Is this seriously necessary?

[777]

ok so some of my guitar idols ie steve vai rusty cooley paul gilbert have ben known to have locked themselves up and practice hours and days on end to achieve thier level of musical ability damn they all became reclusive for that period, is this really what im going to have to at sometime do if iever want to play that well, its bummin me out atm

 

[Chris]

How long have you been playing?

I've been playing ~18 years, and I consider myself decent. I woodshedded a lot when I was younger, but nowadays the only practicing I actually do is just running scales when I warm up.

If you want to get THAT good, yeah, you'll need to practice your ass off. There's a reason they're held in such high regard.

 

[distressed_romeo]

To begin with, yes. Unfortunately you do have to put the hours in if you want to develop your chops. As you develop you may be able to ease off, but you'll get out of the guitar what you put into it.
What may help if your time is limited, is to plan your practice regime out before hand, working on the aspects of your playing that are holding you back. If you do 2-4 hours a day like that, you'll improve far faster than if you spend 8 hours a day just messing around on the guitar.

 

[Chris]

To begin with, yes. Unfortunately you do have to put the hours in if you want to develop your chops. As you develop you may be able to ease off, but you'll get out of the guitar what you put into it.
What may help if your time is limited, is to plan your practice regime out before hand, working on the aspects of your playing that are holding you back. If you do 2-4 hours a day like that, you'll improve far faster than if you spend 8 hours a day just messing around on the guitar.

Most importantly, don't practice so much that it becomes a job. If you aren't enjoying it, put it down and go do something else, or just kick back and forge a little metal.

 

[lachrymose]

necessary?

To do that sort of thing, i imagine you'd have to WANT to do it. Kind of like wanting to lose weight i guess.

Although i wouldn't object to being locked in a studio for a week straight and left to go nuts with my best friend.