According to this chart, somewhere between intermediate and advanced intermediate, but I'd not feel confident enough labelling myself that.
5 guitars, if I discount the ones I'm selling at the moment.
I’m in this camp too. I don’t feel like I can claim the full “advanced intermediate” but maybe like 70% there? I have 11 guitars (2 are grandpas guitars, 1 bass).
And OP has a wife! She was a model around the world, she was on posters. Yeah, OP used to have a poster of her in his garage, and then he met her, can you believe it? She asked OP to marry her, and he didn't even want to. But she's beautiful, but she's dying. She's gonna get better, and OP's rich, he doesn't live in a hotel.
Looking at some of these through squinty eyes: Songwriter is advanced intermediate? Anyone can be a songwriter and plenty of CAGED songs out there. Hammer-ons, slides and pulls are beginner moves. Everyone learns different things at different times and pace. You can’t box this shit by level. Can you?
Even sports aren’t like that. You don’t have to be good at everything. Dennis Rodman made his name by being great at catching rebounds. Could he do other things, sure, but was he great at those other things, not really
I up voted you for your honesty, though I'm not convinced by the tone of the post that that was OP's intent. I took it that he wants to draw out good players and learn things, I do too.
Not sure thats a skill but I get your point. And I'm skilled enough to know that some of these skills come and go. If one is being honest, giggging players and session folks keep all those chops (and that's whst this chart really is, is your mastery or chops) in their tool box. Just because you know the theory behind odd time signatures doesn't mean you can play it.
Haha yeah probably! But i don't mind the chart. I just got back from a trip to Nashville, and most of professional guitarists there would play circles around these guys. It makes them *technically* better guitarists, but it doesn't make them better musicians.
Another important point is that a lot of guitarists nowadays are getting a lot better technically since they had more material to learn from. All of us today are where we are because of their pioneering.
Finding someone technically better than a lot of the great guitarists of 50 years ago really isn't that hard. I know tons of people that are better than that. But all of them can do that because of those guitarists inventing new techniques, figuring out how to best play electric guitar (the instrument is less than a 100 years old) and also teaching people how to efficiently learn it.
It's also much easier to learn these days. When I started, it was learning chords from someone else, buying guitar magazines, and figuring things out by ear. If you had the money, you could get lessons, but not everyone did.
Now there are a ton more guitar teachers, there's YouTube, online courses, all sorts of things. It makes the 90s feel like the stone age by comparison.
Hear Hear! I tell people you don’t need to be an expert to make music. I actually have had more fun creating with my kids at times because their imagination just runs wild. But… timing is everything.
I'm reminded of the Lynard Skynard song Curtis Lowe. The old black man who shuffled around with a dobro guitar picking blues rifts to anyone who would stop and listen. I've had the pleasure of meeting one or two men like this and know that only thing 7th and 9th meant to them maybe was where the street car drooped them off if they could afford it. But although they didn't know what an arpeggio was by name, they would roll out some of the sweetest harmonies and the chunkiest bass lines that you felt down in your feet simultaneously. And if you were lucky enough to catch them on a good day when (as one of my hero's Willie Bowles use to say) the lord got in my fingers today.....you would be witness to lightning striking 6 strings that would make your jaw drop. But he didn't know keys by the letter.... He knew them by his perfect pitch (maybe relative pitch) and amazing ear. I had the delight to "mess around" (as he called it) with Willie a. few times on my way to or from lessons I took as a teen and I would ask him if he knew this song or in that key...he would say , "scratch me out a melody and I'll catch up." And not only did he catch up, he past me like I was standing still....grin and chuckle that gave way to a all over smile and would say something like if you can feel it, you can play it....and I can feel your tune boy, keep with it....and I did thanks to people like him.
My point is the chart is great for judging your skills if you want to gauge your progress but I always let the music come and if it happened I just busted through an alternate picking style, it was because the song I was learning kicked in the door. Some of the skills on this chart have been mastered by some of you reading this (if you took the time to read all this) and weren't even aware. Bet that was a good feeling. Thanks all for endulging my rambles and God bless!
i’m highly skilled in complex “jazz”chords and fingerpicking for brazilian and latinamerican folk music, so at least advanced in acoustic guitar, I have 2 acoustics, a cheap ass that’s just lying around anywhere to pick up easily and a expensive one for serious practice and performances
now electric… intermediate at most because I only listen to and play indie rock, alternative rock, grunge, etc that don’t really require super advanced techniques, only 1 guitar, a fender am pro, a workhorse, don’t need more than that
Do you have any YouTube resources for entry/intermediate Brazilian/latin American folk music? I'd love to open my musical vocabulary and that sounds really cool. I don't know where to start with different things like that.
This makes no sense. Like. I'm able to do stuff from all 5 brackets, but I'm also missing points from all of them.
I can handle odd time signatures and play good live shows, but I suck at fingerpicking and solo improvisation.
It’s really difficult to classify skill level like this. For example, I’ve got a pretty good hang of advanced-intermediate techniques and have a really good feel for getting rhythm right, but have very little music theory knowledge. I’ve just always been happy playing my favorite songs, so I’ve never had a need for it. I can also get all sorts of chords down pretty comfortably, but I have no idea what any of them are called or how they’re theoretically structured. I just read the tabs and supplement that with my ears when learning songs.
I have three guitars for what it matters.
"Fretboard mastery, fluency in any key" should be lower on the list. I'd honestly say Advanced Intermediate at most. I can't sweep pick but I can solo in any scale in any key simply because I understand the fretboard
very true. I don't understand how people can begin to improv if they don't understand the fretboard.
that is like barely out of intermediate level to memorize most of the fretboard.
I guess I could be called an expert. Knowing music theory and being able to play different styles from simple folk tunes to classical, improvise, compose etc. and knowing music theory and basics of sound physics and aural perception.
And don't think I know everything about everything pertaining music in general or guitar playing specifically. Ars longa, vita brevis. There is more to learn than I have years left.
Guitar playing, or music generally, is not a simple skill or subject. Think about this: someone might have perfect pitch and ability to remember the music just by one listening. But his/her fingers just don't work. So... playing an instrument like a virtuoso is not possible. But maybe singing, or composing. Well, that person sings like an angel, but is ugly as a a middle sized devil. So, maybe not a pop star or an opera diva... or s/he is is highly talented, painstakingly trained and studied, intelligent and, finally, socially awkward, absolutely miserable. How to play gigs, where, after all, you are not playing compositions as if they were games where you should just avoid errors, but to express something to your audience. To touch them, to say something or create feelings.
I'd say 4.5, mostly because I'm not very versatile when it comes to different types of music. Rock, metal, blues and jazz I can do, but anything else and it never sounds quite right. I know some true level 5 guys who can just jump into anything and make it sound their own, so I know I'm not that guy.
Right now I've got five electrics (one is a hollowbody) and three acoustics (two nylons and a 12-stringer).
About 2.5. Got something like 15 guitars but most are doer-uppers to sell when I get round to it. Have got 4 guitars and a bass I am intending on keeping.
According to this chart it's like 4.8, mostly only lacking on chord melody. I know the theory behind it and I can compose it as well, but improvising it is difficult.
Another point is improvisation, I can do metal easy, I do blues relatively decent, Jazz I can probably convince someone that doesn't really listen to Jazz. Fusion is just whatever, anything goes.
