On the subject of "Beginners"...

[blackbird]

I've got a question that isn't really all that skills related, but I figured the beginners' board was the best place to put it anyway... Here's a topic I encountered in one of the other sections of the forum, and I way wondering what everyone thought... When exactly does someone stop being a "beginner" guitar player? It seems everyone has a different opinion, and I'm really curious what all of you think :-)

[jaytee]

hmmm

ya know....i dont think i CAN define "beginner".....
i know ive been "playing" for over a year and i still consider myself a beginner....maybe its cuz i suck...but....when i started people i knew who played told me everybody sucks for at least the first year and a half....so maybe thats why i think that way....
i dunno...maybe if i had better practice times and a teacher i wouldnt suck...ok...i prolly wouldnt suck at all....not at this point....ive just got too many other responsibilites to go chasing after structured lessons.....so....i guess ill just suck and feel like a beginner for a long time....heehee

--jt

[SteelSlider]

Hey Blackbird.
It's a toughie question alright.
I guess it depends on what your learning. How well you learn it. How far you want to delve into the specifics of what it is your learning.

If ya want to just play some chords and know C, Am, F, & G and play all your songs with those, then I'd say you not a beginner, but an advanced C progression player.
The guy across the street who has been playing for years may look at you as a beginner.
It's merely a matter of how far you wish to go in your studies.
I feel I can hold my own on lead guitar, slide guitar, backup and harmonica. I'm a beginner on Bass. I've never played a seven string guitar, so I'd be a beginner.

If ya want defined boundries:
1. Learn to tune your intsurment.
2. Know the major and minor chords.
3. Be able to play ten songs well, not perfect, yet allow yourself a bit of stumbling.

Just a guide, got to have a cut off someplace. It's not carved in stone, just etched in cyberspace.

From there you can learn your scales, sus and aug chords and play some lead riffs and finger picking. But, you'll still be learning, though you'll be outta the beginners circle and have transfered that name into something else.

Me? I've been playing over forty years and it depends on what I am doing. I guess I'd be called an intermediateadvancedmediorcersemibeginner who is still learning, stumbling and bumbling.

I just dropped my pick, excuse me while I run a search for it on Alta Vista.....

[Coffee]

If you believe in life after death, man, we're all beginners.

Personally, I think too much stock is placed on whether we're a beginner or not. I know a guy who's sixty that's been playing for about 40 years and he loves to brag about his years of playing guitar. But G C D chords only? (Okay, this is a slight exaggeration). Is he a seasoned guitarist. Depends if your talking about his skill or his age. Personally, I prefer, after playing for 30+ years, the term developing. I also sing. In opera, yea, I'd be a beginner but not in other areas. (Don't take this as a slam against opera. I know a 5 foot nothing soprano who, when we each sing a note makes me feel like my vocal chords must have fallen out 'cause I can't hear me at all.)

The question isn't how long, or even how well, but rather am I learning. Don't rate yourself against others, be yourself, pick your style and fly at 'er. Play what you love and keep moving.

___________________________
When you think your done... man, you are.

[the_doors_girl]

HI everyone

I have been playing guitar for about two years now. I would still consider myself a beginner still for some reasons. Like I still dont know all of my chords, I still have problems playing in the free hand position etc. I do think that when it comes to other things like tuning scales etc that I might not me so much of a beginner just becuase I have played different types of musical instruments of over 8 years. So I guess I would call myself a Semi-Beginner. Well thats all I got to say for now :p

Cya everyone and take care :)

[disturbed_pyro]

a beginner is someone who gets a guitar, learns their favorite creed (shudders) song, the when he has grandkids, they say "Grampa, you play guitar?" and he says "Yehp, ah sho do".

:p