Playing with a pick ā perhaps the list was skewed to what I want to play which consists of songs where you are strumming. Pick or Fingers and songs which are finder style. Agreed some of the greatest guitarists donāt use a pick but they can make it work with the style of playing. I be surprised if they couldnāt play with a pick, they just donāt choose to do it.
I think we all know when we are not absolute beginners struggling to form chords and play any sort of pattern. But there must be point if you keep practicing and developing when you move to another level whatever it might be called.
The point I have made before that playing with others has forced me to improve and at least participate. It is disappointing to hear from you that some people have forgotten they were once beginners, but I am fortunate that at the Guitar Club I have not found this and they are all very supportive.
I appreciate what you mean about generally following along with others with campfire songs. Obviously, some people have a better ear for this than others but like a lot of things this skill can be developed with dedicated practice.
David, with reference to what type of Engineer I am, I donāt think is appropriate to respond in this post but will reply separately, but my business card would indicate it.
An interesting list but not sure if this meant to be for a beginner or intermediate player. I would have thought an intermediate player would know far more than just 3 patterns.
Yes, Justinās grade are about learning essentially but if you have no interest in blues or jazz I donāt this that precludes you from being an intermediate player.
There are times when labeling can be useful and other times when it isnāt.
As has been described already, itās better to focus on skill proficiency. That focuses on your ability to do a thing. āPlay guitarā is honestly too general of a thing to be useful. There are too many different components to it and a WHOLE LOT that arenāt mandatory.
Organizations that offer instruction absolutely want to keep track of what youāve learned. Itās built into the system. They know within their own program that if youāve reached a given ālevelā that you have learned x, y, and z skills. Whatās important isnāt the level. Itās the skills. When they decide to assign levels, theyāve also attached certain skill proficiencies to those levels. Justin has done the same and it works within his system, but you canāt just transfer it exactly over to TrueFire or Fender Play or anywhere else. Go work with a private instructor and unless that instructor is intimately aware of Justinās system, telling them that youāve completed Grade 4 or Grade 10 in Justinās lessons wonāt mean squat.
Iāve been in group scenarios where even trying to keep track of all that requires a pretty high level of competency and others where you can start working on that as soon as you know those few chords. I definitely agree though and being in a group where you can start trying to wrap your brain around those things is pretty awesome for someone whoās new. And itās incredibly frustrating as someone whoās new to be in a situation where you canāt because itās all too overwhelming and the group isnāt accommodating.
Oh for sure we grow and we learn. But is attaining the level the point of learning? Iām just here to play my guitar. Sure, there are specific things I want to learn to do. And many of those things depend on other skills. The pathway I see before myself involves those skills (as well as skills Iām not even aware of at the moment), not arbitrary levels. The closest I see to that for myself would be developing the skills to play a given song, with the song being the analog to the ālevelā.
For playing guitar, do we really need to be able to say more than āI want to learn this skill but havenāt started on itā, āI just started learning this skill and I need a lot more workā, āIāve been working on this one for awhile and I can play with it some, but still have a lot of room to growā and so on? It IS important when learning to have an honest assessment of yourself and outline of sorts that tells you what to work on next, but that does not require leveling.
Since it has come up elsewhere in this discussion that youāre an engineer, it puts this entire discussion into context for me. Iāve noticed that engineers have a very particular way of thinking that tends to be very literal, favors categories and putting things into boxes, and is less accommodating of improvisation and gray areas. I think to a degree, people who tend to think that way are drawn to engineering, but I also think that the profession builds upon and focuses on that particular way of thinking. Itās a way of thinking that works great for engineering, but IMO less so for other things. Music and engineering are quite different from each other.
Unfortunately, with everything you get people who forget what it was like to have just started learning that thing. Iāve done it. Iām certain I still do it with some things. I think it happens when people separate themselves from others who are only just starting that learning process. In the guitar club Iām in, some folks have been playing guitar for as long as Iāve been alive. Me, Iām a glutton for learning and keep putting myself either into the position of learning something new or teaching others to learn something new so itās something Iām more aware of. Is it disappointing when you run into it as a learner? Sure, it is, but those folks are always out there. If youāve found an environment where you havenāt run into them, then youāve found a great place. The group Iāve joined, they werenāt too far off. I gently made them aware of the gap and they were understanding and made some adjustments to do better. The real troublesome ones are the ones who donāt see their own faults and donāt make adjustments with themselves to reach newbies where they actually are, even when itās pointed out to them.
