How Long Does It Take To Learn Guitar

By Gandharva Learnings   |    January 14, 2025
90% of beginners quit learning guitar within their first year, according to Fender’s statistics

Learning the guitar is a fulfilling journey, but many beginners quit within the first year without making significant progress. To avoid this, it’s crucial to understand the time required, set realistic expectations, and prepare your mind for the challenges ahead. This blog will guide you with essential tips to stay motivated and achieve lasting progress.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Guitar?

While mastery of the guitar may take around 10,000 hours (according to Fender), becoming a skilled player and reaching 95% proficiency requires much less time. Here’s how the journey typically unfolds:

  • Beginner to Advanced Beginner: With consistent practice and effort, this stage takes about 6 months to 1 year.
  • Intermediate Player: After 1 year of consistent playing, guitar practice starts feeling natural, like eating when you’re hungry.

Advanced Player and Beyond: Continued dedication leads to creativity, composition, and expertise over time.

Stages of Learning Guitar

Understanding the stages of learning guitar gives you a roadmap to success. With proper guidance, progressing through these stages becomes much smoother.

Success is a function of both hard work and consistency

Till you reach the level of an advanced beginner, you’ll need to push yourself to practice regularly, even when your mind resists. However, once you reach the intermediate level, practicing guitar becomes a habit you enjoy. Along with hard work, consistency is the key. You can remember this beautiful statement by Bill Gates:
People overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year

Tips to Make Lasting Progress

Here are some actionable tips to help you succeed:

1. Set Clear Goals

  • Short-Term Goals: Weekly goals keep you on track and motivated.
  • Long-Term Goals: Monthly objectives give you a vision of where you’re headed.

2. Balance Quantity and Quality

  • Practice regularly, but ensure your practice sessions are focused and efficient.
  • Avoid falling into the “Forever Beginner” trap by focusing on learning correctly.

3. Learn Under Guidance

  • A good teacher is truly invaluable. If you ever face challenges, we’ll guide you through different methods to help you overcome them. At Gandharva School of Music, we prioritize personalized learning and offer a range of approaches designed to ensure you find the one that works best for you, making your musical journey enjoyable and effective.

4. Consistency Over Intensity

  • Success is a combination of hard work and consistency. Even small, daily efforts lead to remarkable progress.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Learning the Wrong Notes or Keys
Incorrect learning can set you back significantly, hindering your progress in ways you may not even realize. It’s crucial to cross-check and verify the quality of your lessons to avoid developing bad habits. Therefore, always seek guidance from a coach with official certifications from renowned music institutions like Trinity, RSL, or ABRSM
to ensure you’re receiving the highest standard of education and advancing in the right direction.

2. Underestimating Time and Effort
Learning the guitar is a process. Be patient with yourself, and trust the journey.

Conclusion

Learning guitar is a journey of perseverance and joy. Set your goals, focus on consistent practice, and don’t be discouraged by challenges. As you progress, you’ll find that the guitar becomes not just an instrument, but an extension of yourself. Stay determined, and
remember: Success is a function of both hard work and consistency.

Happy strumming! 🎸