For most people, it usually takes three years to tear down all the foundations. That said, when you have all the fundamentals as a singer, you'll be a very good singer. The voice is one of those instruments in which simply laying the foundations is such a task that most people never get to that point. If you are looking to go beyond the basics and learn to distort the voice, extend the voice from your chest as much as possible, etc.
It may take another 2 years of diligent practice to lower that. How long does it take to learn to sing? Exactly ten months and three days. If you think it sounds weird, you're right. Some people are born with very little vocal ability, while others are naturally gifted singers.
But everyone, from the shyest shower singers to the professionals, can always learn more about singing. You may have heard the phrase that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. Malcolm Gladwell, author of the bestseller Outliers, says that 20 hours a week for ten years will help you achieve this. The number of hours you spend on your singing practice can make a big difference in the amount of time it takes to improve.
If you want to practice singing only once a week for about an hour, it will take you more than a few months to learn the basics. If you already have the basics of some of the critical areas, you won't need to spend as many hours. If you spend an hour every day, you'll have a better chance of being good in a few months or a year. Mastering the art of singing may or may not be the same as becoming a good singer, in your opinion, but use it to get a general indicator of how many hours you need to devote to achieve the desired level of greatness (or goodness).
But didn't we just say that there is such a thing as practicing too much? True, and an amateur singer who belts in his car a tune that is out of reach for 2 hours is significantly different from that of a trained vocalist who practices for 2 hours. Some of you may have heard of the 10,000-hour rule, according to which it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything.