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I have just come across this theory and it made me a little depressed.
I am a beginner and if I really need 10000 hours practice to get any good it will take me about 30 years at my currant rate. the problem is at nearly 50 years old should I save myself the frustration and just enjoy music played by others as I have done so up until now.
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We are all different. And once you get some rudimentary mechanics it can all be down to your ear or taste or something that can't be taught just developed.
Whether you give up or carry on is up to you. As long as you are getting something out of it and can spare the time keep it up. My Theory is it helps keep my brain keep going into old age if I make it and my body doesn't give in first but I have done less research than Malcolm
And even if it were true it is a necessary rather than sufficient condition. I have played a lot and I am still shit.
Edit:. I think those who are going to be good at guitar seem to get pretty good within three years. Discuss.
If you're enjoying it and progressing I'd say it's also about the journey. Unless you're planning a 10,000 word treatise on the intricacies of Robert Fripp's style then f**k it, keep on keeping on. I reckon if you're putting in an hour a day, you could even look back in a month and appreciate the improvement, never mind 30 years.
Have fun!
Put in work, make progress. Keep doing it over time and you’ll reach and pass milestones like being able to perform, being able to please an audience, being able to play well with other musicians etc.
The only thing to fear is not having something you can work toward because you’re disabled or have achieved everything you wanted - that’s the terrible situation.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
It was a metaphor for understanding that in order to completely master something - chess was their example - it takes a long time.
If, like most of us, your main aim is to enjoy yourself, then that might come after just a few dozen hours, or even after a few minutes depending on your attitude.
It rings true; either way just work hard and adopt the principles
And I'm still a s**t player. I reckon that all you lads and lasses out there who are good guitarists either practice for 12 hours a day...or have been given some natural ability/aptitude from upon high.
I've been playing for... I was going to say over 30 years but actually it's close to 40. No idea if I've put in 10,000 hours and I can't really be bothered to try to work it out. I guess it probably is more than 10,000, even with the minimal practice I actually do.
I'm still shit.
And as it happens, I probably haven't improved much after that first three years, sad to say - physically I'm more "in control" of the guitar itself, various scales and patterns are firmly locked in my muscle memory, I can probably pick things out somewhat better by ear than I once could. But I've never learned a repertoire of songs. And frankly I've never tried hard enough.
I still like to think I could improve relatively quickly if I really put my mind to it, with lessons or well-targeted practice. Not to virtuoso levels, but I think a significant improvement is do-able. You don't need to know everything. I live in London and I see a lot of buskers around the place, some of them have been playing the same three or four songs all day, every day, for years. It may be all they actually know. And they haven't got any better. But it's enough for them.
I say all that as the biggest pessimist you'll ever meet. I've often thought about packing it in, but I haven't. Yet.
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I'd say drums is a harder instrument than guitar.
But that was with a very focussed approach and a very good tutor.
I had a lot more than 10k hours under my belt as a musician/guitarist though.
OP- what do you want to do on the instrument?
Play authentic blues rock? 2-3 years of work
Hard rock/metal? Possibly the same time but usually a lot more repetitive exercises, perhaps a year or two more.
Jazz? 10 years to get decent, but a lifetime to master it.
10k hours is all well and good but actually it is how you practice, not how long you practice for over what period of time.
I know loads of people who have 30 years of playing under their belts but never got out of the most basic pentatonic style playing and not a very good level.
They were unfocussed about what they wanted to achieve, didn't have a series of goals or any real plan.
That is what happens when you do this (or don't do this).
I know people that had a clear idea of what they wanted to achieve and set about achieving that- I'd put myself in that category too.
My opinion is everyone can get good on the guitar with the right approach and attitude.
The problem is some people simply refuse to adopt the right approach and attitude to do it, or don't know what it takes.
It isn't a lack of ability, sometimes it is a lack of application, sometimes it is laziness, sometimes it is ignorance, sometimes it just isn't important enough to them.
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Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
I studied for 4 years on the guitar to degree level and I put in a lot of hours per day to get there, up to 5-6 hours. Compare that with a weekly learner and they're only really "properly playing" for an hour per week.