So, is there really an easy way on how to become a guitar virtuoso? Is it really that long on how to become a guitar virtuoso? Almost all of the novice and intermediate guitar players, and even some advanced level guitar still raises these questions? Is it really that hard to become one?
Before we give some opinions on those questions, we are going to define first what a virtuoso is. The Oxford Dictionary defines a virtuoso as a highly-skilled person in music or another artistic pursuit. Therefore, a guitar virtuoso is a person who is highly skilled in playing the guitar.
When it comes to guitar virtuosos, many names quickly come up. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, BB King, Joe Satriani, Brian May, Jimmy Page, and many more usually come up when it comes to the older generations. John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert, John Mayer, Mateus Asato, and many more names come up for younger generations.
All those names mentioned have established their names in the guitar industry as guitar virtuosos of their genres and generations, but reaching their status has always been as challenging as ever based on their life journeys.
Many guitar players hope that maybe one day they can also become guitar virtuosos, from beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level guitar players, but due to the difficulties and frustrations that were encountered on the way, they also stopped without reaching their dreams of becoming one of the greats.
Reaching the status of being a guitar virtuoso can never be easy; even with the abundance of resources today that you can get to help you improve your skills as a guitar player, it is still a very difficult journey to go through. I believe that some are born to be guitar virtuosos, but some become one because of their perseverance and sacrifices just to reach the top of the industry.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Guitar Virtuoso?
If you ask whether there is a chance for you to become a guitar virtuoso? Then I’ll say yes. With all the vast resources you can have today to help you study to become a guitar virtuoso, it is really an advantage for the younger generations to reach their dreams someday.
The main problem of most guitar players dreaming of becoming guitar virtuosos is when it will happen. How long should they still practice? How hard should they practice? How long will they sacrifice to become guitar virtuosos? When it comes to the question of the length of time to become a guitar virtuoso, there is really no definite answer that any guitar legend can give.
Other guitar players took only a very short time to become guitar virtuosos because they were born with musical talent, while others took them a long time to reach their dreams of becoming one. After more than ten thousand hours of practicing, a thousand hours of performing live in a band or solo, some become guitar virtuosos, while others still need more time to become one.
In your journey to becoming a guitar virtuoso, there are obstacles that you will definitely encounter, from learning advanced music theories, building up your guitar speed, consistently following your practice routines, getting out of a slump, or even maintaining the eagerness to learn and improve for a very long time.
Some guitar players are fast learners and are able to learn complex musical theories quickly, and can shred fast without making any mistakes, but also quickly lose their focus and motivation in playing the guitar without any reason. Some people are also having difficulty playing the guitar on its first try, but after some time, with perseverance, consistent practice, and the right attitude in facing adversities, they are able to reach their dreams to become a guitar virtuoso.
What makes a guitar virtuoso?
Guitar virtuosos are exceptional in playing the guitar, and they are capable of producing iconic guitar shreds and riffs anytime. However, there are still more in their characters aside from the abilities that make them guitar virtuosos.
Guitar virtuosos are always addicted to getting better. They invest time, hours and hours of practice and honing their skills to become guitar virtuosos. Even after reaching the status of becoming guitar virtuosos, they never stop improving themselves in every aspect of their guitar playing.
Guitar virtuosos never nail themselves into only one specific genre. They are all versatile guitar players that can play any style of music. This character also helps them to find their own unique style of playing the guitar. Also, most of them are known for a specific genre, they try to stay away from identifying themselves as a specific genre guitar player.
Guitar virtuosos do study the guitar and the complexity of the music itself. This is what separates them from other guitar players. Many guitar players only focus on being better at playing the guitar. In contrast, guitar virtuosos include learning and digesting music theories during their practice time—these things are what make them guitar virtuosos and separate them into a higher level than the advanced-level guitar players.
How To Become A Guitar Virtuoso Someday?
Becoming a guitar virtuoso someday is not impossible, but it is not easy. For most guitar players, it would take a very long time for them to reach the top and become guitar virtuosos. Some steps must be taken in order to become one, but it is not an assurance that, in the end, you will become a guitar virtuoso. However, there is no wrong in trying to shoot for the stars.
The first step to becoming a guitar virtuoso is to know the basics very well. When you try to start playing an instrument like a guitar, you really start at square one. There is no shortcut to becoming a great guitar player. You have to master the chords, chord progressions, and scales like your life depends on it.
Although chords, chord progressions, and scales can be pretty easy for other guitar players, underestimating their importance can be a reason why a guitar player will not be able to fulfill its potential to become a guitar virtuoso.
The second step is to improve your skills one at a time. When other guitar players try to improve their guitar skills all at once, you should try to focus on one skill at a time. It would help if you never forgot that becoming a guitar virtuoso will really take much time, and there are no shortcuts to becoming one.
For the third and fourth steps, you should be able to understand music theories and be able to follow a practice routine. If you have deeper learning in music theory, your practice routines will also be on a higher level than other guitar players. However, you should focus and be motivated to follow your practice routines without a hitch, as consistent practice makes you better.
For the fifth step, always have fun when you are practicing or performing as a guitar player. This is important as you start to lose having fun in what you do; you will never be able to reach your goal to become a guitar virtuoso. Never mind the speed you are progressing as a guitar player; just enjoy what you are doing, as there is no need to hurry to become a guitar virtuoso.
The last step is to develop your own style, technique, and tone. These things separate the guitar virtuosos from the others. It is crucial that you develop your own unique way of playing the guitar, as many people will be able to identify you easily with your playing.
Overall, becoming a guitar virtuoso is never easy. You will need to make huge sacrifices on your end to become one, but I believe all will be worth it. There are ways to guide you on how to become a guitar virtuoso, but it still depends on you if you have the guts to do the work.
