How Long Does it Take to Learn Guitar

This might shock you but there is no such thing as “how long does it take to learn guitar”.

I know you came here looking for a number and I am sorry to disappoint you (I truly am) but hey, hear me out.

The learning possibilities are endless.

It depends on your goal.

Do you want to be the next Jimi Hendrix or you just want to play for your happiness?

You see, answering that question, “knowing your goal” will change how long it will take you to learn guitar.

Now, let me try to get you the answer you are looking for – “the magic number”, timeframe in which you will be able to learn guitar.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Guitar?

Learning any skill requires time investment. By that mean, an optimum amount of time should be spent to understand the technique first.

A guitar is not limited to sound box and strings. Multiple things and techniques are there to learn with guitar. For instance, notes, chords, progressions, tabs, and many more.

Besides that, you need to follow guitar terminology. It includes everything from knowing all the parts of the guitar, notes, and reading chord charts to practicing guitar chords and knowing about different types of guitars and strings. 

So, considering all these factors, I would say, it takes 5-8 months to learn guitar and a year to master it. However, the more you practice, the earliest you learn.

I recommend taking time to understand proper techniques without being in rush to slay your guitar. Analyze the period you take to learn. Once you are confident, take a step ahead and learn different skills like fingerstyle or singing and playing guitar at the same time.

There are several benefits of playing guitar. But make sure you learn the instrument properly to enjoy playing.

Your First 1 to 3 Months

In the first few months, your guitar teacher will focus on making your hand functional on the guitar.

This is the time to focus on basic theory and chords.

You will play only the basic open chords like Em, E, A, Am, Dsus2, Cmaj7, and G chords. But these are good enough to make you sound like a Guitarist.

Remember that the beginning is always the hardest.

The legendary guitar icons Slash, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, and Eric Clapton were also beginners at some point. And much to your surprise, they also sucked in it in the initial days.

Your Next 3 to 6 Months

Now you can put aside the boring basic things, and say hello to the complex open chords, for example D minor. Well, things are going to get more interesting now.

Now you will be able to play all the more open chords like D, C, and E.

Most of the beginners opt-out at this point. But you do not have to give up. You have to become Jimi Hendrix. Remember?

Slowly and gradually you will learn to play the chord progression and simple compositions.

Congratulations! you are no longer a newbie!

 

Your Next 6 to 18 Months

There is a saying that “you are eligible to call yourself a guitarist only after six months of playing.”

It takes about 6 months or more to be completely comfortable with a musical instrument. Still, an electrifying guitar solo is a far-fetched dream for most of the learners. Don’t be disheartened. Start exploring the guitar solos and scales. You will be there in no time. You will also benefit from practicing chord progression.

Your Next 2+ Years (Or Less For Some of the Prodigies)

Well, Hello Mr./Ms. Expert Guitarist! Your music sounds so amazing!

In 2 years, you will be able to play almost anything you want. Although, if you are a prodigy like Bass guitarist Mohini Dey, you will shine earlier.

You have already mastered all the chords, including the difficult ones and also the scales.

Now you can pretty much play with the strings and compose your own music.

So how long did it take you to learn the Guitar? 6 months or a year or more? Go back and do the Math, I am not good at it.

My best advice: Practice makes one perfect, so don’t stop practicing.

 

Things You Need to Know Before Starting Guitar Lessons

Just like any other good thing in life, learning to play the guitar takes time. It also depends on a few other things.

1. Establish Your Goals

This may sound like a cliché, but the process of learning never stops. This applies to learning guitar also.

For example, the legendary guitarist Slash used to play 12 hours a day when he was a beginner. Even after such rigorous practice, there will still be something unknown.

That’s why, if you want to learn to play the guitar, you have to establish your goal. You need to know how far you would like to go with that.

If it is just for your own happiness, a basic level of proficiency with 2 hours of practice daily might be enough for you.

On the other hand, if you want to be in a punk band with your friends and only plan on playing a few compositions, intermediate-level guitar learning with 3-4 hours of playing a day would be enough.

And if you dream of becoming a professional guitarist someday in the future, simply, there is no limit to practice. Learn and play the guitar as much as possible.

2. Measure Your Time

Most of the beginners get frustrated with the initial heavy on theory learning sessions and restlessly ask how much time it will take to be able to play songs. Well, this is a very lame and unrealistic metric.

This is entirely dependent on the time you are investing each day. According to professional guitarists, regular practice and evaluation is the key to success.

Your level of learning is directly proportional to the time you are investing in practice. If you practice for two hours a day, it will take you a few months to get accustomed to the nooks and creaks of the guitar.

And if you invest an insane amount of time like Slash or Carlos Santana, nobody knows how far you will reach with that.

