How long does it take to get really good at guitar?

Hey OT.

I've been "playing" guitar for almost 2 years. I use the term "playing" loosely because I rarely ever pick up my guitar because of work. I have guitar lessons once a week but other than that I might practice 15-20 minutes every other day.

Starting tomorrow I'm going to knuckle down and start an hour a day and hopefully more because I stopped lessons for the month of August. Other than work I'm distracted easily and hang out with friends or play videogames than practice which saddens me.

Being good at guitar varies from person to person but lets say I want to play roughly as good as Jimmy Page, how long would I have to play for? Are there any people who are pretty good at guitar that can help me?

personally i didn't get better at guitar until i just started playing for hours because i like too i never set a time limit to play each day. so pretty much it depends on the person i know someone who was able to play any van halen songs within 6 months like they were nothing

I've been playing for about 4 years, and I still wouldnt reallly consider myself "really" good

Depends man...if you really get in it, will still take you a couple of months, or even years to be really really really good at it.Bloodseeker23

Yeah I know.

I'm still young enough to keep at it and when I feel comfortable to play infront of people I'll form a band.

It really depends on the person, some people will just naturally learn faster but if you want to get really good you have to practice for at the very least an hour or two a day and it takes a long time of doing that before you get super good but it really just depends on the person. I have a friend who is pretty damn good but it has taken him years just to get to where he is

Sorry mate, but getting really good will take you all your life, and that is if you practice everyday.luisen123

I'm sure it wont take that long. But my guitar teacher is VERY good. He plays "Eruption" flawlessly and rips solo's like no other.

Plus one lesson I showed him a song and he hadn't heard it before, and he instantly nailed it. The guitar solo too. Granted hes about 50 though and has been oplaying since th 70's.. but even if I had half of his skill I'd be content.

I'm sure it wont take that long. But my guitar teacher is VERY good. He plays "Eruption" flawlessly and rips solo's like no other.Plus one lesson I showed him a song and he hadn't heard it before, and he instantly nailed it. The guitar solo too. Granted hes about 50 though and has been oplaying since th 70's.. but even if I had half of his skill I'd be content.deathtarget04

You need to practice like 30 mins + each day. If you do that then you'll get 'really good' pretty soon.

Depends on your definition. I have been playing for about six years.

I was never able to play all those super fast licks, but I know music, can pick out the key of a song and improvise over it, I know major and minor scales, and am experienced in multiple styles. Fast playing is only good in short bursts and if it is overused it just sucks. I can play decently fast when I need to. Basically, I know plently to be in any good modern rock band. I am also good in priase and worship (but anyone can be good at that).

Depends on your definition. I have been playing for about six years.

I was never able to play all those super fast licks, but I know music, can pick out the key of a song and improvise over it, I know major and minor scales, and am experienced in multiple styles. Fast playing is only good in short bursts and if it is overused it just sucks. I can play decently fast when I need to. Basically, I know plently to be in any good modern rock band. I am also good in priase and worship (but anyone can be good at that).

J-man45

It took me 4 years of 2 - 4 hours practicing a day (A DAY!) to become really good at guitar.

I play (black, doom & death) metal and jazz so thats pretty technical, if you want to become a singer songwriter i guess it will take less time.

I think it will take a lifetime to master the complete instrument from top to bottom.

Besides practicing every day, you will also need to know how to practice in a constructive way (perfect practicing!), learning fast guitar is to start very slowly (20 Bpm) so you can control your movements in a conscious way, after a month of this slow picking your brain will have learned the correct picking movements (very small movements) and you can up the speed very slowly.
We call this "economy of motion" => playing fast is not a skill but a byproduct of extremely good technique and economical movements, if you do not learn these concepts you will fail as a (fast) guitarist (or any other instrument i guess.
NO TENSION at all!!! or else you will injure yourself in the long run.

after 2 years you will be extremely clean and fast, and you can learn advanced lead guitar techniques.

Yes learning guitar to become a good musician is really that intensive.