What level were you at after 6 years?

[jgcable]

I was probably technically the best I ever was after 6 years of playing but over the last 30 years since then I can say I am a more rounded player. Less is certainly more when it comes to guitar playing. Its not about how many notes you play... its more about the quality of the notes and their placement.
Playing guitar is like building a house. You need a good foundation. My first 6 years were mainly scales, modes, metronomes and learning signature guitar riffs and styles. Basically, I was a student and a clone. I am my own person now.
My advice to you would be to find your strong points as a player and focus and build on them. You don't have to be everything to everybody, you don't have to be the fastest of the most technical and you don't even need to have the best ear. Every guitar player does something unique and cool that they take for granted. Find what you do and build on it.

[Endrik]

after 4 years... girls asking autographs on their skin... pretty good skill I think... after 6 years I retired

[wilkinsi]

I've never taken a single lesson, and have only played along to other music with a bass guitar until 97. Since then, I've just played what I thought sounded right to me at the time.

[nateb]

The secret is.......

THE METRONOME

I hate your friend... he is a cocksucker and stole 30 bucks from me.

-Nate

[tomanyjacksons]

Jedi warrior.

[Soap]

After poking my finger into a wall outlet and the pleasure of 110 for a few minutes.
I can do anything with greater clarity. Nothing quite like it really. Therapeutic actually.

[tonemonster]

after 6 years I was at level 5

[Cliff]

After 28 years I was still only on level 3. So I just recently quit and restored a save game from level 2 and I'm trying again.
Seriously, though, can't agree more with what dmccarthy said. I never wanted to believe it, so I just played for all these years without thinking about technique, half-learning Van Halen and Randy Rhoads licks and thinking I was pretty good until I got to jam with someone or play along with an actual track. I used to share a flat in London with a guy who'd been playing for six years and who blew me away. I still can't play as well now as he did then. He a) had lots more talent than me and b) practiced like a demon. I prefer not to think about a) since I can't do anything about it, but I like to think a lot of practice can get you a long way. What I'm only just beginning to realize is that bad practice is probably not much better than no practice. So now I'm trying to control my pick technique, playing exercises along to a drum track (I need drums rather than a metronome - my timing's so bad I don't need just to know where the beat is, I need to know where I am in the bar). Record and listen back to what I'm doing. (Never used to do much of that.) Even after a few weeks I'm noticing a fair bit of improvement. It's frustrating at times, but if you're in the mood, and you can feel yourself making progress, it can be a real blast.
Sorry for the ramble, and apologies if I'm stating the obvious, but I've just hit a practicing wall and would rather type than play at the moment

[Michael Scarn]

after 6 years I could play just about all of metallica's catalogue that's worth playing, and not a damn thing else.

back in the day if someone asked me what I could play, I'd say 'you like metallica?' if they said yes we were in business. if they said no I said 'too bad'

[achren]

the reason kids learn an instrument more easily than adults isn't because they learn faster- it's because they're more easily impressed with their own progress and so don't get disheartened. I wouldn't worry about what level you're at. just get a metronome and don't practice mistakes (i.e. if you cant practice something perfectly, slow it down til you can play it ten times without making a mistake)

[Shawn Lutz]

I had Eruption down after about a year and a half of playing. Was into Randy Rhoads after that, today its not a big deal but back in the early 80's it was. I was playing cover bands after 2-3 years as the only guitarist. Yngwie came out and changed everything for me. Although I though I was hot shit in rock and metal, Yngwie changed the world for me. That is when the real woodshedding began, I'd play for 10-16 hrs a workin on my picking and arpeggios. I still played in cover bands playing Ozzy, VH, Sabbath, Priest and Maiden etc. but got more into Yngwie, Classical, Jazz, Fusion and originals after that. I say after 6 years I was a decent player and tried to be versatile. I had my own tone but really didn't think I have my own voice or style until much later. I still don't know about that though Somewhere in my mid 20's I gave up on trying to be a musician for a living as I like hot showers, clean clothes, good food and nice place to live LOL. I play for enjoyment these days and do miss gigging and performing.

[catzodellamarina]

Right around my 6th year I started college. That's where I really focused. In the dorms I was introduced to more than just metal. There were hippie dudes into Hendrix, keyboard guys into new wave and pop. It was also during this time that Nirvana came out. All of this exposure and TIME - I had all time and no money. I spent hours in my dorm room rather than hours bar hopping. All of contributed to my interests and skills. I played in my 1st bands in college.

[tonemonster]

Wooo hooo, what a day. must be stage 2 right about here.

[SARJ]

It was the year 1991 and I dove stupid into the Grunge scene after my failed attempts at keeping a metal band together in 89 and 90. I found that my technical skill helped me become a killer lazy guitarist who was the envy of many in my local scene. i got hit up for guitar lessons from everybody. No. I wasn't a great player at metal, blues, etc. by any means. Just good enough after some lessons and alot of shredding with friends. Being in a band got my playing tighter and more fluid with almost 0 mistakes. In 1991 this made me an over qualified guitarist as Nirvana was killing metal at God's speed. I wish I would have gone more towards theory than impressing everybody as a Grunge god. Now at 41 years of age I am trying to make up for what I've held myself back from. Steve Vai thinks one should be at facility after 6 six years. Warren Di Martini of RATT recorded Out of the Cellar after only a few years after getting serious about playing. It just depends on where you want to go with it. I still dazzle people with the same collection of George Lynch solos to this day. I learned those in my first six years.

[jgcable]

Its all about dedication and self motivation. Most guitar players are perfectly happy with being able to just play. You don't seem like that type. That leaves dedication and self motivation. Here is how and when I became an "official" shredder..

I got my first guitar at 13 years old. I had previously been playing classical piano since I was 3. I was a child prodigy on the piano.
It took me probably a year to even be able to play basic blues riffs and chords. I had a terrible guitar and I was playing it through my parents stereo. I had that infamous poster with the acoustic guitar on it and all the scales and modes and chords on it.
I practiced those scales and modes with a metronome until my fingers bled. When they bled I would crazy glue them back together and keep practicing. I also would sit next to the record player and drop the needle on my favority Kiss, Aerosmith, UFO, Ted Nugent, Black Sabbath songs or anything else I had.. Even my dads Beach Boys Records. Again, I played to those bands until my fingers would literally bleed. I would say I practiced 6-8 hours per day during the school week and probably 12-14 hours a day on the weekends. I did that for another 3 years so technically I had 4 years under my belt. That equates (not counting the first year) to 10,296 hours of intense practice.
At that point I feel I was considered a shredder I guess. This was around 1979 and I could play anything including anything from Van Halen 1, any Ace Frehely riffs, Aerosmith, Nugent, Rush, Sabbath. Around that time I was gigging 2 times a week and was considered one of the best guitar players in our area. It took a ton of dedication and self motivation. I think it took another 2 years before I was at the top of my game. This was when I learned everything I needed to learn from SRV. When I added SRV to my neo-classical shredder style it opened everything up. So.. to answer your question.. it took me 6 years. I do feel that 31 years later I am the best I have ever been. Thats because I practice all the time. I never go a single day without playing.