When I meet new players, one of the things that I always like to do is become familiar with where they're at as guitar players. So, over the years I've organized an "11 Question" guitar test that not only helps me but it also helps the student better understand where they are as guitar players... 

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So, let's run through those 11 Q. now, and I think this will be helpful for you too.


Question 1). How long do you practice guitar each week? How many days? And, in that period what are you studying?

Good Answer: 5 days per week, between 1.5 to 2.0 hrs., Scales, Intervals, Chords, Arpeggios, Reading, Improvisation, Transcription, (learning songs)

Question 2). How well do you know the notes on the neck? Can you play a single tone across the entire fret-board, (for example "G")?

Good Answer: Can play groups of the "G" tone across several strings between open and the 7th fret.

Question 3). Can you perform at least three different shapes of the Major or Natural Minor scale (not pentatonic) across the fingerboard in different keys? For example; play a "G Major" scale in 2 places, then an "A Minor."

Good Answer: The student can perform them smoothly in time.




Question 4). How well can you perform Major and Minor chords both at the open position, (chords that include open strings), as well as, playing chords along the fingerboard? For example; play "G Minor," "C Minor," "Eb Major," and "Bb Major," in four different fret-board positions across the neck.

Good Answer: The student can perform them (some hesitation is fine).

Question 5). Can you perform three different chord voicing patterns of any in position, (no open chord versions), for chord types of, "Major 7," "Minor 7," and the "Dominant 7."

Good Answer: The player has at least one chord type of each chord quality that they know on the fingerboard.

Question 6). Play this progression with me... |G / / / | C / / / | D / / / | G / / / |

Now make up your own rhythm and then, replace the "G and C" chords Minor.

Finally, change keys so that the progression is in the key of "D."

Good Answer: The player can play the progression and replace the minor chord types. If transposing is difficult to do, that's alright.




Question 7). Perform three different arpeggio patterns of any type anywhere on the fingerboard, (do not use open strings).

Good Answer: The player knows at least one arpeggio pattern.

Questions 8). Build at least three different Major Scales along one string using the major scale formula.

Good Answer: They can build at least one and they know the formula.

Question 9). Can you name 4 different "Major" key signatures and state the sharps or flats found in each key.

Good Answer: They can name at least two keys.

Question 10). Can you name three different time signatures and explain how to count the beat in each of them?

Good Answer: They can name one or two and explain the basics of how to count in the time signature.




Question 11). Can you explain the number of beats and demonstrate note durations of; Whole, Half, Quarter, Eighth and Sixteenth.

Good Answer: They can understand these durations, know the beats and demonstrate what each value is in time.

I hope that you found this brief guitar skills test interesting and I hope that it perhaps gave you some insight as to how I conduct an intake of a new student here at Creative Guitar Studio.

Thanks for joining me, If you want to learn more about what I do as an online guitar teacher, then head over to my website at creativeguitarstudio.com and sign up your FREE lifetime membership...

And, when you want more, you can always upgrade to either a Basic, or a Premium lesson package and start studying the guitar courses I've organized for the members of my website.

I hope you enjoyed this video, if you did, then please like this video and subscribe for more. Thanks again and we'll see you on the next video.