How long does it take to become good at the guitar?

Question

I've always expressed interest in the world of guitar-playing, and after seeing John Frusciante performing, I now want to become good at the guitar. Now, I've only had one formal lesson so far, and my parents are forking out a lot of cash for this. However, I think it will be worth it, because I am putting a lot of work in, and I really want to become good at it, if only to cover my favourite songs. I am going to have two lessons a week, so approximately how long do you think it will take to get really good at the guitar? I am willing to put hours of practise in, and even play till my fingers bleed. Any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

In twenty or thirty years you should be a fine guitarist if you stick with it and continue to practice.

Answer 2

Hi Rontox

To play guitar or any music well can be accomplished in a few years to really play good. But, it takes a lifetime to master it. You never stop learning and the day you think you have learnt everything,  is the day you will get supassed by people that were half as good as you. They won't stop because of the love of the instruments. Their is always something to learn.

Answer 3

It'll take an entire life time.  What I mean is that once you think you're pretty good, you'll come across another musician who runs circles around you. Then you practice and get as good as he is, and you come across another one who'll do that same thing, and so on.  

I've been playing for 15 years and I've seen guys on street corners and coffee shops that make me just want to put the guitar down and never touch it again because I know I'll never be that good (not that I actually would put it down, but you know what I mean).

It seems like you have the drive, so that's all you really need.  Here's the best advice I've gotten from a great guitarist: "Practice until you feel like you have to throw up, then practice 15 more minutes"

On a side note: I happen to be listening to J. Frusciante's "Smile From The Streets You Hold" and it's the only album I have.  I'm trying to get into his music but just can't due to his singing. Is there another album that shows off his music skills, without all that singing, or is that how they all are?

Answer 4

it all depends on the user and how determined they r to learn it......make sure u learn what u can do to ur guitar to make different sounds, and make sure ur fingers r flexible lol the d chord is hard for me to do but thats when i had long nails so maybe it'll be better? but learning the guitar isn't just about notes and chords, u have to learn about ur instrument too!! hope i helped a lil!!

Answer 5

Depends on how you define 'good' doesn't it?

Taking lessons, and maintaining your current level of commitment, you'll probably be playing exceptionally well in about 4 years.  If you discontinue lessons or slow down your practicing, you could double that or more.

As a new guitarist, let me give you some advice that can kick-start your advancement.  For now, try to practice many times daily for only a few minutes at a time.  If you can do, say, six 10-minute sessions, you will make FAR quicker progress as a beginner than if you did even 2 hours in a single session.  And you'll greatly reduce the risk of ruinous conditions like tendinitis or bleeding fingers :-)   As a beginner, you won't be able to play a great variety of exercises or scales or tunes anyway, so breaking your practice time into shorter sessions reduces the odds of boredom through repetition.

Then, extend the maximum time of each session by a minute or two weekly, and as each session gets longer, reduce the number of sessions.  Eventually you build stamina--doing it the right way, slow and steady--until you can easily rehearse for an hour or two at a time.  You should reach that level in only a few months, and by then you'll have plenty to do--scales, arpeggios, speed studies, etudes, performance pieces--that a 90-minute practice won't get repetitious.

Answer 6

To get really good, at least 3 years I'd say. I have been playing for a year now, and I'm not great. I've definitely improved though. But maybe since your willing to really practice, it won't take as long.

Answer 7

It depends how much you are willing to put into it. I started guitar a year and a half ago, and I'm playing classical stuff, and sweeping now, without ever taking lessons. But it does take at least 2 weeks to build up the calouses you need to play it. Also, don't just learn how to mindlessly play. Learn ABOUT your instrument. Learn how if you do something it will affect what kind of sound and tone you have. There's more to playing then just notes.

Answer 8

3 months if you practice with discipline for atleast 1 hour a day..........Oh and you must finish learning over 120 chords & should be able to play Major, Pentatonic Minor & Major inside 3 months...........

But you can never be really good at the guitar..........its takes a life time I guess..........Its more like a Violin you just can't get enough of it.

Answer 9

There is no hard and fast rule,the harder you work, the better you become. At first it feels like you are not really getting anywhere, that's normal, but stick with it and you will find that suddenly everything comes together. All the little things you thought you would never grasp begin to make sense. That's when the joy begins and the love affair really kicks in. Keep up the good work

Answer 10

Well.. at your level... you have YEARS ahead of you.  If your desire is to get REALLY GOOD at it, then you need to spend the FIRST YEAR just learning the BASICS... you need to learn how to read music... and NOT those worthless TABs.

To get REALLY GOOD you need to have the PERSONAL DISCIPLINE to spend the time to learn not just scales, but how they are composed... you need music theory... you need to learn how to play with a METRONOME clicking the rhythm... you need to learn how to play a scale ANYWHERE on the fretboard... (when you can play the same scale on 5 different places on the fretboard.. you are starting to learn how to play guitar).

FORGET the Electric Guitar... If you want to be REALLY GOOD, then you need to learn on either a Classical guitar OR an Acoustic Guitar because they are more demanding and you can do much more tonally with them than an electric guitar.

Forget the drama... you fingers won't bleed after a few hours of prictice, but it takes about 4 or 5 months before you get some really good callouses.

Mainly... just STICK WITH IT and LEARN THE BASICS... and in 10 or 20 years, you will be REALLY GOOD AT PLAYING GUITAR.