What’s the average time it will take to learn how to play electric guitar?

I’m talking metal guitar, and playing riffs and solos. Does it take many years for the average person to pick things up? I know there are young kids on youtube who are playing Van Halen’s “Eruption”. Does it just add up to dedication, and how bad you wanna learn things?

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12 Responses to “What’s the average time it will take to learn how to play electric guitar?”

1. poopooeatu says:

   September 4, 2010 at 10:04 pm

   for the average person a few months….but for you probably many many years.
2. rickdvd2007 says:

   September 4, 2010 at 10:29 pm

   I think the young kids who are playing Eruption by Van Halen are playing air guitar, not actually playing the guitar. I’ve seen a few Youtube videos and rarely do those kids have their fingering in the right position.

   It really adds up to dedication and how badly you want to learn. It takes a few months to learn the chords, but it takes years before you really get to be good. Slash or Eddie or Steve Vai didn’t just start playing guitar by playing solos. They’ve played for a long time.

   It doesn’t take too long to learn to play, but it takes years to learn to get good on the instrument and come up with solos that very few guitarists can imitate.
3. :O says:

   September 4, 2010 at 10:35 pm

   if you think you can do all that, you can.
   learning guitar is easy, but its hard to get good at it, but if you practice, every day, and enjoy it, you will get good in no time,
   ive only been playing for more than a year, maybe a year and a 1/2 and i cant play those insane solos but i can still play my favourite songs and riffs, song things like van halen, and kirk hammet take years, but lower bands are easier, just practice, and you will be good.
4. peanut 2 says:

   September 4, 2010 at 10:49 pm

   To learn a few chords a day to learn the guitar well about 2 years.

   You can learn a song really well in about a month (if your starting out from scratch and fret numbers and strings are unfamilar to you) but otherwise you can learn a song quite quickly. but if you can only play one you dont really know how to play the guitar so thats y i say 2 years, itl take 2 years to build up muscle memory and know songs and have your own melodys
5. Darth Paul says:

   September 4, 2010 at 11:48 pm

   I am a guitarist and guitar tutor.
   there is no easy answer to your question.
   learning guitar can take a lifetime.
   Some people start out by learning what they like first, that is why there are young kids who can play all sorts of evh stuff.
   you must be commited to the guitar and practice for as long as possible each day.
   Generally you will see results withing a few months once you have mastered all the root possition chords.
   But, there are many shapes of chords and scales, arpeggios, modes and so on.

   Id advise you top find a tutor in your local area and take it from there.
6. john_stolworthy says:

   September 5, 2010 at 12:09 am

   The simple answer is: a lifetime. Guitar is not something you learn and are done with it. It is a lifetime obsession (but a good one). Most people can learn the basics (starting with basic music theory) in a few months.

   After learning the basics, it is easier to “copy” others, like EVH, Vai, Satriani, and Yngwie. A good guitarist is not an imitator, however, but an innovator. I have heard note-for-note copies of Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner, but have yet to hear one that impresses me as much as the original.
7. Stan says:

   September 5, 2010 at 12:17 am

   Just two additional suggestions…

   You will improve 10 times as fast if you find another to play guitar with, then you will sitting alone in your room practicing.

   Also, and this may sound silly, you need to sing…even if it’s just to yourself. Singing while you play helps with getting proper rhythm and timing down, which will only help you speed up the learning process.

   Record yourself. This is critical to hear areas that need improvement, and will give you better insight to what works for you and what doesn’t.

   Do not neglect your chords and rhythm playing.

   You will never be a good lead guitarist until you’re a good rhythm player.

   Forget scales, except for the pentatonic for now.

   Pick a favorite song, and learn all guitar parts to that song. Not just the solo’s but the rhythm.

   Average time to play songs comfortably, and begin getting familiar with guitar….one year..minimum.

   Best of luck and keep pickin’ till those fingers bleed!
8. Josh says:

   September 5, 2010 at 12:32 am

   Different people progress at different rates. I would stop worrying so much about how long it’s going to take. That’s always a sign that you’re more concerned with the destination than the journey, and that’s a recipe for easy frustration and a short-lived musical career.

   Just relax and enjoy the process. In a few years you’ll be where you want to be.
9. Pete Z says:

   September 5, 2010 at 1:07 am

   You’re right! It adds up to dedication and how bad you want to learn things.
10. Natalie says:

    September 5, 2010 at 1:17 am

    Two things I used to help me learn guitar:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VS8VXE?ie=UTF8&tag=clogui-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000VS8VXE

    and:
    http://flagpolesitta.com/url/guitarsoft
11. jay m says:

    September 5, 2010 at 1:56 am

    There is no time limit. You will never be done learning, or improving. How fast you get better, of course depends on the amount of time you put into it.

    I’ve been playing guitar for 4 years and I can play a lot of maiden solos, pantera solos, some of skolniks and what not, but I can’t sweep pick and play crazy shredding sh^t. Right now though, I enjoy playing mainly my own stuff and don’t really play too much else. In that aspect I guess I could say I know how to play the guitar, because I write music and enjoy playing it, but I would not consider my self any where near the end of my learning career, nor would I consider my self a skilled player, because there is always going to be better guitarist out there. There will always be that little kid on youtube, playing sh^t you have dreams about playing, but its all about dedication. Don’t give yourself a time limit, just start playing, enjoy your self, stick with it and you will get better.
12. yage says:

    September 5, 2010 at 2:46 am

    Sometime a day, sometime years, depended on what you gonna play
    For metal it’s actually about one month
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