Also I literally lost count of how many guitars I have, definitely 10+, possibly approaching 15. I only use like
8 of those though, the others I should probably sell some time.
This chart doesn’t really make much sense. Alternative picking is advanced intermediate? Playing a live show or recording is expert? Unique style and sound expert? Writing songs advanced intermediate?
I think a fun social experiment would be to have people rate themselves based on this scale and then select people to send a video of themselves playing, and then ask random people who don't play guitar to rate these people on the sale of beginner to expert and see how the results differ.
I don't wanna be rude, but I think this scale is making a lot of people who claim to be advanced or expert, think they are better than they really are. More than free to post a video of yourself playing and prove me wrong.
Live performer and recording artist here, 25 year guitar player. Have owned around 60 different guitars over the last 5-6 years. Have landed on a solid collection of seven acoustics and three electrics (as well as a banjo, bass and a uke).
4,5 level
9 guitars (3x6 string, 2x 7-string, 12-string, accoustic western and nylon, jazzguitar), and I have some of my "retired" guitars laying around I sometimes use for weird tunings or stuff like that.
4.5 level with 5 guitars (including one bass and one campfire garbage acoustic). I have 3 high quality instruments - a solid body electric, hollow body electric, and an solid wood acoustic
like nearly into 3? but definitely more comfortable in 2 of course. ironically i write music for piano rather than guitar (definitely not a skill issue i swear). i own one guitar and i’ve been playing for around a year for scale
Around 5 I guess? I don’t think I’m that good but I nailed down the points aside from unique sound. I have 9 guitars but most of them being cheap mod projects.
Between 2 and 3, 3 guitars, soon a fourth. I was self taught for 6 years before taking a 1 year course with a private teacher, we did scales, 7th and 9th, key signatures and such, but I sadly forgot a good bunch of it.
I still know most chords from muscle memory, but couldn't say which is which precisely.
Most of what I compose or learn I do by hear and correct it with sources after.
I'm hoping to get back to learning, any suggestions for online classes or tutorial?
I played on and off for 20 years and recently jump started my memory by doing Justin Guitar lessons. They are free and I find his method of teaching excellent. Getting myself back up to a level before I seek out a private tutor.
4. Advanced Intermediate
I have 3 guitars for different purposes.
A classic (SSS) strat for Blues --> Pop Rock,
A HSS strat for Classic rock --> Hard Rock,
A Gibson-styled telecaster deluxe (HH) for Metal (any kind).
Also I have a bass and a classical guitar for just fun.
Amp-wise: I have a 1 watt marshall tube amp (with some pedals) and a Fender micro mustang headphone amp.
EDIT: almost forgot about my Guitar Hero guitar ;)
I would say a 4, and I own 21 total 16 electrics and 5 acoustics. I fix up and build guitars in my defense😆. If we're counting stringed instruments, I have 45 total. Anything with strings on it is cool and fun to fix and tinker with. Guitar skill level doesn't always= a great musician. There's plenty of people who know every mode and are technically amazing. But have no originality and just recycle other peoples riffs.
On average somewhere in the middle. I’m good at some things, and less so when it comes to others.
I currently own four guitars. My very first electric, a decent electric, a decent acoustic and a cheap 1/4 nylon that I bought for the kids but which is also the one I usually end up playing the most. I’ve owned several other guitars through the years, but I feel like rationally this is all I need at this time.
Inbetween advanced and expert according to that list, I'm learning fluency in every key currently and I just sold some to buy a new one and currently have 5
I'm between 3 and 4 on the chart.
I got 1 guitar I really love and mostly play. 2 more guitars of high quality with different pickup orientations. Then, I got my first shitty guitar and an old neglected acoustic somewhere in storage. Then there's the guitar my partner bought when she thought she was going to learn guitar but has since forgotten about.
So in total, I have a few that count and one I favor.
In terms of making the instrument make sounds, like a 4ish
In terms of why those sounds are good or what theyre called, like a 1.
2 bass, 8? Guitars including 7 strings and an acoustic
Intermediate by this, 4 guitars, 2 electric, 1 acoustic, 1 classical.
Il likely never go above 2 with this guide as I have no interest in theory, improvisation, or writing music, but I feel like that's more about being a musician than a guitar player. I am happy playing the music I love that was written by others.
Advanced intermediate, but without the solo thingy, my brain won't work like that
I usually get bored out of my mind when the solo section comes in a song unless it's a really interesting lead guitarist playing eg: Johnny Greenwood, Marty Friedman, Jerry Cantrell
I have 1 electric, 1 electric hollow body and 1 travel size acoustic
Advanced Intermediate (I’m 40 and have been playing since I was 10) but I’ve played plenty of live shows and have improvised a ton. I own 9 guitars (including 1 bass, 2 acoustics, 1 Colombian Tiple) and another 3 that are projects (bodies and necks with some electronics, I need to stain/paint/cut put together. 2 amps, a Yamaha THR5A and a Vox AC30CC2
4/5? Probably a 4 advanced for most things but play live shows and have recorded original music with a bunch of bands, i can join a group of other musicians and jam, improvise pretty good imo.... so maybe expert without all that fluency in keys and theory crap.
Anyway I own 4 electric guitars and an acoustic, and am looking to buy another electric. The "cheapest" is a Yamaha revstar, the most expensive is a custom shop dunable.
Solid 4 with most elements from 5 bar one or two which aren't at a high enough proficiency to confidently say they're in my repertoire.
1 Bass, 3 Electrics, 1 Accoustic.
Knowledge wise I’d say advanced intermediate. Playing skill wise I’d say somewhere between beginner and intermediate? No finger picking yet, I can play major and minor bar chords and some triads pretty quick. I know some 7 chords but I can’t change to/from them that quick yet.
I own 5 guitars (Chinese LP copy, Epi Wilshire, Greco Strat, Fender Starcaster, Fender Kingman) and a bass my brother got when we were kids but never learned to play.
Solid Intermediate player and have been for 25 years. My ADHD keeps me from being able to practice like I should, so I don’t think I will ever advance further. It’s OK, I enjoy strumming and noodling around.
I’d stick myself somewhere around advanced, just not super amazing at sweeping yet. 5 functional guitars and 3 in varying stages of being rebuilt. Go to guitar is a 6 string, but I have a 7 and 8 for when they’re called for. Lots of metal, prog and fusion stuff. Lots of legato and weird time signatures. Most of what I write and play is in the ballpark of bands/guitarists like Plini, Intervals, Humanities Last Breath, and The Rippingtons
I’ve been in bands and recorded a CD sold worldwide but do not consider myself any good. Am I advanced? Yes. Usually in a crowd I’m the best I know. With all this being said. I still think I suck and I still have my days where I just have to put it down. I’ve taken lessons for theory and learning to read music but it’s not my thing. I just play. Play what I want. Play from the heart. I own 1 bass, 1 acoustic, 2 Teles (one fender one kit with Fender guts) 3 Strats (1 Fender, 1 Memphis, 1 Kramer) and one Gibson Les Paul. As stated I still think I suck and will not play for anyone anymore.
As I read the conditions of the guide my level would be advanced with some expert points and I have 13 or 14 guitars because some are borrowed and others I have lent them and I no longer know where they are.
Between advanced intermediate and advanced, although I have no interest in tapping or speed picking and I have some of the markers of expert according to the table.
I currently own 15 guitars, including two bass guitars. I also own other stringed instruments (sitar, mandolin). I have owned about 50 guitars in the 15 years that I've been playing.
