Should I practice?

[Unhorizon]

I have come to a crossroads. Throughout the past year, I have practiced a decent amount on guitar. 2-3 hours a day consistenly, which isn't great, but it's enough that I have improved significantly over the past year. Lately, I have started to practice more and more, about 5-6 hours a night, in hopes of one day becoming a good guitar player. But one there is one thing I am very afraid of. If I practice for hours a day for the next few years and I don't "make it" I am afraid I will feel my whole teenage life was wasted ( I am 15). I don't know whether to totally go for music as a career, or hobby. But at the same time, I would love to be like Steve Vai or John Petrucci one day (not like their playing, but their status, like they inspire people and give them joy through music), but am afraid I won't make it. Has anyone else come across this problem, and how did you get over it or did you not, and what do you think I should do?

[Koala]

I guess part one is to decide wether you wanna take a shot at it or not. Nobody in this world can guarantee youll be the next John Petrucci, but if you go to lawschool i cant guarantee youll be the next Johnny Cochran either.
Keep in mind youre only 15 and life can take many turns, if you wanna practice 24 hours a day, do it, if you wanna stick to 3 hours plus have a life, do it as well. Remember that you musnt have killer technique in order to make it in music. You hafta be an all-around good musician, and living life definitely gives you all the inspiration you need.
I know i spent my teens practicing and playing and it was totally worth it.
Its all up to you, and dont give it much thought just let things happen.

hope this really helps ya,

[Caffeinated Cat]

Just get in a band and I can pretty much guarantee you you'll never feel like your teenage years were wasted

[Axe-aholic]

Good question. I'm kinda wonder the same thing at times, except I'm turning 18 soon so it's a bit more of a bigger deal- i.e I already wasted most of my teenage years .
You know, I don't really have a big group of friends outside my immediate family (two, actually), I live out in the country and was homeschooled...plus I'm a shy person so I didn't get around socially too much. It used to get me depressed a lot, but then I began to realize that the only reason I was depressed over it was because I thought I wasn't living the life of "success" (socially, finacially, etc) that is portrayed by our warped culture through the media and other things.
What is the true meaning of success? It's really an unanswerable question except by the individual himself. But I can assure it's not the image of rich bourgeois with the latest everything who's the hit of every party. At least, that's not the image everyone should hold.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is...let's say you do try to make the guitar thing work. If it's really what you desire..even if you don't 'make it' then your teenage years would not be a waste regardless. Man can follow wholeheartedly after what he desires without achieving some level of success.
If your desire is to become a great guitarist, I say go for it. Just make sure it's your desire. If it is, I wouldn't worry to much about being afraid of 'making it'.

Anyway, end of rant. I doubt it made a bit of sense, lol.

[xenor]

I have lived the same crossroad with you. Whane I was 15, I was thinking about whether I should be a professional or not. I didn't make a decision back than and keeped practicing. Right now, I'm 17. I'm giving lessons to 3 students right now and made my decision about musicianship. I'm finishing the high-school next year and going to the college to study music.
And there's one more thing. Even if don't go pro, you won't be dissapointed if you play good. After all, it's not about money or the status, it's just about playing. But I recommend you to make a growth in all things about music. Study Music History as well as you study alternate picking. Study Solfege as well as you study sweeping etc...
Hope this helps

[Lowthorpe]

Axe-aholic, that 100% makes sense IMO, those were a few ideas I was kicking around before, and for me, 'making it' in music and guitar would be able to play at a level that is competent in my view, and just to be able to express myself and to create my own music and songs.
Sure, I would love to be the next <Insert virtuoso here> but I know that I just don't have the determination to go ahead and practice all the time to get there, but that doesnt mean I wouldn't be able to make it, because like Axe-aholic said, 'making it' can only be defined by yourself.

[Ein]

Daily, I tell myself to practice, I don't. I find myself playing guitar less and less and spending time on the internet learning, and telling people things, things which I have learned, and have theorized about, and damn, I should be playing. But, you're 15 man, I wish I was 15, even though I'm 17. I wish I knew back then, what I know now, two years is enough time to change things, I'm going to be next year, then then off to (community )college for a music program ( I can't go to a university, because of my grades, and lack of studying, what I did instead of studying? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ) Beauty of school kids, is you can't really have a life five days of the week if you want to get through the next day well. You've got friday night, saturday, and a good part of sunday to get through what you wish to do. I would suggest this, for school time situations. Lets say you're done with homework, by 8, or are doing homework, you've got 5 hours before 8 to do things in, right? 5 hours is enough, and by 8, you're home, doing homework, an hour later, its 9. And lets say you go to sleep at 12, or earlier, or later, heck, it don't matter, but you've got a couple hours of practice, and you can watch TV and practice, watch TV and do scales to get your accuracy down, and stuff. You can have a life and practice guitar to perfection. And I don't practice, as much as I doodle around for time to time. I wish I had a strict practice, but, I'm not strict enough of a person, hahaha. Play on.

