How long does it take to learn guitar? Asked 790 Guitar experts

If you’re new to guitar, you might wonder: “How long will it take to learn?” This question pops up a lot, but honestly, giving an exact answer is really tough.

It depends on a ton of factors. However, to give an idea of how long it can take you to learn guitar, we have done an interesting survey.

We asked more than 1200 guitar experts around the world how long it took them to learn.

From over 805 responses, we reviewed 790 relevant answers to bring you insights. Let’s dive in!

So let’s get started:

Survey Methodology: How we collected the data

Well, we sent out our survey questions to about 1219 guitar experts from around the world. Our team spread on all social media and handpicked guitar experts and reached out to them.

Out of 1219, we got 790 responses, which to be honest not a very huge number but it is enough to conclude.

And to as easy as possible for the respondents to answer, we asked only six and provided options for convenience. These are the questions we asked: 

Q1. How long does it take you to learn guitar from an absolute beginner to an expert in guitar? 

Expert in guitar meaning: The term “expert in guitar” refers to someone who has attained an advanced level of proficiency, skill, and knowledge in playing the instrument. An expert guitarist demonstrates a high degree of mastery in various aspects, including technical skills, musicality, improvisation, and an understanding of music theory. They can effortlessly perform intricate techniques, play diverse genres, create original music, and often contribute significantly to the music community through performances, recordings, or teaching. An expert guitarist’s expertise reflects years of dedicated practice, continuous learning, and a deep understanding of the instrument and its nuances.

Ans: ……. Years and …… Months

Q2. How long does it take you to learn the basics of guitar?

“Basic of guitar”: Learning guitar basics means understanding how to hold the guitar and number its parts. It involves easy strumming, simple chord shapes, changing chords smoothly, and playing basic open chords.

• Up to 3 months
• 3-6 Months
• 6-9 months
• More than 9 Months

Q3. From where you are learning the guitar?

• Learning from online free resources (YouTube and blogs)
• Private Guitar Lessons
• Online Guitar Courses
• Other

Q4. How much time did you spend per day learning it?

• 10-20 minutes
• 20-30 minutes
• 30 minutes – 1 hr.
• Not fixed

Q5. Why are you learning guitar?

• Love for music: Passion for music and a desire to express creativity through playing an instrument.
• Inspiration from Favorite Artists: Influence from admired musicians or guitarists, aspiring to emulate their style or sound.
• Personal Development and Hobby: Seeking personal growth or a new hobby, exploring self-expression through music.
• Social Connection and Enjoyment: Using music as a means to connect with others, enjoying the social aspect of playing in a group, jamming with friends.
• Others

Q6. What were your common frustrations?

• Fingering chords
• Strumming techniques
• Patience and progress
• Fretboard navigation
• Others

So these were the questions we asked in your survey and here are the results we got.

​Factors affecting how much time it will take anyone to learn guitar

As mentioned earlier, the time it will take you to learn guitar depends on a ton of factors that are not measurable but there are some that can be measured and we are to break it down here and it correlates with it.

1: How much time you spend per day learning it

One of the main factors is obviously how much time you spend per day learning it.

• Among those who spent 10-20 minutes daily, the journey to expertise took nearly 9 years, but this option was chosen by only 7.7% of individuals.
• Moving on to the 20-30 minute category, comprising 36% of respondents. These diligent individuals honed their skills over 7 years and 2 months.
• While those who practice guitar for 30 minutes- 1 hour become experts in less than 5 years. 4 years and 11 months to be exact. 36% of respondents chose this option.
• The dedicated bunch, spending more than 1 hour per day, achieved mastery in a swift 2 years and 11 months – a notably short duration.
• On the contrary, those who adopted a more relaxed and inconsistent approach took 4 years and 6 months to reach expert status, accounting for 17% of the participants.

So one thing is clear, the more time you spend practicing it, the faster you will learn it. But focus, dedication, and passion also play a crucial role in it.

2: From where you are learning it

Believe it or not, where you are learning guitar is a super important factor in how fast and better you will learn it.

• First up, the free learners – those hitting up YouTube or reading blogs. They put in a solid 7 years and 1 month to become experts. And get this, a whopping 55% of folks went this route.
• On the flip side, those opting for private guitar lessons speed up the process, hitting expert status in just 2 years and 11 months.
• While individuals who learn it through online courses take 4 years and 7 months to go from a beginner to an expert.
• And for those who went down the ‘other’ path, whatever that may be, it took them 5 years and 3 months to master the strings.