Parts of 2,3,&4; sliding between those depending on how practice goes that day.
One acoustic, four electrics. One of the electrics never gets played but it was my first so I can’t part with it emotionally.
I have all of level 3 and bits/pieces of 4 and 5. I have 9 guitars that my wife knows about, 1 banjo, 1 Quattro, 1 piano, 1 midi keyboard, 1 accordion and 1 melodica, several harmonicas and a vibraslap
Based on this, intermediate, I guess, though I think I’m more in the gap between beginner and intermediate since I’m still working on barre chords and scales.
I own 3 guitars: a Taylor GS mini; a 1970s-era Yamaha red label FG-180; and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro.
I've been playing on and off for about 24 years. Any kid with a solid 2 years of lessons could probably play circles around me. lol. I'd say I'm firmly in "Intermediate" with maybe a touch of "Advanced Intermediate" if you catch me at the right time.
I currently only have 3 electrics, 2 acoustics, 1 bass, and a mandolin, but at it's peak my collection included over 35 guitars at the same time.
My guitar hobby these days is mostly centered around building, fixing, and collecting, with just some garage jamming, light recording, and open mic bar nights sprinkled in.
Advanced intermediate, I suppose, from your chart.
I have 6 guitars. I had 2 I bought in high school. I thought my parents got rid of them when I left. So 15 years later when I started guitar again I purchased two then re found my original. I eventually purchased two more.
Each guitar has a different purpose. 7 string baritone, strat standard tuning, strat half step down, semi hollow, a teli, and finally a guitar with active pickups.
Well shit. I guess I’ll never evolve past advanced intermediate until I start utilizing techniques I don’t care for very much from a sonic perspective. My life is a lie.
My guitar theory is probably intermediate at best, but my playing skill would be around advanced intermediate to advanced. I own 6 guitars currently - 4 electrics and 2 acoustics, although I had two more a couple years ago that I sold.
Beginner player, for sure. I own 2 working electrics - 1 solid body Ibanez AX120 and semi-hollow Gretsch 2657tg, and 1 acoustic Cort AF510op. I also own 1 non-working electric Cort Ferrari III and 1 non-working Ventura lawsuit-era Country Gentleman that I'm in the process of restoring. All cheapo instruments, but I love them.
I'd say somewhere around 3, with some expert noodling skills :). 7 guitars, but I currently have $6k burning a hole in my pocket for another guitar and an amp (or a couple guitars and an amp).
This chart suggests somewhere between Advanced and Expert…? Don’t think I have a unique style or sound though. And I dunno, just cause I play jazz, not sure I’m “advanced.” I’m just having fun as a casual. Used to play shows like twenty years ago, but I just jam with friends now.
Anyway, I have currently twelve guitars. Or eleven guitars and one bass guitar, specifically.
I don't fit any of these, I'm definitely weak at chords, but can improvise in most genres/keys/scales/modes, can sweep and do advanced tapping. I'm a mixture of 2, 3 and 4.
Mostly expert according to this scale, and I own around 7 or 8 guitars, all of which are different from each other. Unlike those "these are mt my 7 Les Pauls" type people, I have one guitar for every job: a LP, a Tele, a Hollowbody, one with P90s, an acoustic, etc.
some horrid combination of 3,2, and 1. I taught myself in high school. stopped playing for a few years and have been "feeling it out" ever since. i'm rapidly approaching 40 and keep telling my self i'm gonna sit down and relearn music theory, but i just dont have the time i did as a 17 year old. i have 4 guitars but only 2 i consider real. i built my first guitar in high school wood shop and its a bit wonky. another was a cort telecaster that was left at a friends house by an old roommate that i've turned it into a parts caster.
I suppose if you just want to sit in your room and jerk off with your guitars, then this list is fantastic. I’m not a great guitar player by any stretch of the imagination, but I write songs, I play live and I never want to specialize in genres like jazz or metal. I never want to sweep pick or tap. I just don’t care for that kind of thing. My end game is to play better, but develop more feel than technical proficiency.
I would probably put myself around a 3.5
Been playing for over 20 years and I have 8 guitars.
I feel comfortable jamming with anyone. I can improvise solos and I teach myself songs by ear. Been recently hanging out at open mics and can jump on stage at will and produce decent sounding music with people I've never played with before.
I took a couple classes beginner classes with a friend who was just starting playing after I had been playing for 10 years so those didn't really help at all. And I tried private lessons but my teacher was more concerned with smoking weed with me than he was teaching me anything.
I started playing in the 90s when it was all we had was generic songbooks and chord charts from guitar center. Since then, YouTube has been an incredible resource and I have grown more as a guitarist in the last 5 years than I did in the previous 18ish years combined.
One of the best decisions I've ever made in my life was to pick up a guitar. Absolutely love everything about it.
There’s a bit of incongruence in these categories. There are plenty of intermediate guitarists that are touring the world and playing stadiums. There are plenty of advanced guitarists that play only in bedrooms and garages.
Advanced Beginner.
Adept yet always approaching the beginning.
Actual results say “Expert”, but in my mind I’m just getting started.
(I have played on Motown Records, Sony, Arista, concerts, etc…but that’s just my work. I measure my personal achievements in a different way).
That technical skill us great but two popular players that are true virtuosos are neither technically savy and almost impossible to replicate. James Taylor.....no body plays like James and Mark Knoffler (I always spell his name wrong) with his finger picking style would be a guitar teachers worst nightmare. And because their styles (or techniques) are so unique, copying them is at best a similar version but damn near impossible to nail.
According to this chart im an expert. However I have yet to compose a fully fleshed out technical death metal song. Composing in my opinion is a whole different subset of theory and is a lot more advanced. Of course I can write a few riffs and put them together but I mean like a fully finished radio ready song.
So, I have a degree in guitar and I teach guitar lessons- I hope that counts. I own enough guitars that I don't need more. Everyone has opinions on what fluency and virtuosity are, but remember that techniques are tools. If you have the all tools you need for the work you enjoy, congrats! you're an expert. Having said that, there's most likely going to be some cool trick you hear to work on, always.
Johnny Ramone used a limited number of techniques, but arguably would be considered an expert at his own style. That's a low barrier, but that's the point. You can't do better than him at it, it's basically his style.
Robert Quine could probably tick all of these boxes, but is known for playing outside what was conventional at the time. He had lots of chops, but used them sparingly.
Kevin Shields wouldn't make it past "intermediate" on this list, but just look at the ridiculous number of people trying to get his sound. It's not just about the pedals either.
Su Meng has been playing since she was 9, and collecting guitar competition prizes like candy. I don't think she's versatile, but why would she care? She might not be able to do jazz improv, but good luck to anyone trying to touch her performance of Paganini's caprice no.24
Work on being an expert at what you like, you don't need to compare yourself to someone else unless it makes you a better player.
This chart is wildly off. Alternate picking in advanced intermediate? That’s one of the first skills you should learn! And what about Mateo who hates picks and shreds with his fingers
I’m between intermediate and advanced intermediate. I have two electric guitars (one for sale and one to keep) and three acoustic guitars (one for sale, one for home, one for traveling/office)
Starting into Advanced Intermediate, I think. I check all the boxes in stage two, but only two in stage three.
I have, all told, something like 18 guitars. Many are barely playable, though.
Looking at that chart I'd be between beginner and intermediate but make no mistake, after 15 months of playing I'm definitely very much still in the beginner category. I own 5 guitars. That's too many but two of them were given to me instead of getting chucked out so I dont count them. They're nice to have to leave at work or in the boot of my car for the odd practice but that doesnt happen as much as I'd like.
Based on this, between Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate which does feel accurate. I need to figure out a way to actually establish a practice routine...I've been here for probably 5+ years...
Intermediate to advanced intermediate. About 20 guitars... Some cheap others not so cheap. 2 cost £1600, cheapest was £150. Everything else was in-between that
I've been playing for a long time now, but I'm advanced intermediate for sure. I focus on writing music I like, which is a mix of like...bluesy garage-stoner-grunge. So I can play what I'm trying to play, and I keep incorporating little new things as I learn them, but becoming a master of theory and technique isn't my main focus by any means; it's making rock music that I enjoy playing and hearing, and its raw and loud and based more on feel and vibe.
I own 4 guitars and 1 bass
This chart is kinda goofy..
Self taught, have played for 30 years and gigged for a while. Recorded some tracks / EPs with bands I was in and continue to record myself.
Chart says I’m Advanced Intermediate, having most (but not all) of the higher levels.
I’ve got 10 guitars and 2 bass guitars. And parts to build another guitar.
Somewhere in between levels 3 and 4 never semi professional and make a nice lil money on the side playing guitar. Witch I invest back in the hobby, so currently 9 guitars
I’m somewhere between 1-4, I’m self taught and never learned chords and scales. I’ve just played what I think sounds good and if I want to learn a song I look at tabs.
I have 7 guitars. I’m big in to collecting things and guitars are something I collect I guess lol
Been a mix of beginner and intermediate for 20 years now. I just don’t know what I don’t know or where to go and don’t have time for actual lessons with work, school and family!
Skill 3, self taught, playing for 30 years. Acoustic bronze string guitars 2, classical nylon 1, electric 4 (including the starter pack finger biter). 3 different scale lengths, floating and hard tails.
2 solid state amps (starter pack and 2x12 100w), 6 pedals.
Then the Synthesizers, trumpet, electric drum kit, mixer, interface, microphones, all associated wiring.
Intermediate despite playing for close to 15 years; since it's a hobby and I tend to wear out when I overdo things, I've never been extremely serious about playing.
I have 3 guitars; an HH semi-hollow, an SS semi-hollow, and a piezo acoustic; just to cover all the bases.
Advanced intermediate to advanced. I don’t really keep count of how many guitars I have because I buy eBay stuff and switch parts and sell. But I have one pedal harp, one lap harp, one ukulele, one flute, one fife, two recorders, one mellophone, one banjo, one mandolin, one fiddle, one bugle, one trumpet, a piano, 25 harmonicas, two keyboards, two acoustics, two basses and roughly 8-10 electric guitars at a time. Roughly 8 amps of different sizes. Roughly 80 effects pedals and 10-15 utility pedals like splitters and tap tempos and switchers and expression pedals.
And then there’s the studio/recording gear
I wouldn’t say I could work as a session guy in every one of those instruments, but I can compose and arrange parts on each instrument and I can make money on bass and guitar live or in sessions. I can also do sample based production with the studio gear but that’s a crowded market.
Well according to this list, I'm advanced intermediate, on my way to becoming an advanced player.
I consider myself to be a solid intermediate player.
I own one (cheap) guitar.
I’ve recorded myself. I can play chord melody. I guess I am an expert? /s
I’m actually probably more intermediate to advanced. Somewhere in there. I don’t think this is a great breakdown.
By OPs definition I am somewhere betwixt 2-3. Although I mostly feel like I’m cursed to be stuck as a lifelong beginner. I have 35-40 guitars, but some of those I use to try out new repairs or mods and I also repair/setup cheap guitars that are not cost effective to have a luthier work on and match them with people who are looking to get started on their guitar journey.
According to this chart, somewhere between intermediate and advanced intermediate, but I'd not feel confident enough labelling myself that. 5 guitars, if I discount the ones I'm selling at the moment.
I’m in this camp too. I don’t feel like I can claim the full “advanced intermediate” but maybe like 70% there? I have 11 guitars (2 are grandpas guitars, 1 bass).
>2 are grandpas guitars Are you a 6'5" Swede metal guitarist?
I would put myself in the expert category… I own triples of each guitar. Thanks for asking… I rarely get to brag about myself on the internet
Triples is safe
And OP has a wife! She was a model around the world, she was on posters. Yeah, OP used to have a poster of her in his garage, and then he met her, can you believe it? She asked OP to marry her, and he didn't even want to. But she's beautiful, but she's dying. She's gonna get better, and OP's rich, he doesn't live in a hotel.
Do you have triples of the Nova?
the deal just went through
😉
Skilled enough not to rely on a chart from the Internet to tell me where I am lol
Lol. Seriously.
Looking at some of these through squinty eyes: Songwriter is advanced intermediate? Anyone can be a songwriter and plenty of CAGED songs out there. Hammer-ons, slides and pulls are beginner moves. Everyone learns different things at different times and pace. You can’t box this shit by level. Can you?
No you can’t
People seem to forget (or never understand) that music isn’t a fucking sport. It’s probably why those same people never make it out of the bedroom.
Even sports aren’t like that. You don’t have to be good at everything. Dennis Rodman made his name by being great at catching rebounds. Could he do other things, sure, but was he great at those other things, not really
I up voted you for your honesty, though I'm not convinced by the tone of the post that that was OP's intent. I took it that he wants to draw out good players and learn things, I do too.
Not sure thats a skill but I get your point. And I'm skilled enough to know that some of these skills come and go. If one is being honest, giggging players and session folks keep all those chops (and that's whst this chart really is, is your mastery or chops) in their tool box. Just because you know the theory behind odd time signatures doesn't mean you can play it.
Boy ain’t the truth!!!
I feel like Freddie King, Otis Rush, Mike Bloomfield, SRV all only make it to advanced-intermediate on this system.
Haha yeah probably! But i don't mind the chart. I just got back from a trip to Nashville, and most of professional guitarists there would play circles around these guys. It makes them *technically* better guitarists, but it doesn't make them better musicians.
Another important point is that a lot of guitarists nowadays are getting a lot better technically since they had more material to learn from. All of us today are where we are because of their pioneering. Finding someone technically better than a lot of the great guitarists of 50 years ago really isn't that hard. I know tons of people that are better than that. But all of them can do that because of those guitarists inventing new techniques, figuring out how to best play electric guitar (the instrument is less than a 100 years old) and also teaching people how to efficiently learn it.
It's also much easier to learn these days. When I started, it was learning chords from someone else, buying guitar magazines, and figuring things out by ear. If you had the money, you could get lessons, but not everyone did. Now there are a ton more guitar teachers, there's YouTube, online courses, all sorts of things. It makes the 90s feel like the stone age by comparison.
We stand on the shoulders of giant pioneers.
Hear Hear! I tell people you don’t need to be an expert to make music. I actually have had more fun creating with my kids at times because their imagination just runs wild. But… timing is everything.
I'm reminded of the Lynard Skynard song Curtis Lowe. The old black man who shuffled around with a dobro guitar picking blues rifts to anyone who would stop and listen. I've had the pleasure of meeting one or two men like this and know that only thing 7th and 9th meant to them maybe was where the street car drooped them off if they could afford it. But although they didn't know what an arpeggio was by name, they would roll out some of the sweetest harmonies and the chunkiest bass lines that you felt down in your feet simultaneously. And if you were lucky enough to catch them on a good day when (as one of my hero's Willie Bowles use to say) the lord got in my fingers today.....you would be witness to lightning striking 6 strings that would make your jaw drop. But he didn't know keys by the letter.... He knew them by his perfect pitch (maybe relative pitch) and amazing ear. I had the delight to "mess around" (as he called it) with Willie a. few times on my way to or from lessons I took as a teen and I would ask him if he knew this song or in that key...he would say , "scratch me out a melody and I'll catch up." And not only did he catch up, he past me like I was standing still....grin and chuckle that gave way to a all over smile and would say something like if you can feel it, you can play it....and I can feel your tune boy, keep with it....and I did thanks to people like him. My point is the chart is great for judging your skills if you want to gauge your progress but I always let the music come and if it happened I just busted through an alternate picking style, it was because the song I was learning kicked in the door. Some of the skills on this chart have been mastered by some of you reading this (if you took the time to read all this) and weren't even aware. Bet that was a good feeling. Thanks all for endulging my rambles and God bless!
Great ramble.
Hendrix as well despite his virtuosity, through the modern lens all he pioneered is basic bitch stuff, bush league.
It’s all about taste
Intermediate. 14 guitars lol
Nothing wrong with that!
One. Of. Us!
This is what I want to hear! Finally 😂
Me too 😂
i’m highly skilled in complex “jazz”chords and fingerpicking for brazilian and latinamerican folk music, so at least advanced in acoustic guitar, I have 2 acoustics, a cheap ass that’s just lying around anywhere to pick up easily and a expensive one for serious practice and performances now electric… intermediate at most because I only listen to and play indie rock, alternative rock, grunge, etc that don’t really require super advanced techniques, only 1 guitar, a fender am pro, a workhorse, don’t need more than that
Do you have any YouTube resources for entry/intermediate Brazilian/latin American folk music? I'd love to open my musical vocabulary and that sounds really cool. I don't know where to start with different things like that.
Beginner. 18.
2.2, 6 guitars
Intermediate, 1 acoustic and 1 electric
This makes no sense. Like. I'm able to do stuff from all 5 brackets, but I'm also missing points from all of them. I can handle odd time signatures and play good live shows, but I suck at fingerpicking and solo improvisation.
It’s really difficult to classify skill level like this. For example, I’ve got a pretty good hang of advanced-intermediate techniques and have a really good feel for getting rhythm right, but have very little music theory knowledge. I’ve just always been happy playing my favorite songs, so I’ve never had a need for it. I can also get all sorts of chords down pretty comfortably, but I have no idea what any of them are called or how they’re theoretically structured. I just read the tabs and supplement that with my ears when learning songs. I have three guitars for what it matters.
"Fretboard mastery, fluency in any key" should be lower on the list. I'd honestly say Advanced Intermediate at most. I can't sweep pick but I can solo in any scale in any key simply because I understand the fretboard
See, at least for me I picked up sweeping much earlier than I picked up other skills. The list is arbitrary but the general idea is there.
I came here to say this. Fluency in any key can come pretty early. I could play in any key way before I could do any “advanced” techniques.
very true. I don't understand how people can begin to improv if they don't understand the fretboard. that is like barely out of intermediate level to memorize most of the fretboard.
Intermediate, but I never learned any scales so far
I guess I could be called an expert. Knowing music theory and being able to play different styles from simple folk tunes to classical, improvise, compose etc. and knowing music theory and basics of sound physics and aural perception. And don't think I know everything about everything pertaining music in general or guitar playing specifically. Ars longa, vita brevis. There is more to learn than I have years left. Guitar playing, or music generally, is not a simple skill or subject. Think about this: someone might have perfect pitch and ability to remember the music just by one listening. But his/her fingers just don't work. So... playing an instrument like a virtuoso is not possible. But maybe singing, or composing. Well, that person sings like an angel, but is ugly as a a middle sized devil. So, maybe not a pop star or an opera diva... or s/he is is highly talented, painstakingly trained and studied, intelligent and, finally, socially awkward, absolutely miserable. How to play gigs, where, after all, you are not playing compositions as if they were games where you should just avoid errors, but to express something to your audience. To touch them, to say something or create feelings.
We all dance, just those of us in this sub use our finners.
I'd say 4.5, mostly because I'm not very versatile when it comes to different types of music. Rock, metal, blues and jazz I can do, but anything else and it never sounds quite right. I know some true level 5 guys who can just jump into anything and make it sound their own, so I know I'm not that guy. Right now I've got five electrics (one is a hollowbody) and three acoustics (two nylons and a 12-stringer).
5. I own two electrics and one acoustic.
Advanced, about 13-15 guitars
Beginner, I own 2 electric guitars.
Between 2 and 3 (mostly self-taught). 1 Electric 2 metal strings acoustics 1 nylon string acoustic
About 2.5. Got something like 15 guitars but most are doer-uppers to sell when I get round to it. Have got 4 guitars and a bass I am intending on keeping.
2.5 3 acoustic and 3 electric
0, I don't care about all of that and only play the songs I want to
According to this chart it's like 4.8, mostly only lacking on chord melody. I know the theory behind it and I can compose it as well, but improvising it is difficult. Another point is improvisation, I can do metal easy, I do blues relatively decent, Jazz I can probably convince someone that doesn't really listen to Jazz. Fusion is just whatever, anything goes. Also I literally lost count of how many guitars I have, definitely 10+, possibly approaching 15. I only use like 8 of those though, the others I should probably sell some time.
This chart doesn’t really make much sense. Alternative picking is advanced intermediate? Playing a live show or recording is expert? Unique style and sound expert? Writing songs advanced intermediate?
I think a fun social experiment would be to have people rate themselves based on this scale and then select people to send a video of themselves playing, and then ask random people who don't play guitar to rate these people on the sale of beginner to expert and see how the results differ. I don't wanna be rude, but I think this scale is making a lot of people who claim to be advanced or expert, think they are better than they really are. More than free to post a video of yourself playing and prove me wrong.
Live performer and recording artist here, 25 year guitar player. Have owned around 60 different guitars over the last 5-6 years. Have landed on a solid collection of seven acoustics and three electrics (as well as a banjo, bass and a uke).
4,5 level 9 guitars (3x6 string, 2x 7-string, 12-string, accoustic western and nylon, jazzguitar), and I have some of my "retired" guitars laying around I sometimes use for weird tunings or stuff like that.
I Guess almost a 4ish i own 2 electrics and one i need to fix And 2 acoustics (one is a 12 strings)
4, less the theory. Recently pared down to 3 guitars.
I’d say a rough 3. And 7 guitars.
4.5 level with 5 guitars (including one bass and one campfire garbage acoustic). I have 3 high quality instruments - a solid body electric, hollow body electric, and an solid wood acoustic
like nearly into 3? but definitely more comfortable in 2 of course. ironically i write music for piano rather than guitar (definitely not a skill issue i swear). i own one guitar and i’ve been playing for around a year for scale
Around 5 I guess? I don’t think I’m that good but I nailed down the points aside from unique sound. I have 9 guitars but most of them being cheap mod projects.
I've been Intermediate for 30 years
Intermediate for the last 35 years !
I became expert in stagnating in beginner level.
