I consider myself an intermediate player, then I got to thinkng..am I really intermediate or still a beginner or more advanced than I give myself credit for? So whats the definition of the two?
This trying to get my left hand and right hand to work together is driving me crazy!
Originally Posted by: snpfarmI consider myself an intermediate player, then I got to thinkng..am I really intermediate or still a beginner or more advanced than I give myself credit for? So whats the definition of the two?
Since the definition of what is beginner versus intermediate is subjective to each player, that's a hard question to answer.
With that said, in my mond, this is how I think of it:
- Beginner - From ground zero to being able to strum simple songs using cowboy chords (E, A, C, D, G).
- Intermediate - The range of starting to learn more complex chords (ie - utilizing barre chords), through learning songs outside of cowboy chords and ends with a baseline understanding of theory.
The thing is, even that's not exactly true. That's due to your inability to learn some skills more competently than other skills. Some things might be more advanced than others. Because guitar is more complex in the suite of skills you can acquire, a single skill rating isn't really a reliable way to judge your skill.
There's also the 'compared to who' aspect.
In 1985, I was a solid intermediate player. In a way, I started out as an intermediate player and learned some songs way above the level I should have. However, in the following couple of years, I progressed slowly. Some of it due to going to college with less practice but was also simply exposure to skills that would have helped me progress. Following 85, I ended going from that intermediate player to, I suppose, advanced. The only way I know this was my being selected for a guitar shredder competition out of hundreds of players. I did ok but that's another story.
The funny thing was, I was around some great, great players at that point. It was Fargo ND and you'd think few really skilled players are there. Not so. This was a scene that produced Mitch Gallagher (Sweetwater) and Steve Stine (Guitar Zoom), though Steve was not the player that he is today...and I did know both. The point being; I was within that context, a solid player amongst very skilled players so my perspective is that I was average. Even when I got kudos from some of these players, I knew my shortcomings.
Which is the point; it's better to enjoy what you do well but also realize where you can grow and enjoy that you will always have room to grow. You will likely never feel like you got it down when playing guitar. Not in a bad way if you embrace learning as an adventure.
Also, you are experiencing what every guitar player experiences; inability to look at ourselves objectively.
