How long would it take to reach grade 8 in music theory, guitar, violin and piano?

I've never practised or learned music at all in my life, but I've always wanted to learn the above mentioned three instruments but the years just passed by and I was lazy, but now I feel like doing it because there are just too many pieces of music in my head I feel like playing rather than listening like I've always done, so...

how long would it take if I practised like 1 - 2 hours per day? I know this sounds ridiculous and stupid probably because it's extremely difficult, but I just wanted an answer even if it's not possible to do in like, fifty years.

Thanks!

I play two instruments and it took me 6 years to reach grade 8 on one of them and 8 on the other. As a general rule, people tend to do a grade a year, but if you're good at your instrument or ambitious you can sometimes skip one or two along the way.

As for the theory, is there any particular reason you want to get up to G8 theory? I have mine - but G5 is enough for most things you'll ever need to do musically. G8 theory is quite difficult and will take a long time to study for if you have no current grasp of even the basics such as notes on the stave. I passed my G8 theory when I was 22, and had been (slowly) working through the practice books since I was 8 when I was learning violin - which I only did for two years.

I would honestly say that it would take you about ten years to do what you want to do, unless you can dedicate every second of your time to it, but you also have to take into account that you can't just sit your exams whenever you want. There are sittings just like A Levels, and where I live they were November and May, so you can't really rush through as much as you seem to want to unless as mentioned you skip grades.

Rather than start out with the aim of getting all four of those to Grade 8 or above, I'd say you're better off focussing on getting one instrument (and the relevant amount of theory) to Grade 8 or above first, because Grade 8 is by no means the 'end' of musical training. I did my Grade 8 in Piano 18 months ago, and have found the months since then so much more fulfilling musically, because you can build your répertoire exactly as you like, rather than plugging away at the three set pieces from an exam board. It took me 7 years to do that (from age 10), doing Grades 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8.

If you can do something similar to this, you will then have a realistic understanding of how much more effort it will take to get the other instruments to this level, and whether you'd rather hone just the one or two you have already under your belt by this point. Personally, I've chosen to just stick with Piano and am currently tackling Chopin's Études.

Tl;dr It's probably better to learn one instrument (I'd suggest Piano as it's so versatile) to above Grade 8 first, rather than possibly floundering under trying to do too much and being discouraged by relative a lack of progess compared to trying to master just one.

A long time, but doable.

Start on your piano and music theory first - that should give you a good grounding. I wouldn't try doing all four at once, and you'll definitely need to do more than 1-2 hours of practise a day. You'll probably need to be doing that per instrument.

You can probably get your grade 5 music theory (what is needed to do grade 6 and above on other instruments) in a year. I would skip other theory grades prior.

It will depend on the person, but I'd say you might be able to do one grade per year on maybe two instruments. So that is at least 16 years, unless you focus all of your time towards it and skip a few grades.

You're gonna need a lot of time, a great teacher, and an awful lot of spare cash as it is a very expensive investment.

I've never practised or learned music at all in my life, but I've always wanted to learn the above mentioned three instruments but the years just passed by and I was lazy, but now I feel like doing it because there are just too many pieces of music in my head I feel like playing rather than listening like I've always done, so...

how long would it take if I practised like 1 - 2 hours per day? I know this sounds ridiculous and stupid probably because it's extremely difficult, but I just wanted an answer even if it's not possible to do in like, fifty years.

Thanks!

So for grade 5 theory, don't you like, need to know the things from the previous grades? I mean, I know basically nothing about music.

The reason I want to do theory from all the grades is to get a perfect knowledge of the things I will play (or shouldn't you need it?) from the three instruments. But apparently, it doesn't seem to be essential as the other answers here have talked about skipping whole grades ahead.

To play the pieces for your grade 8, you won't really need to complete any theory tests to know what you're doing (although you do need G5 to enter the exam) because the knowledge you'll need you'll just have picked up as you go along. Theory exams aren't linked to the practical exams grade by grade, and any theory knowledge needed for any of the exams is relatively simple.

To pass your G8 theory you have to have a rock solid knowledge of really tricky aspects of music which, unless you're going to go for a career in music, there's no reason on this earth to know. I found it ridiculous and only just scraped a pass, but I guess I'm glad I've got it.

I’m not a very high level musician but even after playing the violin for 5 years I couldn’t skip any further than to Grade 2 theory. I will be honest - in my opinion you’re best off at least flicking through the basics.

If you want to do it id say between 8+ years, but could be less. I play the piano and it has taken me 10/11 years to get to a grade 8 standard (though 3/4 years I didn't do anything OOPS) But once you understand one instrument it makes it a lot easier to go through the grades quickly. Id strongly recommend to learn the piano first as it'll make reading treble on violin and guitar so much easier. You only need grade 5 theory, though I've heard some music schools make you do grade 6, and if you go through the books while learning the instruments, it'll make the work and the playing a lot easier too.
Really depends how much time you have though. During GCSEs I tried to make sure I practised at least an 1ish a day and the same for the violin, but I had to prioritse my exams.
If you get stuck with piano, violin or theory (can't help with guitar) leave me a message, and good luck-it wont take you fifty years!

So for grade 5 theory, don't you like, need to know the things from the previous grades? I mean, I know basically nothing about music.

I've never practised or learned music at all in my life, but I've always wanted to learn the above mentioned three instruments but the years just passed by and I was lazy, but now I feel like doing it because there are just too many pieces of music in my head I feel like playing rather than listening like I've always done, so...

how long would it take if I practised like 1 - 2 hours per day? I know this sounds ridiculous and stupid probably because it's extremely difficult, but I just wanted an answer even if it's not possible to do in like, fifty years.

Thanks!

You can’t play two instruments at once. I agree with the people who’ve said that you should start with theory and one instrument (piano). Even if you learn guitar in your free time, once you can do Grade 3 guitar pieces (classical, electric AND acoustic) you can probably strum along to the majority of songs, which is all you really need to be able to do to say you can play guitar.

Grade 8 isn’t everything. You can learn to play more than one instrument at a time, but getting to Grade 8 on multiple instruments at one time is hard.

Maybe it's not 100% the most efficient way but it's definitely possible if you are willing to work for it and put the time in. I've been playing the piano for a year and a half and the violin for a half year and I'm level 8 on piano and 3 on violin. I also just started the cello, and that's coming along nicely too. Like I mean maybe it doesn't work for people who don't have a lot of time, but I can handle multiple instruments at once perfectly fine