(Coffee warning on this one.  Might just want to bring the whole pot over to the computer..)

@Fiddlestix:  Sorry Ken, you're either about 14 yrs too late, or 16 yrs, depending on how you want to figure it.  16 yrs ago, my band was one of several on a compilation album of "underground" bands in the region that was put out by a small indie record company.  No great fame or fortune from that (though it did get us some gigs and a little local media attention). Not a lot of money from that, compilations are more for promotion of working bands than money from sales.  But as I recall, there were about 800 copies sold through normal record stores.  I recorded and did the rough engineering on my own band's tracks, though it was sent out to a professional studio for final mix, mastering and post production.

Then about 14 yrs ago, I self produced a 4 song "mini-album".  That started as just my class project when I was taking digital studio in college.  But I happened to run into a promoter who wanted to hear it.  He said he knew what niche to angle the marketing at, and he'd take me on as a client for 12%.  Or for 20%, he'd do "heavy push" and get me "in the money".  Well.  Doing some fast calculation, I was making nothing with it at the time.  20% of nothings is.. Nothing!   So it sounded like a it was worth a try.  Sure enough, he got me some CD sales.  Nothing huge, but def a little bit to encourage and be a little proud of.  More importantly though, he got me listeners and some market and even got my music to "break" on a few offbeat charts.  I did get to making a bit of money.  So he'd been right that that % of nothing wouldn't be nothing for long.  He knew his business.

Then I got contacted by a lady in Italy who was a manager and wanted 12% to take me on as a client.  Well, it had worked once.  I couldn't imagine what an agent in another country could do for me when I don't travel and couldn't afford to travel, but what the heck.  What she could and did do was get my stuff played in clubs in other countries, and get me invites to come and participate in music festivals in Europe.  I couldn't really afford it, but it was sure fun getting the occasional invite.  And my promoter was able to use that sort of thing to get me some more listeners.  Depending on how you market, listeners and etc can be more money in royalties than you can make in actual CD sales.

I didn't get rich or famous,  I think I cleared maybe 2500 in my best year.  But it paid some bills, and it bought me a brand new computer back then and a new midi keyboard/controller and I got to have the pleasure of composing playing and recording on some gear bought with money from music I wrote and recorded from home.

So, sorry Ken.  You kinda missed the boat on my first albums, anyway.  LOL

And sorry for going a bit long-winded on my past exploits, but I thought it seemed you might have the impression that I was talking through my hat or perhaps I hadn't ever done this sort of thing myself before. 

Now on the 6-12 months part of your reply.  It depends on the person, how motivated they are, how talented, and how hard they work.  How much they are willing to learn.  I know that one of the bands on the compilation album I mentioned had a bass player who had only been playing about 4 months.  She did a very creditable job and was solid, a good player.  She was in her early 20s, had a job and was going to college full time.  And bear in mind, that 4 months had been 4 months with two or three 4 hr+ length band rehearsals a week and probably a good bit of practice on her own.  That's definitely a bit different than 15 min a day doing scales and Mary Had a little Lamb.  But my point would be "Not impossible."  As I recall from the bio and etc, it was her first time learning an instrument/music.

Anyway, after a couple of years, I fell out of the biz.  I was tired and there was stuff going on in my personal and home life that had to come ahead of my music and my own projects.  And for 10 yrs or so I sort of just drifted and felt like a bit of a has-been.   But then I got one of these silly little violin/fiddle things.. And getting to be a noob again, I started practising regular again and thinking on how the different instruments I play could work together in multi-track recordings and some new ideas for songs kicking around.  Since I've been buying instruments and working on songs again and dusting off my old recording gear and all, I reckon I may not quite be dead yet and may be fixing to take another swing at it.

Now, if everybody didn't fall asleep during the long-winded and (I feel) self serving recounting of some highlights of my "musical career", there's an important point to notice.  Being on a compilation album did some good for my band.  It got us a bit of attention and some gigs we wouldn't have gotten without it.  And if I hadn't just happened to have a small project recording "in the can" when I met someone who said he was a promoter and asked if I had anything he could hear.. That wouldn't have gone anywhere.

If you even daydream of music taking you beyond the walls of your bedroom/living-room/kitchen or wherever it is that you practice, you need at least a demo recording. 

Sorry to hear your first record didn't do so well, Ken.  But you have some years of experience on you now, and you definitely have some talent.. I really think you should at least consider maybe giving it one more try?

@FiddleDetroit: My experiences with the local studios in years gone by weren't so good.  That's why I decided to put money into gear and a bit of education on recording instead of more money into them.  In a small town, it may not be the best option for advice.  But these days, with the internet, it is possible now and then to hunt up the address of some engineers and producers, and some of them will reply to a polite emailed question.  Sometimes a few of them may even take a little time over a few days to "mentor" you a bit in some aspects of recording or the mix, if you can send them some samples of what you're doing so they can hear what you still need to learn.  Never know who might take a little time to help you out until you ask.