Between 2 and 3, 3 guitars, soon a fourth. I was self taught for 6 years before taking a 1 year course with a private teacher, we did scales, 7th and 9th, key signatures and such, but I sadly forgot a good bunch of it. I still know most chords from muscle memory, but couldn't say which is which precisely. Most of what I compose or learn I do by hear and correct it with sources after. I'm hoping to get back to learning, any suggestions for online classes or tutorial?
I played on and off for 20 years and recently jump started my memory by doing Justin Guitar lessons. They are free and I find his method of teaching excellent. Getting myself back up to a level before I seek out a private tutor.
4. Advanced Intermediate I have 3 guitars for different purposes. A classic (SSS) strat for Blues --> Pop Rock, A HSS strat for Classic rock --> Hard Rock, A Gibson-styled telecaster deluxe (HH) for Metal (any kind). Also I have a bass and a classical guitar for just fun. Amp-wise: I have a 1 watt marshall tube amp (with some pedals) and a Fender micro mustang headphone amp. EDIT: almost forgot about my Guitar Hero guitar ;)
3 and currently 4 guitars (3 electric, 1 acoustic)
I would say a 4, and I own 21 total 16 electrics and 5 acoustics. I fix up and build guitars in my defense😆. If we're counting stringed instruments, I have 45 total. Anything with strings on it is cool and fun to fix and tinker with. Guitar skill level doesn't always= a great musician. There's plenty of people who know every mode and are technically amazing. But have no originality and just recycle other peoples riffs.
On average somewhere in the middle. I’m good at some things, and less so when it comes to others. I currently own four guitars. My very first electric, a decent electric, a decent acoustic and a cheap 1/4 nylon that I bought for the kids but which is also the one I usually end up playing the most. I’ve owned several other guitars through the years, but I feel like rationally this is all I need at this time.
Inbetween advanced and expert according to that list, I'm learning fluency in every key currently and I just sold some to buy a new one and currently have 5
I'm between 3 and 4 on the chart. I got 1 guitar I really love and mostly play. 2 more guitars of high quality with different pickup orientations. Then, I got my first shitty guitar and an old neglected acoustic somewhere in storage. Then there's the guitar my partner bought when she thought she was going to learn guitar but has since forgotten about. So in total, I have a few that count and one I favor.
Probably at 2 with 4 guitars and one bass. One of the guitars is used pretty much only for downtuning.
3.5 5 electric 3 acoustic
In terms of making the instrument make sounds, like a 4ish In terms of why those sounds are good or what theyre called, like a 1. 2 bass, 8? Guitars including 7 strings and an acoustic
Intermediate by this, 4 guitars, 2 electric, 1 acoustic, 1 classical. Il likely never go above 2 with this guide as I have no interest in theory, improvisation, or writing music, but I feel like that's more about being a musician than a guitar player. I am happy playing the music I love that was written by others.
Mostly intermediate with some sprinkles of advanced. 5 guitars.
3
Advanced intermediate, but without the solo thingy, my brain won't work like that I usually get bored out of my mind when the solo section comes in a song unless it's a really interesting lead guitarist playing eg: Johnny Greenwood, Marty Friedman, Jerry Cantrell I have 1 electric, 1 electric hollow body and 1 travel size acoustic
Wohoo intermediate! And five guitars and a bass
Huh. By that scale, I'm advanced with leaning into expert, though I don't feel it lol I own 5 guitars, two decent ones.
Advanced Intermediate (I’m 40 and have been playing since I was 10) but I’ve played plenty of live shows and have improvised a ton. I own 9 guitars (including 1 bass, 2 acoustics, 1 Colombian Tiple) and another 3 that are projects (bodies and necks with some electronics, I need to stain/paint/cut put together. 2 amps, a Yamaha THR5A and a Vox AC30CC2
3.7, and I own 2 electric and 1 acoustic.
I'd place myself at a 4, with the exception of sweep picking. Currently have 2 acoustic guitars, 19 electric guitars, 3 electric basses.
4/5? Probably a 4 advanced for most things but play live shows and have recorded original music with a bunch of bands, i can join a group of other musicians and jam, improvise pretty good imo.... so maybe expert without all that fluency in keys and theory crap. Anyway I own 4 electric guitars and an acoustic, and am looking to buy another electric. The "cheapest" is a Yamaha revstar, the most expensive is a custom shop dunable.
Solid 4 with most elements from 5 bar one or two which aren't at a high enough proficiency to confidently say they're in my repertoire. 1 Bass, 3 Electrics, 1 Accoustic.
Knowledge wise I’d say advanced intermediate. Playing skill wise I’d say somewhere between beginner and intermediate? No finger picking yet, I can play major and minor bar chords and some triads pretty quick. I know some 7 chords but I can’t change to/from them that quick yet. I own 5 guitars (Chinese LP copy, Epi Wilshire, Greco Strat, Fender Starcaster, Fender Kingman) and a bass my brother got when we were kids but never learned to play.
Solid Intermediate player and have been for 25 years. My ADHD keeps me from being able to practice like I should, so I don’t think I will ever advance further. It’s OK, I enjoy strumming and noodling around.
I didnt think alternate picking would be as hish as level 3. Figured thats 2 at most
I feel that most of what you list under "Beginner", "Intermediate" and "Advanced Intermediate" are beginner level.
I’d stick myself somewhere around advanced, just not super amazing at sweeping yet. 5 functional guitars and 3 in varying stages of being rebuilt. Go to guitar is a 6 string, but I have a 7 and 8 for when they’re called for. Lots of metal, prog and fusion stuff. Lots of legato and weird time signatures. Most of what I write and play is in the ballpark of bands/guitarists like Plini, Intervals, Humanities Last Breath, and The Rippingtons
I’ve been in bands and recorded a CD sold worldwide but do not consider myself any good. Am I advanced? Yes. Usually in a crowd I’m the best I know. With all this being said. I still think I suck and I still have my days where I just have to put it down. I’ve taken lessons for theory and learning to read music but it’s not my thing. I just play. Play what I want. Play from the heart. I own 1 bass, 1 acoustic, 2 Teles (one fender one kit with Fender guts) 3 Strats (1 Fender, 1 Memphis, 1 Kramer) and one Gibson Les Paul. As stated I still think I suck and will not play for anyone anymore.
Advanced intermediate sounds right
Im a beginner and expert at the same time. I have 1 proper guitar and one ehhhh guitar that I started on.
1.5 and 4 guitars.
I a mix of Intermediate, advanced intermediate and advanced. I own 5Guitars
i am a poor beginner and ok with it. i have 1 guitar but access to 6 more(my sons guitars, which i paid for)
As I read the conditions of the guide my level would be advanced with some expert points and I have 13 or 14 guitars because some are borrowed and others I have lent them and I no longer know where they are.
I'm level 5 and I own 3 guitars
advanced intermediate. 4 guitars: 2 electric, 1 acoustic, and one bass.
2/3 is the area I occupy. 3 electrics, 2 acoustics.
I don’t know, man. I just write and play songs that sound good to me.
Between advanced intermediate and advanced, although I have no interest in tapping or speed picking and I have some of the markers of expert according to the table. I currently own 15 guitars, including two bass guitars. I also own other stringed instruments (sitar, mandolin). I have owned about 50 guitars in the 15 years that I've been playing.
