and someone asked me to play songs outside of my talent level. Some songs were some I had never tried before. I would take a few seconds to see if the song was a I-IV-V type progression (or something similar). If so, we gave it a shot.

That's what I see an "average" guitarist as being.

Looking back on how this thread has gone - and particularly the excellent points you raised, I think I may have subconsciously substituted "competent" for "average" in my response. Upon further reflection, I think you may be closer to the actual definition of "average". If we include all people who make the claim of "guitar player", the average level may be quite low.

For myself, I am (marginally) competent enough to have been in several bands and to have played in church for many years. There is plenty that is out of my range and talent level. But, I can play well enough to keep myself amused and blissfully unaware of my limitations.

 

[sg guy]

-THAT'S IT!!, WE NEED AN AMP-FEST!!.. WE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE HIPPIE CARVANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHAT A WAY TO PLAY SOME INCREDIBLE GEAR, PUT SOME FACES TO NAMES, DRINK A COUPLE COLD ONES!!

-COME ON DUDES!! WE'RE NOT GETTING YOUNGER!!

-ROAD TRIP/S!!!

 

[jcj]

-THAT'S IT!!, WE NEED AN AMP-FEST!!.. WE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE HIPPIE CARVANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHAT A WAY TO PLAY SOME INCREDIBLE GEAR, PUT SOME FACES TO NAMES, DRINK A COUPLE COLD ONES!!

-COME ON DUDES!! WE'RE NOT GETTING YOUNGER!!

-ROAD TRIP/S!!!

Fuck man, we've had a bunch of them at my place...if you're in Cali, c'mon by.

 

[Monkey Man]

Voted "beginner", 'cause after 30 freakin' years of trying I've still not really been able to learn this instrument I love so much due to injury and ongoing health challenges.

Sux man, but I'll never give up no matter how old I get.

 

[bgh]

-THAT'S IT!!, WE NEED AN AMP-FEST!!.. WE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE HIPPIE CARVANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, WHAT A WAY TO PLAY SOME INCREDIBLE GEAR, PUT SOME FACES TO NAMES, DRINK A COUPLE COLD ONES!!

-COME ON DUDES!! WE'RE NOT GETTING YOUNGER!!

-ROAD TRIP/S!!!

I know. This is the oldest I have ever been!

 

[bgh]

Voted "beginner", 'cause after 30 freakin' years of trying I've still not really been able to learn this instrument I love so much due to injury and ongoing health challenges.

Sux man, but I'll never give up no matter how old I get.

You have actually hit on something that I have thought about quite a bit. It seems like the more that we learn of a subject, the more we attempt to master that subject, we also see just how much more there is that we do not know, how much we have left before us.

I have considered that thought at work quite a bit. At first, I would get discouraged. But, when you turn around and see how far down the road you are you begin to realize you are making progress.

In some areas in my guitar playing I am definitely a beginner. I cannot play "super fast" worth beans. I cannot read tabs worth beans (from piano lessons I took as a child, I can read sheet music better than I can read tabs).

But, in other areas I have come quite far. For example, when I started learning to play (in the '60s) there was no internet, no CDs. Cassettes weren't even in big use yet. To learn a song you had to play that part of the LP over and over and over and over ... It took quite a while. Once cassettes came out in force, I can remember ruining some of them from abusing them while trying to learn a song.

The upshot of that was our ears became very trained. From having learned how to play songs merely from hearing the song we learned how to distinguish not only chords, but colors of chords.

In some areas, yep, still a beginner. In others though, the path taken has brought with it some unique skills and experiences.

Thanks for reading.

 

[gibson5413]

I would say I am an average to just above. I just love to play.

 

[Zachman]

I want to know who the experts are!

There used to be a ton that posted here...give me a few, and I'll see of I can come up with some examples...

rufus leaking randy k
alex f. the not so mad greek.
ralph(gainfreak)
mark from hawaii cant remember his last name
ampaddict (todd?)

for starters

all experts. plenty more, but all those guys kill.

Mark Kaleiwahea aka billy bogner
Also Warren Mendonsa aka Blackstratblues

 

[APO]

Well, I chose "above average", just because most people as young as me (17) really don't play a whole lot, so I can usually keep up with people fine. Very fast technical stuff doesn't connect with me, so plenty of people play more technical stuff. I consider myself a creative rhythm player, kind of Hendrix style rhythm, but usually more sad and clearly melodic. My sister's told me my acoustic playing sounds like a harp.

However, if it comes to theory, I know just about nothing. I learned guitar by watching concert videos and trying to play with my favorite albums.

 

[Ventura]

WAS A GREAT PLAYER
TOOK UP SURFING
NOW I'M NOT A GREAT PLAYER

/end of story

 

[stephen sawall]

Playing fast does not make someone a better guitar player.... If anything it takes away from the emotion. David Gilmore and Eric Clapton can not play fast at all.

I have to concentrate on playing slower any time I do studio work for TV.

 

[Ventura]

This is a great thread... It's one of those things - guitar - you'll never pwn it, there's always room for improvement. And sure - we have some deity-like greats out there (Vai, Satch, Gilbert, etc.) but they'll be the first to say "they're still practising at getting better".

I can't stand my playing and haven't been nearly as committed to playing since having left North American life 4+ years ago. I'm back now, my gear is unpacked (almost all of it) and I just don't have the chutzpah to get into it. Sure, sure, I tuned the Bogners up and got them where I wanted them to go, but then was like "oh, um, okay, who's around to jam with?!?!" and all my mates except one are gonzo. Split. Exit. Outtahere... So sure, I could go down to my suite, plug in, turn on, and just start raging (with ease) the same noodle drills I've been doing for, um, I have no idea HOW many years - and you know, some sound great. But fuck me, I need some fresh material. I need some inspiration. I need a kick in the ass.

And with this, I have found many reasons NOT to play. Sadly. So - I either need to get back at it and catch the fire of the feeling of making music, or reconsider where it is as a priority in my life today. I love tone, I love gear, I love "making" music, and "playing" music, but for the life of me I'm having a hard time connecting the dots as of late.

Hobby Hack needing to get back

 

[jkdsteve]

N000b....after 25 years or more owning a guitar too...have to say I love gear as much as playing too.

 

[Monkey Man]

Same here Steve. I qualify easily as a noob.

Injury, health concerns and lack of money have prevented the necessary practice over the decades, but to be fair I have to admit to myself that my love of gear hasn't helped any!

Such a distraction, trying to put together a music room / recording setup, what with plugins, MIDI gear and so on.

 

[sixstringking713]

dont kno.. heres my shit tho and I'd like to meet EVH someday... I can dream right?

I'm guy w/ Franky replica

 

[Jdub]

I want to know who the experts are!

There used to be a ton that posted here...give me a few, and I'll see of I can come up with some examples...

rufus leaking randy k
alex f. the not so mad greek.
ralph(gainfreak)
mark from hawaii cant remember his last name
ampaddict (todd?)

for starters

all experts. plenty more, but all those guys kill.

Mark Kaleiwahea aka billy bogner
Also Warren Mendonsa aka Blackstratblues

Hey Zach. Long time! That's it. Billybogner. Finally came to me yesterday.. Lol. That boy had some mad chops and flair. You too. You are on the expert list fosho