How do I become a master guitarist?

Question

Ok, first, consider saving your fingers from typing anything that will try to dissuade from accomplishing my dream.

I've already has a few people tell me all the reasons why and how I can't become a master guitarist. However, they have only motivated me further into achieving my dream.

As of now, I'm not asking for a career in music yet...

As of now, guitar is just something that I really like to do as hobby and I really, really enjoy it.

So whether I enter the music business or just keep this as a hobby, I'd still would like to become a master guitarist.

What does it take to become a master guitarist?

How long does it take to become one?

What do I need to know?

Thank you for your thoughtful and full of insight answers.

Answer 1

What does it take to become a master guitarist?  Practice.

How long?  That's up to how much you practice.

What do you need to know?  There are so many things to learn in guitar, you'll learn new things as you practice.

Answer 2

the real answer is practice, practice, practice.

Eddie Van Halen would practice til his fingers bled.

Look up some interviews with him and see what he put himself through to be one of the best in Rock 'n Roll.

Also look up interviews with Carlos Santana.

They all say the same thing.  It goes back to time practicing.

It can't be about how much time.  It can't be about being a celebrity.  Playing has to be a passion.  It can't matter if you ever have an audience or not.  It has to be a compulsion that you can't help but follow.  It doesn't matter if it isn't always fun.  It is work. You have to be willing to push through the problems and keep at it.

Good luck.

Answer 3

You know something... questions like this irritate me because they trivialize the more than 50 years I have been a professional guitarist.

First of all you make the claim you want to become a master guitarist and in the next sentence you talk about how playing the guitar is a hobby... In other words... becoming a master guitarist is just a friggin' WET DREAM with you.

People who become successful playing the guitar, live, eat, breath and sleep with becoming the best guitar picker they can become.  People who become successful at it have NEVER just sort of considered it a hobby and something to do when they were not playing some video game.  Quite the contrary... people who become successful at playing the guitar can not remember a time when it was NOT the consumate, driving force in their life... and that is a far cry from it being a 'hobby'.

With your dismissive attitude... I can see why people have told you that you will never make it... and... I think they are right and I agree with them.