3. Choose Your Genre

This is the most important thing to consider before taking guitar lessons. If you don’t choose your genre and play arbitrary music, you will be going nowhere.

Classical guitar is the oldest and technically sound guitar genre. Classical music consists of numerous techniques and music theories.

Jazz guitar is based on improvisation and chord-based playing. It is way simpler but requires excellent auditory skills.

Blues guitar is considered as the most soothing genre of all. Developed by the Afro-American guitarists, it follows blues scales and chords.

R&B music is a combination of blues and Afro-American Jazz music. And the last one, Rock and Pop, is the most popular guitar genre in the modern world. It takes influence from all the guitar genres mentioned above.

4. Timeline of Playing

Before heading out for your first guitar lesson, you need to make a realistic and symbolic calculation of how much time you will be investing to achieve the level of playing you want to achieve.

According to many professional guitarists and guitar teachers, the basic level of learning consists of at least 200-300 hours of playing. This playing level makes you a somewhat decent guitarist, not a seasoned one.

After playing for about 1000-2000 hours, you can consider yourself as an intermediate player who can play easy to moderately tough songs on their own.

You will also have a fairly clear idea of music theory and improvisation.

You will only be considered as a pro in the guitar field if you play for around 5000 hours or more in total. If you can achieve this level, consider yourself a fairly good guitarist.

Well, the next level is considered as the master level. You may enlist your name in the Guitar Hall of Fame by then. However, let’s not think about the bigger picture and take a step towards your goal one day at a time.

 

5. Brace Yourself for Scheduled Practice

The scheduled practice may not be like school timings. But you need to be disciplined if you seriously want to achieve something great. Think it through thoroughly before committing yourself.

If you have made up your mind, buy a calendar and keep it close. Mark off every day you sit for practices. This way, you can get into a routine and keep track of your progress.

How to Learn Guitar Faster and Better?

1. Get Familiar with the Guitar

Now that you have bought your first guitar, the best way to start is to get familiar with your instrument. Learn about all the parts in a guitar and their significance, including the fretboard, neck, tuning peg, hollow guitar body, bridge, and most importantly, strings.

2. Train Your Ears

Be it guitar or any other musical instrument, training your ear for music is an important procedure to learn it. Now that you have decided to learn guitar start listening to music more and more.

Try to analyze your favorite guitar pieces and memorize them. Once you do it, try to match the notes on the guitar. This way, you will understand the tunes and how each note sounds on the fretboard.

3. Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More

A few years back, an interesting study on many musicians showed that musicians who practice every day, even for a few minutes, learn better and faster than people who are irregular with their practices.

So, take time off of your work and start practicing today. Remember that small steps take you a long way.

4. Read Some Theory

I understand that music theory can get boring sometimes, but the reading theory is a must if you want to be a professional guitarist. Music theory gives you a detailed and clear idea of music composition.

It will help you play complex guitar compositions and create your music.

5. Hand Practices

There are times when we see our idols play the guitar so swiftly that they make it seem like an effortless thing. Well, such perfection doesn’t happen in a day; they have practiced for years for such accuracy and perfection.

The only way to make your hands swift is by practicing hand exercises every day. These exercises are fun, simple, and help you build hand dexterity.

For more knowledgeable content, make sure you check out the proven strategies to play guitar faster. 

Does a Guitar Teacher Help?

Sure, you can learn guitar on your own, but till a certain point. There are exceptions, but taking guitar lessons or a teacher’s help from time to time helps you evaluate your progress and rectify your mistakes.

A guitar teacher guides you on your musical journey and helps you learn playing as well as understanding theory. The traditional method of learning, combined with ear training, can do wonders for your guitar skills.

FAQs

How can I teach myself to play guitar?

There are various methods of learning to play the guitar. You can take up the classical learning method where you sit with your guitar teacher and learn. You can also take online guitar classes. Also, YouTube offers numerous free guitar classes. You can also check those out.

How long does it take to learn bass guitar?

The Bass guitar is the most underrated among all the types of guitars. However, it is the backbone of any composition. Learning to play bass guitar is harder than learning to play electric guitar. It takes about a year to learn to play the bass guitar.

Why is learning to play guitar so hard?

Playing the guitar is an acquired skill. It takes a lot of practice and dedication. Also, guitar learning requires flexible hands; that’s why it is hard to learn at first. But, you will find it easy if you practice it regularly.

Conclusion

I hope you have got a fair idea of how long it takes to learn how to play the guitar. However, if you are passionate about learning to play the guitar, don’t set a time limit.

Also, age is not a barrier. If you have the sheer will, you can learn to play the guitar at any time.

I wish you the best in your musical journey!