So, yeah, where you learn matters. Free options might take a bit more time, but they’re pretty popular. Private lessons and online courses, on the other hand, are like the fast lanes to becoming an expert. Now, for the bold ones exploring unconventional paths, it seems they hit their stride in a bit over 5 years.

Others asked questions and their responses

As mentioned earlier, we all in total asked 6 questions. While 3 of them are directly related to the take, it has taken them to become an expert. Here are the responses to three other questions that are indirectly related.

Time to learn the basics:

• 19% of the experts reported that they take less than 3 months to crack the basics of a guitar. 
• And nearly half, 45% out of 790 experts responded that they took 3-6 months to get the basics.
• A quarter, 25%, took 6-9 months.
• 11% took more than 9 months to nail basics.

Now, let me tell you that those who mastered the basics in less than 6 months tended to practice for over 30 minutes and learned from private guitar lessons or online courses.

Why learn guitar:

If you are reading this post from the start then you may remember that we have asked a few fun questions such as “Why you are learning guitar” to actually know that people are actually learning and here we found;

• We found that 39% jumped into the guitar world because of their deep love for music.
• And 15% were those who were inspired by their favorite artist.
• While 14% of them pursued guitar because of personal development and hobby.
• 22% picked up the strings for social connection and pure enjoyment.
• And a cool 10% had their own reasons, something not covered in the options.

Common frustration while learning guitar:

Frustration can really mess up your guitar learning journey. It could be struggling to hold the guitar or getting your fingers on the right chords. In our survey, we asked the pros what bugs them when learning, and here’s what they said:

• 29% of the guitar experts reported that fingering chords were their most common frustration.
• While 17% of them say that strumming techniques were their enemy.
• And 27% of the experts have the frustration of patience and progress.
• 12% encountered difficulties navigating the fretboard.
• 15% had some other unique frustrations.

How can you learn guitar fast?

So, now you know how much time it can take you to learn guitar. So how you can speed up the process and become an expert in it faster? Here is what you need to do:

1: Learn the basics first

Learning the basics first is very crucial for learning a guitar quickly. This involves familiarizing yourself with fundamental concepts before diving into more advanced techniques. 

Building a strong base ensures a better understanding of the instrument and enhances your overall progress. It might take you more or less half a year to get the basics.

Typically, it could take about six months to get the basics right. From our survey, we discovered that 64% of experts managed to nail the fundamentals in under six months, even with less than 30 minutes of practice per day.

So if you don’t know how don’t know how to play it, learn from our guide: How to play a guitar for beginners?

2: Practice daily and be consistent

John Adams said that “practice makes a man perfect”.

So the longer you practice the higher your chance will be to learn it quickly. But you should not overdo it. 

Spending excessively long hours, like playing for 10 hours straight, might lead to burnout. Instead, aim for a reasonable practice routine, such as 2 or 3 hours daily.

Breaking up your practice time into smaller sessions can make it more enjoyable and manageable. 

For instance, if your goal is 3 hours of practice each day, consider splitting it into 1-hour sessions in the morning, afternoon, and evening. This approach can help maintain focus and prevent fatigue while enhancing your learning experience.

3: Learn from a reputable guitar learning source or course

Choosing a reputable and credible guitar learning source or course can significantly impact your learning process. There are various resources available, such as online courses, private lessons, or tutorials on platforms like YouTube.

Reputable sources often provide structured and well-organized lessons designed by experienced instructors. They offer a systematic approach, ensuring you build a strong foundation before moving on to more complex aspects of guitar playing.

If you want to learn it faster then go for one-on-one guitar coaching this is the best way to learn guitar faster. You can also go for guitar courses. 

4: Identify and tackle frustrations:

When you’re learning guitar, it’s key to figure out what’s bugging you. It might be struggling with those chord fingerings, having a tough time with strumming, or just feeling like you’re not improving fast enough. 

Once you know what’s holding you back, you can work on fixing it. You could try breaking down tricky stuff into smaller steps, watching tutorials, getting help from a teacher, practicing regularly, and keeping a positive vibe about your learning.

Learn more: 14 Scientifically Proven Ways to learn the guitar faster

Conclusion

To really nail the guitar, you’ve got to be dedicated and practice regularly. It’s all about putting in the time every day, picking good places to learn from, dealing with what’s bugging you, and knowing why you’re doing this in the first place.

Getting really good might take different amounts of time for different folks, but how much you commit and concentrate makes a big difference in how fast you get there.