Hello guys,

My question is how the lessons are graded and who it grades?
I noticed that some lessons who are difficult are graded Low, and also that some lessons who arent difficult wereld graded high so thats why i wonder this

Greetz tim

Hi tfalva,

Excuse my english, I hope that you will know what I mean

I think that some guitarists play for a long time - they forgot their beginning
Some lessons are very difficult and have a level 3, others are easier and one a level 4.

It is sometimes irritating to learn a lesson and to stop because of a difficulty
Choose a lesson because it's level 3 4 or 5 is not the good method.

To listen to, to feel,
- I'm able to playing this lesson correctly if I work.
- I cannot play this lesson, because I do not have enough experience.

This post has been edited by MisterM: Jul 5 2016, 06:43 PM

Hi tflava - instructors grade their lessons. However if the difficulty level gets comments we typically adjust it. Are you thinking about a specific lesson?

Hi Kristopher

Sorry, it's just my pont of view, I'm just student
My last blues lesson ont the REC section : Eric Clapton style blues Lesson is level 3, I think Level 4 / 5
Some section are very fast

I think you have a valid point -

However most part of the lesson is at a lower level, and the faster playing is not super precise (which would make it harder to replicate). It seems to me you might be trying to alternate pick, whereas Ivan (the instructor) is most likely doing economy picking in the faster runs.

Alternate picking pentatonics is a quite difficult - so typically you would want to use a combination of hammer-ons and pull-offs, and maybe economy picking.

Btw - I really dug your take, well done!

Kris makes a valid point - and a lot of it has to do with our own playing as well.

For example I am currently working on a level 7 lesson - I just have to master the final sweeping passage.

However - there is a level 3 rhythm lesson that I struggle with because my chord work isn't as good as it should be.

So to me that lesson should be a 4 or 5 - but when you look at in a broader perspective, the majority of people would find that to be a level 3 lesson; I just so happen to lack finger picking skills.

I was curious who graded the lessons. I think some lessons of Diego budicin are graded like level 4 but are level 6 or end 5.
Like the rock and ballad soloing and drunk blues.
i really love his lessons though en working towards it but thee are difficult

Greetz tim

I totaly agree !! I'm working on 2 level 4 lessons for about 4 months now. I always try to choose lessons that are a challenge so I can learn something but it must be somehow within my capabilities. I believe progression happens in small steps. It keeps me motivated.
That said, I also believe the level of a lesson can be a very personal thing. Normally, I should be able to play (more or less )these level 4's after paying my dues in the studyroom but I get stuck on fast licks. But it's very well possible that a lot of other intermediate students don't have problems with them at all. Most of us have stronger and weaker points. I know in my case that's particularly speed and handsync (and bending , and vibrato ) So I'm doing a lot of Todd's lessons in an attempt to improve my handsynch and speed. I never worked 4 months on a lesson before but I must go on and try to succeed in playing these. That would be progression!
I think the instructor is still the best man to determine the level of a lesson, compared to all the other lessons on GMC. Sometimes it can be tricky to decide what level a specific part of the lesson is (that's also personal for the instructor) but normally it's not gonna be a difference of 2 or 3 levels. The most important thing remains : you should learn something from these lessons, no matter what level they are. If it's a 2, I will do it !!

That's a fact - it's hard to be always 100% correct while setting the level of a lesson. That's why we need your help sometimes (as Kris pointed - level can be fixed if your feedback suggest a mismatch).

You need to realize we all have different approach to playing. We all (instructors) play different styles and put most of attention to particular techniques. Yes - we sometimes forget about things that seemed to be easy but in fact...they're not at the stage of beginner playing.

That's always a tough choice - especially considering the number of factors making lesson harder or easier to learn. For example....simple because of the speed, but hard because of the number of bends that will break your left hand within an hour of practise. Or the opposite....high speed of picking but not much of tricky position shifts or string skipping...that makes lesson easier than it looks.

So that's great we can work with our students and adjusting things due to their suggestions Topics like this are very important.

