We have to define "good". Lets define "good" as able to perform without error on 12 tunes. Like a set. And specify bass guitar. We'll forgive elements such as feeling, drive, nuance - just execution to support a unit or band.
I'd say that is achievable by the average person after 500 hrs of [effective] structured practice and rehearsal. That doesn't sound like much. But what happens, is folks think about practicing, watch the calendar elapse, spend time shopping, spend time on forums, pickup their instrument almost daily, hit a few lines or repeat a favorite tune, go to a 30 minute practice partially prepared once a week [missing about every fourth week] and feel like they are "practicing". In actuality, they are getting 1-2 hours a week of actual new-material, new-faculty challenge and accomplishment that will advance their ability from where it was the day or week before. At that rate, they will hit the 500 hr threshold in 5-10 years, if they last that long.
I sympathize with those who don't feel like they are moving fast enough. However it always comes down to the one single behavior at play. Those familiar with band and orchestra programs, have seen untalented, average students go on to perform functionally in a couple years, without a lot of diligence, and less practicing at home. Its because they are getting daily structured, instruction at school, and those hours add up.
I feel for the private student who goes to instruction 30 minutes a week, and maybe picks up an instrument a half hour a day. That model doesn't work well, even though its the convention. Those that succeed at that model (10%?) do so by exception, because they either are highly talented, or, they cheat and actually practice 2 hrs a day almost every day, and hit the 500 hours in that first year. Some obsessed, undistracted young folks with nothing but free time, can hit 500 hours in a few months. And that's 500 hours of hurting your head at things you can't yet perform, not 500 hours of noodling the same stuff.
For adults, its very difficult to get in hours of real challenging practice, due to other demands. I'd say that's the barrier for most. You have to make a choice about your time, and you have to endure and embrace the very unpleasant task of new material and exercises, that make you feel and sound not good. And if you only have a half hour, you don't want to do the hard stuff, you want the gratification of sounding pleasant, so you default to something that doesn't need practice. The time crunch causes this circular behavior.
I always ask prospective students if they can dedicate 2hrs a day, 5 days a week for lessons, in exchange for practicing at home. That pretty much identifies who isn't going to make it. If you can't make the time for instruction, you'll never make the time for practice at home. That's the choice.
I'd say that is achievable by the average person after 500 hrs of [effective] structured practice and rehearsal. That doesn't sound like much. But what happens, is folks think about practicing, watch the calendar elapse, spend time shopping, spend time on forums, pickup their instrument almost daily, hit a few lines or repeat a favorite tune, go to a 30 minute practice partially prepared once a week [missing about every fourth week] and feel like they are "practicing". In actuality, they are getting 1-2 hours a week of actual new-material, new-faculty challenge and accomplishment that will advance their ability from where it was the day or week before. At that rate, they will hit the 500 hr threshold in 5-10 years, if they last that long.
I sympathize with those who don't feel like they are moving fast enough. However it always comes down to the one single behavior at play. Those familiar with band and orchestra programs, have seen untalented, average students go on to perform functionally in a couple years, without a lot of diligence, and less practicing at home. Its because they are getting daily structured, instruction at school, and those hours add up.
I feel for the private student who goes to instruction 30 minutes a week, and maybe picks up an instrument a half hour a day. That model doesn't work well, even though its the convention. Those that succeed at that model (10%?) do so by exception, because they either are highly talented, or, they cheat and actually practice 2 hrs a day almost every day, and hit the 500 hours in that first year. Some obsessed, undistracted young folks with nothing but free time, can hit 500 hours in a few months. And that's 500 hours of hurting your head at things you can't yet perform, not 500 hours of noodling the same stuff.
For adults, its very difficult to get in hours of real challenging practice, due to other demands. I'd say that's the barrier for most. You have to make a choice about your time, and you have to endure and embrace the very unpleasant task of new material and exercises, that make you feel and sound not good. And if you only have a half hour, you don't want to do the hard stuff, you want the gratification of sounding pleasant, so you default to something that doesn't need practice. The time crunch causes this circular behavior.
I always ask prospective students if they can dedicate 2hrs a day, 5 days a week for lessons, in exchange for practicing at home. That pretty much identifies who isn't going to make it. If you can't make the time for instruction, you'll never make the time for practice at home. That's the choice.
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