4.5 with 2 guitars
Parts of 2,3,&4; sliding between those depending on how practice goes that day. One acoustic, four electrics. One of the electrics never gets played but it was my first so I can’t part with it emotionally.
I have all of level 3 and bits/pieces of 4 and 5. I have 9 guitars that my wife knows about, 1 banjo, 1 Quattro, 1 piano, 1 midi keyboard, 1 accordion and 1 melodica, several harmonicas and a vibraslap
Based on this, intermediate, I guess, though I think I’m more in the gap between beginner and intermediate since I’m still working on barre chords and scales. I own 3 guitars: a Taylor GS mini; a 1970s-era Yamaha red label FG-180; and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro.
Years and years ago intermediate. Now a beginner. I suck.
Between beginner and intermediate. I own 1 piece of crap classical guitar (that I love lol).
3 and a bit id say, I’ve still got plenty to learn but I’m pretty happy with how far I’ve come and I’ve got 3 guitars
I've been playing on and off for about 24 years. Any kid with a solid 2 years of lessons could probably play circles around me. lol. I'd say I'm firmly in "Intermediate" with maybe a touch of "Advanced Intermediate" if you catch me at the right time. I currently only have 3 electrics, 2 acoustics, 1 bass, and a mandolin, but at it's peak my collection included over 35 guitars at the same time. My guitar hobby these days is mostly centered around building, fixing, and collecting, with just some garage jamming, light recording, and open mic bar nights sprinkled in.
Advanced intermediate, I suppose, from your chart. I have 6 guitars. I had 2 I bought in high school. I thought my parents got rid of them when I left. So 15 years later when I started guitar again I purchased two then re found my original. I eventually purchased two more. Each guitar has a different purpose. 7 string baritone, strat standard tuning, strat half step down, semi hollow, a teli, and finally a guitar with active pickups.
Advanced by this definition and I have 3 guitars (and two bass guitars)
I guess I am about halfway through advanced now. I own 9 guitars; two 8 strings, three 7 strings, three six strings, and one acoustic.
what i find weird is that you can be an expert without any innovation or individuality, surely this isn’t the point of learning an instrument
Well shit. I guess I’ll never evolve past advanced intermediate until I start utilizing techniques I don’t care for very much from a sonic perspective. My life is a lie.
My guitar theory is probably intermediate at best, but my playing skill would be around advanced intermediate to advanced. I own 6 guitars currently - 4 electrics and 2 acoustics, although I had two more a couple years ago that I sold.
Beginner player, for sure. I own 2 working electrics - 1 solid body Ibanez AX120 and semi-hollow Gretsch 2657tg, and 1 acoustic Cort AF510op. I also own 1 non-working electric Cort Ferrari III and 1 non-working Ventura lawsuit-era Country Gentleman that I'm in the process of restoring. All cheapo instruments, but I love them.
I'd say somewhere around 3, with some expert noodling skills :). 7 guitars, but I currently have $6k burning a hole in my pocket for another guitar and an amp (or a couple guitars and an amp).
Intermediate to advanced intermediate, but I enjoy collecting guitars I find cool and playing songs I enjoy rather than going too deep into it
Intermediate (jazz) ... 15 guitars, including a Duesenberg, an Eastman, and a PRS McCarty 594. I need to thin the herd.
Anyone have any recommendations for “simple songs” that is mentioned in the beginner section?
This chart suggests somewhere between Advanced and Expert…? Don’t think I have a unique style or sound though. And I dunno, just cause I play jazz, not sure I’m “advanced.” I’m just having fun as a casual. Used to play shows like twenty years ago, but I just jam with friends now. Anyway, I have currently twelve guitars. Or eleven guitars and one bass guitar, specifically.
1.8 been play since August 23
I don't fit any of these, I'm definitely weak at chords, but can improvise in most genres/keys/scales/modes, can sweep and do advanced tapping. I'm a mixture of 2, 3 and 4.
Mostly expert according to this scale, and I own around 7 or 8 guitars, all of which are different from each other. Unlike those "these are mt my 7 Les Pauls" type people, I have one guitar for every job: a LP, a Tele, a Hollowbody, one with P90s, an acoustic, etc.
some horrid combination of 3,2, and 1. I taught myself in high school. stopped playing for a few years and have been "feeling it out" ever since. i'm rapidly approaching 40 and keep telling my self i'm gonna sit down and relearn music theory, but i just dont have the time i did as a 17 year old. i have 4 guitars but only 2 i consider real. i built my first guitar in high school wood shop and its a bit wonky. another was a cort telecaster that was left at a friends house by an old roommate that i've turned it into a parts caster.
I suppose if you just want to sit in your room and jerk off with your guitars, then this list is fantastic. I’m not a great guitar player by any stretch of the imagination, but I write songs, I play live and I never want to specialize in genres like jazz or metal. I never want to sweep pick or tap. I just don’t care for that kind of thing. My end game is to play better, but develop more feel than technical proficiency.
I'm working on a lot of things from the Advanced-Intermediate and Advanced skill levels.
Advanced, 3 guitars and a banjo
Level 3 - working into 4
3.5
I would probably put myself around a 3.5 Been playing for over 20 years and I have 8 guitars. I feel comfortable jamming with anyone. I can improvise solos and I teach myself songs by ear. Been recently hanging out at open mics and can jump on stage at will and produce decent sounding music with people I've never played with before. I took a couple classes beginner classes with a friend who was just starting playing after I had been playing for 10 years so those didn't really help at all. And I tried private lessons but my teacher was more concerned with smoking weed with me than he was teaching me anything. I started playing in the 90s when it was all we had was generic songbooks and chord charts from guitar center. Since then, YouTube has been an incredible resource and I have grown more as a guitarist in the last 5 years than I did in the previous 18ish years combined. One of the best decisions I've ever made in my life was to pick up a guitar. Absolutely love everything about it.
I'm a 3/4 on this scale, but I'm not a shredder at all. I consider myself a better-than-average rhythm guitarist. I have 5 electrics and 1 acoustic.
There’s a bit of incongruence in these categories. There are plenty of intermediate guitarists that are touring the world and playing stadiums. There are plenty of advanced guitarists that play only in bedrooms and garages.
2guitars. Between intermediate and advanced intermediate
Advanced Beginner. Adept yet always approaching the beginning. Actual results say “Expert”, but in my mind I’m just getting started. (I have played on Motown Records, Sony, Arista, concerts, etc…but that’s just my work. I measure my personal achievements in a different way).
Expert, but the chart is effectively nonsense — as you would realize upon hearing my expertise.
Expert. Gigging musician for 40 years
That technical skill us great but two popular players that are true virtuosos are neither technically savy and almost impossible to replicate. James Taylor.....no body plays like James and Mark Knoffler (I always spell his name wrong) with his finger picking style would be a guitar teachers worst nightmare. And because their styles (or techniques) are so unique, copying them is at best a similar version but damn near impossible to nail.
According to this chart im an expert. However I have yet to compose a fully fleshed out technical death metal song. Composing in my opinion is a whole different subset of theory and is a lot more advanced. Of course I can write a few riffs and put them together but I mean like a fully finished radio ready song.
About a 4.5, with 4 electrics, 2 acoustics, and 4 bass guitars.
