Levels+of+excellence+-+Guitars+and+Paper+1

I am bored of marking paper 1. I am going to mark guitarists instead.

=1. The unprepared=

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==='This 'music' has no direction, form or structure. You have not thought about it or planned it. You don't yet have the ability to improvise well, and the vast majority of people NEVER improvise well anyway. Why on earth do you expect ME to listen to stuff that even YOU couldn't be bothered to think about or plan? ANY of this is too much. You are trying to be clever - to play widdly solos - before you have learned to be competent - master rhythm, chording, the basics. This is not a bad thing - ambition is what makes us improve - but perhaps it's not the example of your work that you would want to be judged by...===

To improve - you need practice. Practise solos, record them and send them to a guitar teacher for feedback.'
LEVEL 2

=2. The Cowardly Lion=

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===Wow! Impressive. But you've spent all this time learning to do... what? Copy someone else actually playing the guitar? See the guy above? HE is more of a guitarist than YOU! Simply copying other people's efforts is pointless. It's where we all start, but you absolutely have to move beyond it.=== ===To improve: Like the lion in 'The Wizard of Oz', you need to buy some courage. Confidence in your OWN abilities is what it's all about, not trying to imitate others. Imitation is a valuable starting point; but it's only a starting point.===

Nb - More of a Paper 2 and World Lit affliction... Level 1, or Level 7 if a lazy examiner doesn't notice that you aren't actually playing anything!

=3. The SCASI addict=

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===Absolutely fine. A competent performance and a good basis for improvement. The only problem might be if you think that this is 'it', that you've cracked it. You're doing everything right, but with a bit of imagination and ambition, you can be better than merely 'right'. This is okay, but rather formulaic and dull. You are competent - now start being clever!=== ===To improve: What is letting you down? What can you improve? Ask your teacher, then focus on that thing. For example, your chord changes aren't very fluid. Next time, simply focus on doing that better. After that, focus on something else.===

LEVEL 4

=4. The waffler=

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==='Apart from your hair, this is quite impressive. You can do a lot of stuff and you have memorised a bunch of fast licks and lines, though I'm not quite sure that you have any reason for using such speed. However, I am struggling to see any of YOU in here; your playing sounds like a million other people. It's actually a bit tricky to listen THROUGH all the notes and bends to hear what melodic or harmonic ideas you have. Usually, simplicity is a virtue; tone it down. Otherwise, it sounds like you don't REALLY know what you are doing beyond a technical level, and you are compensating by doing everything. You don't need four guitars - you need one good one. Basically - it's boring.'===

To improve - find people who are doing better than you and listen to their stuff. What are they doing that you aren't? Or, what are they NOT doing that you ARE?'
LEVEL 5

=4. The God-like genius.= media type="youtube" key="LOi_wxypeGc" width="425" height="350"

==='This is outstanding. Simple, non-obtrusive, someone in full control of their instrument. No need to show off; your ideas shine through and it is not a struggle to work out what it is that you are trying to do. This could never be too long. What you are doing is difficult, but it looks and sounds easy.'===

To improve: More, more, more.
LEVEL 7 and beyond

= Today's lesson; a lack of planning and care is not a virtue in any aspect of life. But 'planning' doesn't mean 'cover everything'. Those who do best simply do what needs doing, very well indeed. =

=BACK TO PAPER 1=