Diego has some of the most wonderful guitar playing in his lessons and the way he treats the notes deserves a second grading system. Lol. I remember taking one of his licks and playing it at 40% tempo and it still was a super challenge. He has a few lessons graded at 4-5 but there at licks at a much higher level.

I've realized that all the really complicated licks and the easy licks all revolve around a phrase. If you learn the phrase it will make sense musically and it will be easier to learn. If you just look at the tab your gonna have a harder time. Understanding the phrase. Some of these licks won't sound even close if your late one note or if you missed the accents...

This post has been edited by Jim S.: Jul 6 2016, 12:51 PM

Indeed ! I think it's very important to go back to the main vid where the instructor plays the whole lesson once you learned the different segments. If you only start studying from that point with a metronome, drum computer or backing track , chances are big some mistakes will slip in . Playing along with the instructor (or try too ) will reveal a lot.

This thread is really intersting.
Thank you tfalva

Excuse my English,
I use my low skill and "reverso" tranlation for understand your sentence and write my answer.

Hi Kris , I Agree your analysis.
When I learn a lesson, I try to be faithful to the original.
You are not the first one has to say that the fast phrasings can be otherwise played

I did not grant enough time to this lesson.
I did not work for a long time on this lesson.
I worked the beat and I haven't polish they licks
I shall have of to work and to improve these phrasings with my style of playing

However I have already played the lessons level less difficult with a rank 4 and 5


Excuse my English,
I use my low skill and "reverso" tranlation for understand your sentence and write my answer.

Hi Chris.S
I understand your feeling
We have every no same skills in our way of playing.

I think that progress gains with the hard work.
Sometimes, it's necessary to work a long time to rendoring a good work at the REC section "Workshop"
We do not have all the same point of view on the progress.

Excuse my English,
I use my low skill and "reverso" tranlation for understand your sentence and write my answer.

Hi nikeman

Great analysis, I agree. Where do you from ?
Google traduction is perfect


Excuse my English,
I use my low skill and "reverso" tranlation for understand your sentence and write my answer.

Hi Darius,
I agree. It is what I wanted to express in the answers has Kris and Chris


Hi Jim.S and Tfalva,

Diego has a great playing, wonderful touch.
I do not know if his lessons will be successful, it's a pity.
The level is too high and the too much complicated technique.

Darius, Ben, Gab, Piotr offer lessons with a accessible level.
Sometimes guido, Javier posts a lesson with a level 4 which is 6 for me.
He forgot how it'is hard to begin in the guitar
In spite of our passion we are amateurs and it takes time, decades, to play very good

This post has been edited by MisterM: Jul 7 2016, 06:08 AM

Hi nikeman

Great analysis, I agree. Where do you from ?
Google traduction is perfect

Hi MisterM

Thanks mate. I'm a neighbour up north, Belgium.
I read your different responses and I think (IMHO) that you look at this topic in the right way
By the way, you make great REC's man !!

Nico.

This post has been edited by nikeman64: Jul 7 2016, 06:59 AM

Hello mister M.

I agree that the level of Diego is high but I think it is good for some People to go for it and work towards it.

And otherwise i think he have his own style of gmc lessons Just like Javier.

I also agree to work with the video lessons and not only with guitar pro.

In the beginning when i started by gmc i learned the lessons by tabs.
Now i listen to the phrasing and look at the tab below the video.
The tabs are less accurate but you listen better to the phrase and make more music i think:)

Greetz tim

Hello Nico,

Thank you,
I saw your videos, you made a great work on Gary Moore lesson, your vibrato is wonderfull.

Oh man! Thanks, I nearly flunked that test, it was a 6.5 pass. And it didn't deserve more. I tend to use too much power at bending and vibrato and thereby fail to reach the right pitch. That's why REC is so great, we get judged by pro's who can tell what we are doing wrong. And then we can try to fix it. Cheers buddy

This post has been edited by nikeman64: Jul 9 2016, 08:37 AM

Very interesting thread. I'm wondering if each lesson could have a poll attached to it for students to rate the difficulty as well as the instructor. Maybe display both the average student rating and the instructor's rating.
Just a thought

to grade his own lesson is very subjectiv.......

Cheers

Laurent