What makes someone a guitar player IYO?

Just a guitar player?

I can play a three chord song on the guitar.

Does that make me a guitar player?

A person who can execute a bad arse high kick or sling a guitar around his/her body by the strap.

Now that's a guitar player.

That's a good question. I have a tendency to learn complicated stuff that is above my skill level, so I never play in front of others because the only time I play well is when I'm alone, after warming up for 30 minutes. Plus I've forgotten most of what I've learned, so I can only play a few pieces. I don't consider myself a musician or guitar player because my understanding and my skill set are so weak.

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One who can jam with others. It means they understand what they are playing and how to sync with others.

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Are you saying this guy (for example) is not a guitar player, and there's a chance he doesn't understand what he's playing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZgB1kNo96M

Improvisation is a specific skill, and most classical players are not adept at it, but they certainly understand music. That being said, I appreciate musicians who can improvise. Pierre Bensusan rarely jams with others, but he's a rare solo guitarist who improvises. In this video, he starts off by playing his composition Chant de Nuit very similarly to the recording, but at about the 2 minute mark he starts improvising and exploring while never straying too far from the theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-dI6rLsZ1c

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plays the guitar like ringing a bell

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Like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arYSseLXN4o

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One who can jam with others. It means they understand what they are playing and how to sync with others.

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This is a solid definition. I'll go with that

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The ability to play 1 song?
10 songs?
Play the stairway to heaven solo?

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none of these.


like others have said, the ability to jam with others.

if someone starts a bass line and you're able to accompany it nicely. doesn't have to be nasty solos or anything other than a few chords with some nice improv, just harmony.

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like others have said, the ability to jam with others.

if someone starts a bass line and you're able to accompany it nicely. doesn't have to be nasty solos or anything other than a few chords with some nice improv, just harmony.

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Ah, this makes sense, I was thinking the "jam" comment was about improvising a solo. It reminded me of a story a classical guitarist told (I think it was Sharon Isbin), who found herself hanging with Chet Atkins, and they attempted to jam, but she said she was totally lost because that's not what she was trained to do.