[Danster]

Hey Unhorizon, good questions. I guess my question for you would be, what would you be doing with your time if you werent' playing the guitar? That is, do you feel like your social life, school studies, or something else is suffering because of your guitar playing? If so, you might wanna cut back a little.

While you really oughta follow your dreams, and goals are very worthwhile, its best to realize that there are a lot more Vai- or Petrucci-wannabes than there will be guitar god slots to fill. It is risky to "put all your eggs in one basket" if you're going for a high risk career like something in the entertainment industry. There are many many highly talented guitarists out there who are unknowns (including some awsome players who frequent this board). There is more involved in being successful and famous than just having chops. It often takes connections, incredible tenacity, and a lot of luck. I'd say if you will consider yourself a failure if you don't reach the status of Vai or Petrucci, then I think your goal is too high.

If you love the guitar, the time you spent practicing won't be wasted regardless of whether you reach Vai status or not.

Good luck dude!

[Rizla]

I think 10 hours a day is a little excessive. I mean there are people who could play for 2 hours a day and become a better guitarist then people who lock themselves in their room and play 24/7. If you are playing 10 hours a day then there is a good chance you will get some nasty condition with your hands if you are not careful, then you will never "make it". Still there are many guitarists out there that are probably 10 times better then Vai but haven't made it because they don't have the confidence or the looks or whatever. Anyway, if you truly believe you can make it then you will. Don't try to be as good as Vai or Petrucci though, try to be better.

Oh and think of it this way, if you don't make it, you can atleast teach and make money that way to.

[Dommy]

My dad practices Aikido(as do I), and sometimes when a prospective student comes in, they ask how long it takes to get a blackbelt, and my dad gives them a truthful answer (a couple of years), then they ask what if I come 5 days a week? He just tells them it will take 5 times longer.

The lesson is that after a certain point, practicing 10 hours a day probably wont do ask much as a regular schedule of disciplined 2-3 hour sessions, because it doesn't sink in as well. The human mind has limits.

[sugarbee]

I'm also of the opinion that forcing something because you think you should kind of negates the activity. I find myself often thinking, I should be using this time to practice, instead I'm vegging on the couch...surfing the net...whatever. So I grab the guitar and start in on it. But If I'm really not in the mood it doesn't do me a lot of good. Not that I'm saying there aren't times when you should do it even if you don' feel like it, but there's a limit. If you feel there is something else you would rather be doing, don't ignore that voice too much. But I also agree with some of the other posts in here that if you enjoy playing, don't worry too much about what you might be missing. I think it's really a personal, instinctual thing.

[jmtyjmrf]

yes you should practice, but only if it is what you want to do, there is nothing wrong with practicing excessive amounts either. i play about 8-14 hours a day depending on what i am working on. it is absolutely ignorant to think that the more you practice the more you will suck. you have to have a passion to practice this much though. when i was 15 (im 17 now) i was playing 8-9 hours a day daily, take advantage of your free time. and if you feel that you could waste your teen years, then you are most likely not the kind of person that should practice excessive amounts. in my expieriance, all of the guys i grew up with decided to live out their teen years in an atypical fashion, i chose the path of my guitar. two guys i used to play in a band with out of that group of people are now in jail for drugs. the rest of them surrendered to apathy and are now very boring to be around. my point from this is that the guitar can keep you out of a lot of trouble, when i was practicing 8 hours a day i didnt exactly have time to go smoke pot or drink, nor that i wanted to, those are for weak people. so to end this i rant i say, if your want to be great, truly have a passion for it, and dont care if you are famous or not, play as many hours a day as you can. if you want to be average and still have a normal life (mine is far from it) then practice even 2 hours a day or less, it comes down to WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY. i hope this advice helps, i hope you find the upmost joy in music regardless of your involvement. i must get back to practicing now - justin

[theguitarist]

Even i am passing through this stage or should i say i passed.I got my answer,i will do what im best at and have satisfaction that i did what i wanted.I don't want to regret that i could have been a musician etc..etc....So i want to make the use of time and practice the hell out and go through the pathway of being a musician.But im my personal opinion i think the path i am talking about is a long and rough one.So "IN CASE" theres an emrgency i could try out plan B.Thats why i have kept two options in front of me.So i need to keep track of two things and decide what can be given priority number 1 in the later years of my life.But for now,both are going smooth

[redmunk]

i am in a constant battle between humans and guitars. Not that i practice a huge amount 2-3hrs, but just that it's enough to eat into time with friends and my girlfriend. In the end, I have decided that much as i don't like being dragged out of my rat hole of guitar playing to hideous things like movies, dinner and sick like, without this constant knocking on my door from the outside world i would be no kind of musician at all because i wouldn't be human anymore. I have my girl to thank for that.

[redmunk]

obviously that was meant to me 'such like', not 'sick like', Thank you freud