If you’d like to shred like some of the great Canadian guitarists of the last century such as Neil Young, Jeff Healey or Randy Bachman you had better start honing in on your guitar skills. Becoming a guitarist takes hard work and commitment on a consistent basis.
If you’re looking to know how long it takes to become a guitarist in Canada then there are a few things you should consider: How often you practice, Your natural ability, Your education quality.
Practicing regularly
The main factor to how good you are as a guitarist will come down to how often you play. There is no magic number when it comes to hours practiced and everyone is different but the amount you play the guitar will roughly translate into your ability.
You may pick up the basics but still in order to master the guitar it's about putting the hours into the craft. When considering your guitar idols it’s pretty evident to see how much they are passionate about their playing and that they have really created their life around the guitar. The amount of hours a master guitarist has put into their playing may be mind-boggling to a beginner, but everyone needs to start somewhere.
Your natural ability
When considering how long it may take you to become a guitarist you should look at your own ability and if playing music is something that is in your blood. Just like everything in this world some people will be able to learn quickly where others may struggle.
This is not the only measurement though because even though it may come easy to some it may not be a passion of theirs and they may not continue to seriously learn and play. A great indicator of how well you can do really just stems from your enthusiasm for playing guitar and if you love it then the chance that you stick with it long term is that much greater.
“The man who loves walking will walk further than the man who loves the destination.”
Your quality of education or guidance
No matter your skill level the type of support you have when it comes to your playing and potentially having a mentor or teacher to help you along the way will be of tremendous value. Guitar classes are for everyone and vary from stage to stage of the learning process.
Stages of guitar playing & Potential Time Frames
Although some numbers may be extremely arbitrary they may also help to loosely set expectations for quality of guitar playing.
Beginner
If you’re a true beginner at guitar playing there is a large learning curve and many fundamentals you’ll need to digest such as: parts of the guitar, main scales, and basic chords. Other fundamental learning may include: hand placement and strumming, fretting, picking, pull-offs, slides, bends and vibrato.
It will take you some time to play fluently and you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself about your playing ability at this stage. The main tip here is to really immerse yourself in guitars and stay curious and light.
You can expect to be in this stage for many months but can accelerate the process with more hours practiced daily. If we had to take a guess about how long you’re in this stage we would say about 3-6 months for most people with regular practice of at least an hour a day and upwards of 5 hours a day to really accelerate the learning process.
Intermediate
At this stage you are starting to get the hang of things. It’s likely that you can play a few different pieces that aren’t too hard. You may also be able to start to mess around and create your own sounds or songs.
At this stage you will continue to develop your skills while holding a solid foundation of education to help you play more confidently. Chances are you may be able to start playing without looking at the frets and you may begin playing more intricate chord progressions.
You can expect to be in this stage for upwards of a year or two while practicing for about an hour a day.
Expert
If you reach this stage you will find yourself able to play fluently and are able to write your own music in your own style. Your rhythm and technique are solid and your knowledge of chords are excellent.
At this stage you are just looking to perfect what you already know. This will take many years of practice on a regular basis. It will really take a lot of playing and hard work to reach the next level and many people simply are not willing to do what it takes to leave this stage.
Professional
Alright, you did it. You’re a pro. Hats off to you. You did not quit and you continue to play and practice. Not only are you an amazing guitarist it’s highly likely that you receive all or most of your income from playing guitar. There's not much to say to you that you don’t already know and it's possible that you may even teach the guitar yourself. That said as a pro you still recognize that there is more playing and learning to do and you continue to test yourself and your abilities, that's when you really shine.
Mastering an instrument truly takes time. If you’re not afraid of this daunting task then consider the following: Learning different songs, techniques and styles. If you’re new to guitar then you might want to start with the basics.
How Many Hours Does it Take?
In the book “Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell he says that the key to true expertise is anything is simply a matter of practicing properly and for at least 10,000 hours. Some other base numbers that may correlate to where you are at include:
That said, numbers are arbitrary and the amount you’ll need is truly dependent on yourself and your situation. Some people may have more dedication and some people may be dedicated but may have trouble finding time. The real analysis here is that it will ultimately take you hours and hours to master the guitar over a year or many years.
Furthermore, you will never truly be done learning. All masters continue to learn about their craft even in their later years. Things can evolve, you may find new ways to play or subtle changes that may have a huge impact on your playing. Even more so you may find that there is a huge mental factor and if you’ve put in the time you will exude confidence and find your pocket where the music will almost quite literally flow through you.
Reach Pro Status with a Tutor
If you’re having some trouble with your learning or if you’d like to speed up the process and avoid headaches its best to take guitar classes. A tutor is someone that is dedicated to help you with any and all problems you may come across when it comes to playing the guitar. With Superprof you are able to browse a wide selection of tutors in your area or worldwide.
You may choose to select a local tutor that offers in person lessons to get more of a hands on learning experience, or you may choose an online guitar tutor who is international that has great accolades in the guitar playing world to really get an upper hand on your playing. Guitar lessons online can be just as effective as traditional in-person lessons and may allow for much greater flexibility.
Guitar lessons are for everyone and you may find easy guitar lessons for guitar lesson beginner or more advanced lessons for intermediates.
Do not fret, (pun intended) with Superprof the choices are all up to you! We simply give you a selection of tutors from all over the world and their different price ranges and you select the perfect one for yourself!
From there you just need to message your tutor of choosing and set up a time to jam!
The first lesson is on the house so that eventually when you’re rocking it you can bring the house down! Just don’t forget us when you become a superstar.
Conclusion
Becoming a pro at anything takes time. The ones who continue to learn and practice are the ones that will see the largest return on their efforts. When deciding whether or not you want to be a guitarist you should consider the level you’re looking to achieve when it comes to your playing and setting proper expectations.
You definitely can get the fundamentals of guitar playing down if you are consistent and do not give up. When looking at whether or not you can be a professional it will realistically take a long time. If you’re okay with that however, you may just be the next big thing in the guitar-playing world and we’re rooting you on! Good luck!
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