One question we hear again and again from guitar students at the Liverpool Academy is this: How long does it take to learn guitar? In other words, our aspiring guitarists want a rough timeline that details how far they will progress, and how long it will take.

Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this question. In this article, we’ll shed some light on a few factors that will determine how long it will take YOU to reach your guitar playing goals. Let’s get started.

What is your goal?

‘Learn the guitar’ is a pretty vague goal. In fact, many experienced guitar players with thousands and thousands of hours of practice under their belts may still feel as though they have plenty more to learn.

So, instead of making ‘learn the guitar’ your goal, get specific. For example, you might like to be able to play your favourite song, progress to Grade Eight of the Trinity College London system, or simply learn three chords.

Once you’ve set a goal, you can formulate a plan to take meaningful steps toward achieving it. If it’s a particular song you’d like to learn, you’ll need to purchase the music, and tackle the composition one section at a time. Completing the Trinity College London system is a little more involved and will take much longer. You’ll need to master every Grade and pass your exams.

Try breaking your guitar goal down into smaller goals. This should help you get some idea of how long it will take to turn your dream into a reality.

How much guitar playing experience do you have already?

Let’s say your goal is to complete Grade Eight of the Trinity College London system. How long this will take will depend on how far you have already progressed.

For example, if you have zero guitar playing experience, it may take years for you to reach your goal. If, however, you’ve just passed your Grade Seven exam, you are much closer to achieving this goal.

If you are a beginner and have set a pretty significant goal for yourself, it’s a good idea to take it one step at a time. As we mentioned above, break down your major goal into smaller goals. That way, you can track how far you are progressing.

Do you have access to quality resources?

Learning guitar isn’t an easy task, and if you don’t have access to quality resources, it can be near impossible to develop a sound playing technique and understanding of music.

Whatever your guitar playing goal, it’s a good idea to invest in learning properly. You can find top quality online guitar lessons, or you can visit your nearest music school for face-to-face classes.

Learn guitar in Sydney

If you live in the Sydney region, we invite you to learn guitar with us, the Liverpool Academy of Music. We use the coveted Trinity College London method to help our students reach their goals and become creative, well-rounded musicians. Call 02 9602 9774 today to book one-on-one lessons or fill out the form on this page and we’ll call you.