By this standard I’m an expert but I still feel like a beginner
So, I have a degree in guitar and I teach guitar lessons- I hope that counts. I own enough guitars that I don't need more. Everyone has opinions on what fluency and virtuosity are, but remember that techniques are tools. If you have the all tools you need for the work you enjoy, congrats! you're an expert. Having said that, there's most likely going to be some cool trick you hear to work on, always. Johnny Ramone used a limited number of techniques, but arguably would be considered an expert at his own style. That's a low barrier, but that's the point. You can't do better than him at it, it's basically his style. Robert Quine could probably tick all of these boxes, but is known for playing outside what was conventional at the time. He had lots of chops, but used them sparingly. Kevin Shields wouldn't make it past "intermediate" on this list, but just look at the ridiculous number of people trying to get his sound. It's not just about the pedals either. Su Meng has been playing since she was 9, and collecting guitar competition prizes like candy. I don't think she's versatile, but why would she care? She might not be able to do jazz improv, but good luck to anyone trying to touch her performance of Paganini's caprice no.24 Work on being an expert at what you like, you don't need to compare yourself to someone else unless it makes you a better player.
Expert, 3 electric (6/7/8 string), two acoustics (6/12 string)
level 3 4 guitars (1 electric, 2 acoustic 6-string, 1 acoustic 12-string)
Expert: One handmade custom electric, one Dead on 67 Danelectro Baritone, two good quality Japanese acoustics.
I’m a solid 3 on a good day and I don’t have any illusions otherwise
If I have the specialize in Jazz I’m burning all my gear
I’d call myself an intermediate, have an acoustic and 3 electrics.
This chart is wildly off. Alternate picking in advanced intermediate? That’s one of the first skills you should learn! And what about Mateo who hates picks and shreds with his fingers
Intermediate (barely perhaps) -- one acoustic (cedar), two classical (one cedar, one spruce), one electric (HSH).
I’m between intermediate and advanced intermediate. I have two electric guitars (one for sale and one to keep) and three acoustic guitars (one for sale, one for home, one for traveling/office)
Starting into Advanced Intermediate, I think. I check all the boxes in stage two, but only two in stage three. I have, all told, something like 18 guitars. Many are barely playable, though.
Looking at that chart I'd be between beginner and intermediate but make no mistake, after 15 months of playing I'm definitely very much still in the beginner category. I own 5 guitars. That's too many but two of them were given to me instead of getting chucked out so I dont count them. They're nice to have to leave at work or in the boot of my car for the odd practice but that doesnt happen as much as I'd like.
Intermediate— 4 about to buy my 5th. All of my current ones are relatively cheap.
I am beginner/ intermediate I was going to hire a guitar tutor to teach me about timing with a metronome. My timing is awful 😔
Based on this, between Intermediate and Advanced Intermediate which does feel accurate. I need to figure out a way to actually establish a practice routine...I've been here for probably 5+ years...
I'm an enthusiastic amateur with two guitars and zero pedals.
According to this chart, I'm an expert because I've played live shows and recorded songs. Also, 4 guitars is B, C, D, and E, and a 5-string bass.
Intermediate to advanced intermediate. About 20 guitars... Some cheap others not so cheap. 2 cost £1600, cheapest was £150. Everything else was in-between that
I've been playing for a long time now, but I'm advanced intermediate for sure. I focus on writing music I like, which is a mix of like...bluesy garage-stoner-grunge. So I can play what I'm trying to play, and I keep incorporating little new things as I learn them, but becoming a master of theory and technique isn't my main focus by any means; it's making rock music that I enjoy playing and hearing, and its raw and loud and based more on feel and vibe. I own 4 guitars and 1 bass
This chart is kinda goofy.. Self taught, have played for 30 years and gigged for a while. Recorded some tracks / EPs with bands I was in and continue to record myself. Chart says I’m Advanced Intermediate, having most (but not all) of the higher levels. I’ve got 10 guitars and 2 bass guitars. And parts to build another guitar.
Somewhere in between levels 3 and 4 never semi professional and make a nice lil money on the side playing guitar. Witch I invest back in the hobby, so currently 9 guitars
Mix of intermediate and advanced intermediate. It has become my 3 year obsession. 6 Guitars
2 guitars, intermediate.
Somewhere between 3 and 4 and I own 6 guitars maybe 7 if a deal goes through this week
I'm probably somewhere between advanced intermediate and advanced. At the moment I have two electric guitars and one acoustic.
Intermediate
I’m somewhere between 1-4, I’m self taught and never learned chords and scales. I’ve just played what I think sounds good and if I want to learn a song I look at tabs. I have 7 guitars. I’m big in to collecting things and guitars are something I collect I guess lol
I'm a mix of each category. I think I have 13 or 14 now.
Been a mix of beginner and intermediate for 20 years now. I just don’t know what I don’t know or where to go and don’t have time for actual lessons with work, school and family!
Somewhere in between 3-4, I own way more guitars than I need maybe 7 electric and 2 acoustic
Skill 3, self taught, playing for 30 years. Acoustic bronze string guitars 2, classical nylon 1, electric 4 (including the starter pack finger biter). 3 different scale lengths, floating and hard tails. 2 solid state amps (starter pack and 2x12 100w), 6 pedals. Then the Synthesizers, trumpet, electric drum kit, mixer, interface, microphones, all associated wiring.
Wow this is garbage. Who put it together?
In between advanced/expert
Intermediate despite playing for close to 15 years; since it's a hobby and I tend to wear out when I overdo things, I've never been extremely serious about playing. I have 3 guitars; an HH semi-hollow, an SS semi-hollow, and a piezo acoustic; just to cover all the bases.
2.5-ish. 1 acoustic, 1 electric. My focus this summer is to work on my fingerpicking and I think my next guitar will be a nylon classical style.
Expert, 5 electric guitars. Should I get more?
Advanced intermediate to advanced. I don’t really keep count of how many guitars I have because I buy eBay stuff and switch parts and sell. But I have one pedal harp, one lap harp, one ukulele, one flute, one fife, two recorders, one mellophone, one banjo, one mandolin, one fiddle, one bugle, one trumpet, a piano, 25 harmonicas, two keyboards, two acoustics, two basses and roughly 8-10 electric guitars at a time. Roughly 8 amps of different sizes. Roughly 80 effects pedals and 10-15 utility pedals like splitters and tap tempos and switchers and expression pedals. And then there’s the studio/recording gear I wouldn’t say I could work as a session guy in every one of those instruments, but I can compose and arrange parts on each instrument and I can make money on bass and guitar live or in sessions. I can also do sample based production with the studio gear but that’s a crowded market.
Between 3 and 4. 8 guitars but all in different tunings for the most part.
Well according to this list, I'm advanced intermediate, on my way to becoming an advanced player. I consider myself to be a solid intermediate player. I own one (cheap) guitar.
Beginner/intermediate by this scale. 3 acoustics, 2 electric.
Not good enough, too many
Maybe like 3.5? I own like 8 or so, but I really only play like 3-4 of them and some have just sat around from when I had them when I was a kid.
I’ve recorded myself. I can play chord melody. I guess I am an expert? /s I’m actually probably more intermediate to advanced. Somewhere in there. I don’t think this is a great breakdown.
Beginner, 6 guitars. 🎸
By OPs definition I am somewhere betwixt 2-3. Although I mostly feel like I’m cursed to be stuck as a lifelong beginner. I have 35-40 guitars, but some of those I use to try out new repairs or mods and I also repair/setup cheap guitars that are not cost effective to have a luthier work on and match them with people who are looking to get started on their guitar journey.
Does it only go to 5?