How long does it take to master the guitar?

[joelr]

Originally Posted by cylon

joelr---I've heard it's actually better to practice an instrument only twenty minutes a day, every day, rather than big chunks of like two hours one day, then skip a few days, go back, etc.

What do you think about that?

Skipping a day here and there is definitely good.

All the known virtuoso type players and classical players went through phases where they put in 8-10 hour days, usually in their late teens/early 20's. I did that and it seems like the only way to get to certain levels.

Except for gigs I generally try to play 1-2 hrs daily. Last spring I had a schedule change and started playing/practicing a LOT more. It helped quite a bit. I was able to finally get some jazz stuff together that I have been working on for years.

For experienced players, if you can only find 20 min a day, it does work really well for keeping everything fresh.

If you tried to work on something challenging or something that needed practice, for 20 min daily, you would show improvement. I do that with certain things like alternate picking exercises. But then another 20 on say, legato drills. Then 20 on noodling or doing some improv over jam tracks. Etc...
So it depends on what each player is trying to accomplish.


Getting into more advanced areas of music like extreme chops, jazz improv, multiple styles, classical, again consistency and marathon practice sessions are what the top players in each style have claimed to have done.
Also "playing" a lot is important. When I was learning jazz I tried to have a gig situation every day as well as trying to practice. Even if it was playing for free at a coffee shop or a rehearsal or jam session.

For beginners 20 min is plenty. I think in terms of becoming a virtuoso it would likely at some point become a setback to progress. To become an average, solid, decent player 20 min daily might be ok. But is it "best"?
I would think more is always better. With adequate time off to rest hands and let those Zeppelin licks sink in.

[songwriter]

Originally Posted by Sam kovacs

How long does it take to get really good at a guitar?
Is there any good product which doesn't take 30lessons to start playing?
has anyone played the guitar for a long time?
Is it possible to make money out of playing music?

How long... well it depends what is "really good for you", you can always be better.
It depends on several things.
If you already play a musical instrument (piano) for instance, then it will be easier and faster for you.
If you have a musical ear then it will be easier for you to.
I'm one of those who started playing keyboards and songwriting and some years later I bought a guitar.

Virtually from day zero I could play some simple things. For complicated will need for you to wait so your fingers get used to that. But you can be really good playing simple things. A real good guitar player (or singer or whatever) shows even by playing one single note (like Les Paul said too).

So you can be "really good" in some days. But you're not gonna play complicated things. That takes years, but you will enjoy your simpleness in the meantime.

The funniest way I know is just put some record you really like on and playing your guitar over with the band, cause playing guitar solo is boring.
(but you need musical ear for this, if not you must learn how you must play to make the right notes sound... with musical ear you play by intuition and your fingers go to the right place in an almost magical way)

I don't know, put Satisfaction on, and play the three notes on the riff (probably the first thing everyone learns to play by ear), and if you don't enjoy that, then you don't like rock and roll.

Yes, it's possible to make money with music. It's a complex thing. More a contacts thing than a talent thing.
If you ever enjoy playing guitar, you'll always have something there to make you have a good time.

I add electric guitars to my recordings sometimes, and people say they like it (sometimes over my vocals and piano playing, and that somehow "disturbs me") and enjoy hearing these guitar recording I made.
But I don't think of myself as "good" with guitar. I don't even play much, somtimes I have to relearn... but as I always play with feeling it always sounds right.
For instance, when I look at Steve Vai, I think that no way I'm gonna bother to learn to play some things he play... it doesn't fit my music at all. So I don't need to complicate that much, but there's other guitar things that fit my music and the music I like, so that's what I learn. So I virtually can play all my favourite moments of the electric guitar in classic songs.

[ar81]

Learning to play is learning arts.
Arts take great discipline if you ever want to master anything.
Unfortunately in arts there is no easy way.
You may need to learn, then practice, practice, practice...

[cylon]

I wonder if the sex pistols ever asked this question, and if they HAD... I wonder if they would have moved ahead, or would have been discouraged at how mysterious and complicated having a feel for music truly was.

[James81]

Originally Posted by cylon

I wonder if the sex pistols ever asked this question, and if they HAD... I wonder if they would have moved ahead, or would have been discouraged at how mysterious and complicated having a feel for music truly was.

lol

So true. People can be such downers when it comes to giving advice and they forget what it was like to be a beginner at something.

TS, the only real advice you need to follow is try it out, work at it, and see how easy it is for yourself. You'll be surprised at how quickly you pick it up if you start with the basics and just move on from there.

[joelyle]

in reading Malcom Gladwell: 10,000 hours is a magical number; many examples given in his book: Outliers

gladwell dot com - outliers

[cylon]

Originally Posted by James81

lol

So true. People can be such downers when it comes to giving advice and they forget what it was like to be a beginner at something.

TS, the only real advice you need to follow is try it out, work at it, and see how easy it is for yourself. You'll be surprised at how quickly you pick it up if you start with the basics and just move on from there.

That's right. If you want to rock the house, then ROCK THE HOUSE. Rock all night and don't never stop.

[joelr]

Rock rock till you drop.

I wanna rock. Rock rock rock.

[joelr]

Originally Posted by cylon

I wonder if the sex pistols ever asked this question, and if they HAD... I wonder if they would have moved ahead, or would have been discouraged at how mysterious and complicated having a feel for music truly was.

Heh, no, it sounds complicated written down but as you probably know the whole process flows pretty naturally when someone is interested. For punk musicians it's much easier too.
Although you have a point, if I knew how long it would take to get to the level I wanted to be at I would have been discouraged.

LOA/visualization seems to help too. I have used it with some good results in the guitar department.

[Nicholls]

If you know what you're getting into when you start with, and about some of the problems you will get going through then it's easier to continue once you've got started.

Although music has been the greatest thing I've ever been involved in, it's also been the hardest and the most discouraging. There have been times where I've thought of giving up, or thought I was going to fail. But luckily I've continued. No pain no gain, right?

[songwriter]

Originally Posted by cylon

I wonder if the sex pistols ever asked this question, and if they HAD... I wonder if they would have moved ahead, or would have been discouraged at how mysterious and complicated having a feel for music truly was.

they didn't, they're one of most exagerated examples that no skill is needed if you do it with feeling

U2 is an even most famous example. The Edge plays mostly 3 notes solos. The bass player can't count to 4 (Bono says), the drummer always does the same beats. And Bono "can't sing but I've got soul".... "the goal is elevation..."

[songwriter]

Originally Posted by joelyle

in reading Malcom Gladwell: 10,000 hours is a magical number; many examples given in his book: Outliers

gladwell dot com - outliers

I've read that book, but he doesn't tell the truth sometimes. Yes, it's true the Beatles played 10000 hours or more before being famous.
But it's also true other bands have played 10000 hours and they have not become better at all, not to mention they haven't become as good as the Beatles .
He said it's all about practice, but it's practice+talent really.

[songwriter]

Originally Posted by joelr

Rock rock till you drop.

I wanna rock. Rock rock rock.

I'm going to see Quo this Sunday... I'm doing it again, again, again, again....

[James81]

Originally Posted by joelr

Rock rock till you drop.

I wanna rock. Rock rock rock.

[joelr]

Ha! A rock explosion!