Am I a novice or not ?

[Namaguederaz]

Hi, I'm new at this message board and here is my first question...

I'm learning to play my accoustic guitar for +/- 9 mounths, and was thinking if my learning speed is good or not, so I'm asking for someone that has the same time (or more) as me to tell me what he/she can already do playing the guitar, and how is he/she conducting the studies, because I'm training all by myself, and I think I'm not learning fast enought.

Thanks...

[Kristoffer]

You are a still a beginner if that is what you are asking. If you are teaching yourself. Master the C scale on your guitar..up and down..left and right. With guitar you get out of it what you put into it. I would put all of my energy into the C scale and ear training exercises.

Kristoffer Dana

[drumstix128@aol.com]

As long as you are not taking lessons and nothing is expected of you, then dont ever , ever worry about how you are progressing. You just go at your own pace. Start taking the lessons from this site. Just keep going at one lesson until you've got everything down. Don't just skim it and say you will learn it later.

Don't get discouraged and keep playin! http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/rotatesmilie.gif

[StoneDragon]

It's pretty common for people to wonder if they are "getting it" and if they are getting it are they getting it as quick as the next guy. Even if you have a teacher sitting right there telling you that you are the best student they ever had, you will probably still wonder the same things. that's just the way it is.

If you are enjoying yourself and you are learning something new all the time and getting better, then you are most likely learning just as fast as you need to be.

You can't compare yourself to others that way.... no matter how much you try, it doesn't work. Everybody progresses at their own speed.

[Namaguederaz]

Thanks to you all.

I now feel that I'm on my way. I looked at some of the left and right hand exercises in this site, and now I have that 'feeling' of constant progress, and I have to say, it's good to feel it.

Now I have a question ? Must I prioritize my technique or my theory, if I can't prioritize both ?

[ghodaddyyo]

Technique practice is a great way to fool others, as well as yourself that you are a great player. Technique is relatively easy to learn with repetition. You can learn a lot of technique by picking up any guitar magazine.

Theory on the other hand is quite difficult to understand, and harder still to apply. It is like learning english in school. You may have learned to write, but are you going to be the next Stephen King? However, theory can set you apart from the pack. Once you've learned your techniques, you'll soon realize that you sound just like everyone else out there who uses those same techniques. With theory, you can find new and interesting ways to apply those techniques(especially during improvisation). With theory, you will be able to make other musicians wonder "how was he able to pull that lick off?, it sounded great and I never would've thought of that!"

Believe me, I know. I've been playing for 14 stagnating years before I decided to learn theory as I'm doing now.

[This message has been edited by ghodaddyyo (edited December 06, 2000).]

[Namaguederaz]

Wow, never thinked that way!!

Now I know that every second I spent searching in websites for theory was not for nothing.

I surely will remember all that when I begin to search for my new guitar teacher.

Thanks to you all that answered my questions.

[MrSamson]

I agree with ghodaddyyo for the most part.

Theory can be very draining...at least for me it is. I find that naturally I progress at certain points back to learning theory when I am naturally ready for it...it is like anything complicated...you simply have to get your hands dirty and play with it...at least for me...it makes it easier to dissect things.

Also, theory does tend to seperate the men from the boyz on certain things. Like when you talk about playing Aeolian mode to someone not that familiar with it...a lot of guitarists have heard of things like that...but are intimidated to step out of the pentatonic box.

However, I found that skill building and precision building exercises have been priceless for me as well.

Technique practice is a great way to fool others, as well as yourself that you are a great player. ...starting guitar at 25...jamming with others was difficult because they had been playing for at least 4 to 5 years longer than me...technique practice allowed me to attain the skills to play at a level that they would at least put up with me. I value jamming with others highly for advancement in guitar...technique building helped me get to a level to jam with others in a relative short amount of time. However, addressing theory also helped me immensely too.

Take a serious look at where you are at, and what your strengths and weaknesses are and practice what you need to practice. Just don't get caught up in "the perfect practice regime"....HAVE FUN!!!

http://www.zentao.com/ubb/smilies/devil.gif