On another thread on a very similar subject, I posted the follow (seems like it would also be appropriate here):—

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I took in Doc Watson's guitar workshop at the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1964. Two clues from the Doctor himself:--

Fellow asks: "How did you learn to flatpick that fast and smooth?" The Doctor: "Well, I practice scales about a half an hour every day."

(Sixty some-odd aspiring folk guitarists suck in a breath of air and look horrified)

Fellow asks: "Can you tell us what you do when you're finger-picking?"
The Doctor: "I don't really know how to describe it. It's kind of an arpeggio." (big grin) "'Course, I'm not supposed to know words like that."

(Sixty some-odd aspiring folk guitarists writhe and moan in great distress)

I guess it's like the old gag about "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?"

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Also, pay special heed to what Jon Freeman and Justa Picker say directly above. Slightly different category of music, but I think message applies: a few years ago on a local classical music station, they played quite a number of cuts of a new classic guitarist who had just appeared on the scene. He had an attack like a Flamenco guitarist and he played everything about thirty percent faster that it should be played, including slow, beautifully lyrical stuff--which was not beautifully lyrical the way he played it. Fantastic technician! But he wasn't playing music, he was just playing notes. Lots and lots of notes. I never hear much about the guy anymore.

Don Firth