Rate Yourself.....

[Groove Doctor]

15yrs old: I started doing paid gigs in pubs.
21yrs old: regular Jazz gigs, sight reading Big Band charts and Pit Orchestras for Musicals.
25-30yrs old: Recording, Songs played on radio, National Tours.

I guess I could call myself expert by now.

 

[Engle]

I don’t spend any time on those. It’s guys like Troy and Dav that kill me. I say it often, if I’d practice as much as I watch those videos I’d be better.

And we spend a lot of time here nattering on when we should be practicing or learning theory.

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

I put in Intermediate. After 20+ years, I still feel very novice.

Will say one thing, though: I may have gotten better at it in terms of music theory knowledge, different styles of playing etc. But it sure was a lot more fun when I just got started, just picking up the bass and learning a song.

No offense, but spending time on internet fora and reading time and again that I should learn theory, learn to read, learn slap and 25 other genres etc. took a lot of fun out of the process for a long time.

It’s funny; I thought with the quarantine and time away from gigging, I’d really push my bass playing. I still play bass (a lot) but I’ve also been interested in expanding laterally, working on my keyboard, guitar and singing.

I know the feeling. Somehow, the lockdown has elevated my ukulele playing quite a bit. Bass? Kinda have to force myself to pick one up, even if I enjoy it once I get started.

 

[WestyBassBob]

Not to me. Competent means you can do any job not expected of a specialist and intermediate means you're still learning to be able to do that.

That's always been my usage, anyway.

Yeah, I feel like intermediate is like you can play but you're not ready to go perform yet. When you're ready to perform, that's competent.

 

[CharleyJackson]

Started out as Beginner.
Quickly went to Carrots.
Skipped Virtuoso altogether.
Was resident Expert for several years.
Currently trying to hang onto disputed Competent status.
Realize that Intermediate is getting closer and closer and closer.