Hereās a quick and easy exercise to help you along with figuring out songs without knowing them.
Take a few songs you know in the key of G or C. Write down the notes of that scale but in Chords. G would be G Am Bm C D Em F#dim. then number these chord 1-7 starting with G
Now write the chords down to the songs you know in the key of G.
You will notice 90% of those songs will contain only these chords
The song that are G C D are 1 4 5 chord progressions, All Major chords.
If there is another chord in the song it will most often be and Em the 6.
So now that you know this next time some in your group play a song in G try and figure out what the next chord is without looking at your chord sheet or tabs.
You can cheat by looking at his/her fingers to see what chord they are playing. this will help associate the sound of chord progressions with the Chords being played.
This is a skill that ever very new beginners can start to develop and eventually become second nature.
But like all skills if you never start you will never master it but as soon as you start the faster it become part of your playing.
You will also find that in these song circles or causal jams most songs will be in the keys of C, A, G, E, or D.
Nate @Mustela
Yes I am very much an Engineer, I think you are right it generally attracts a certain type of person who are generally problem solvers and donāt take things for granted and want to know why, things need to ordered and clarified, it fits me to a tee. To certain extent for me it comes down to the education system that I experienced, you were either science or art based and never the twain should meet. I never had a music lesson at school, but did have an interest outside school in the guitar but never got far then before real life took over.
Micheal
Molly @MollyT
I think not.
When I saw what came up when I asked the question I wondered if it had read my list as there was a lot of similarities.
Michael
Did someone mention AI? Hereās what ChatGPT returns as an answer:
Calling yourself an intermediate acoustic rhythm guitarist typically means youāve moved beyond beginner-level skills and have developed a solid foundation in rhythm, chord vocabulary, and musical expression. While thereās no official certification, hereās a practical list of criteria that commonly define the intermediate level:
1. Chord Knowledge
Fluent with open chords (A, C, D, E, G, Am, Em, Dm, etc.)
Comfortable with barre chords (especially E- and A-shape barre chords across the neck)
Knows 7th chords, suspended chords, add9, maj7, minor 7, etc.
Can change chords smoothly and in time.
2. Rhythm & Strumming Proficiency
Mastery of common strumming patterns in 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 time.
Ability to keep steady time and play along with a metronome or backing track.
Understanding of syncopation and dynamics in rhythm playing.
Can incorporate percussive elements like palm muting and chucking.
3. Timing & Groove
Good sense of timingārarely drifts off-beat.
Can play with feelāknows how to lock in with a groove, even if subtly.
Has experience playing with others (e.g., in jam sessions or bands).
4. Repertoire
Able to play complete songs from memory using rhythm guitar techniques.
Comfortable switching between verse, chorus, bridge parts smoothly.
Familiar with song structures and common progressions (e.g., IāVāviāIV, blues progressions).
5. Capo and Transposition
Can use a capo effectively to change key or match vocal ranges.
Understands how to transpose chord shapes and retain the original voicing.
6. Musical Understanding
Basic grasp of key signatures, chord function, and progressions.
Can identify chords by ear and follow chord charts or lead sheets.
Some familiarity with music theory relevant to rhythm guitar (e.g., circle of fifths, diatonic chords).
7. Technique
Clean chord transitions, with minimal buzz or muted strings.
Ability to control tone, both with strumming hand and chord voicings.
Introduction to fingerpicking or hybrid picking (optional but a bonus).
Bonus: Accompanying a Singer
Can accompany yourself or someone else singing.
Adjusts dynamics and rhythm to support the vocal performance.
If you tick most or all of the above, youāre well within the intermediate range. If youāre still working on a few, youāre likely in the upper beginner to early intermediate rangeāwhich is a great place to be!
Would you like a checklist or self-assessment worksheet to track your progress?
Ah but only for rhythm guitar ? And acoustic to boot !! Why such a restricted ask, not that Iād bother asking IA for what constitutes an Intermediate Guitarist period. Happy to be an AB.
1. Chord Knowledge
2. Rhythm & Strumming Proficiency
3. Timing & Groove
4. Repertoire
5. Capo and Transposition
6. Musical Understanding
7. Technique
Bonus: Accompanying a Singer