there ought to be

[keymandoguy]

As a amateur mandolin player who also plays chess. chess players are rated by skill as Masters A B C levels. etc. I would like to see some sort of test that would tell what level we are at playing mandolin. Say if you could play say a certain version of chinese breakdown or similar then you would be upper intermediate . I am not in a band but have no trouble at jams playing with people Ive never met. I get my chords from watching the guitar player on unfamiliar tunes. I know Ill never be a Sam Bush or Ricky Skaggs but wish there was a test to see a persons level of playing !Anyone elses thoughts on this subject? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

I'm afraid I'd flunk the test, even though I've been playing thirty years, a lot of that in bands, I don't know the Chinese breakdown. Most of the time if a person is honest with themself, they know where they fall. I'd say no one is ever beyond needing practice and improvement. Just like golf, you never master it, and there is frustration no matter what level you're playing to.

[JGWoods]

Can we get the government involved? Maybe issue licenses like for truck driving?
We could arrest people for speeding...playing too fast for the surrounding musicians...
nah.
gw

[mad dawg]

Maybe we could add these certifications to the end of our name, so that MBA's, PMP's, and MCSE's don't get all the glory:

Jim MacDaniel, RSM (Really Sucky Mandolinist)

[mandofiddle]

LOL, I'd totally fail. I've never even HEARD of the Chinese Breakdown. I did however play Lonesome Fiddle Blues the other day, twin mando style, with a friend playing the harmony to my lead. When it was over, she said it sounded very chinese-like http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

#I did however play Lonesome Fiddle Blues the other day, twin mando style, with a friend playing the harmony to my lead. #When it was over, she said it sounded very chinese-like http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
The Lonesome Eastman Fiddle Blues! Were you playing it on a Chinese mandolin? Very interesting.

[John S]

Levels aren't important, IMO, except for perhaps organizing group instruction sessions. Just play. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ira]

if there is a z level, sign me up!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[straight-a]

Hey, Chinese Breakdown is the first song I learned to play on mandolin!! Talk about starting at the top! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[JiminRussia]

Rating system? I don't think so! this is art, not a football game. It may be only folk art and in my case primitive art, but I don't see why we should keep score. I'm not too sure that I even like competitions. I realize that they provide a way of measuring the progress of the art form, inspiration or individuals to improve and a showcase for some diferent styles of playing, but then again so does a concert or a festival.

[mandofiddle]

LOL, there's plenty of competition in this music. Instrument contests, band contests, competing to get gigs, etc... All in good fun http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[jamman]

Another chess-playing mandolin player- sweet!! Let's play a game sometime keymandoguy!

Ratings, like genre labels, can have a useful purpose but are likely to be misused. #Being in a "beginner" group and finding most of the other participants are much better or being a true intermediate in the appropriate group and finding the instructor having to explain basic stuff to your classmates are both frustrating situations.