Am I Too Old to Learn Guitar?
Am I Too Old to Learn Guitar?
This is one of the most common questions people ask when they think about picking up a guitar later in life:
“Am I too old to start?”
The short answer: No. You’re not.
Age is not the barrier many believe it to be.
In fact, learning an instrument as an adult often comes with advantages that younger learners don’t have. You’ve got life experience, self-awareness, patience, and the ability to set your own goals. You understand why you want to learn and that alone puts you ahead.
If your older the chance is you are in an amazing place to learn the guitar. You understand patience and perseverance where younger people fail. You likely have the time to devote to your chosen passion.
Where the “Too Old” Myth Comes From
Most of the myth comes from how we view childhood learning. Kids are great at absorbing information, so there’s this idea that if you didn’t start guitar at age 8, you’ve missed your chance. But playing guitar is not like learning gymnastics or professional athletics you’re not relying on peak physical performance.
Guitar is a skill, and skills are built through consistent, intentional practice something adults are particularly good at.
What does help:
- Daily habits, even small ones
- Enjoying the music you’re learning
- Having realistic expectations
- Understanding that progress is gradual but cumulative
None of these are age-dependent. Your desire and passion to learn the guitar which maybe a long time dream that has been put aside to devote your energies to family and work. Now its your time to play!
Advantages of Learning Guitar as an Adult
Many adult learners don’t just learn guitar they learn in a deeper, more meaningful way.
You likely:
- Choose music that matters to you, which keeps you motivated
- Appreciate progress, instead of expecting perfection
- Understand discipline and can pace yourself
- Know how you learn best visual, ear, repetition, etc.
Adults tend to learn in a way that is more thoughtful and purposeful.
There’s no rushing. There’s no pressure. Just curiosity and enjoyment.
Your ability to plan and devote time to your new passion is the beginning of an amazing journey. Let me suggest you read a few articles here on DreamingGuitar.com to help you in your path to guitar.
Lets touch on posts you would find useful in the beginning.
- What guitar should I choose? Acoustic or Electric?
- Do I need to learn to read music to play guitar?
- Basic Guitar Setup is worth while and Why!
- Play hundreds of songs with these 4 chords!
- How to keep your guitar in tune.
Realistic Expectations Matter
What does progress look like for an adult beginner?
- First month: You’ll learn your first chords, basic strumming, and maybe even play along with a simple song. Work on playing a chord cleanly then transition to a new chord.
- Three months: You’ll see real comfort forming chords, smoother transitions, and confidence. Your rhythm should be developing as well by now.
- One year: If you stay consistent, you’ll be able to play entire songs you love — cleanly, comfortably, and with your own style. If you practice for 20 minutes every day by the end of the year you should play as well as the best guitarist you can name. Yes, 20 minutes per day consistently!
The key word is consistent. Not perfect. Not fast.
Just consistent.
Those who practice 10–20 minutes a day progress faster than those who do a single two-hour practice once a week. This has been proven time and time again so less but more is a great way to learn. Sure you can do more but 20 minutes per day will make you amazing in no time!
Stories of Older Learners
Countless people start guitar in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond:
- A man who picked up guitar at 55 to play songs at his daughter’s wedding.
- A woman who began at 62 and now plays weekly acoustic sessions with friends.
- Many who simply play at home for personal enjoyment and stress relief.
Guitar isn’t just about “learning songs.” Songs are great to play though!
It’s about expression, confidence, creativity, and even mindfulness.
These things become more meaningful as we get older not less.
Final Thoughts
If the desire to learn is there, that’s all the qualification you need.
You don’t need natural talent.
You don’t need to be young.
You don’t need to be “musical.”
You just need to start and keep going.
Pick up the guitar.
Strum a chord.
Play your first song slowly, clumsily, imperfectly and enjoy the process.
It’s never too late to make music.
Personal Perspective My Journey in Guitar.
I first picked up the guitar when I was 12 but really didn’t get anywhere. All I wanted to do is play a song. There was no internet in the 70s and the guitar teacher I had was more interested in us learning music than songs and in a year or more where I walked several kilometres to get to or from the guitar teacher I was disappointed!
I strummed on occasion but never learnt a song I could play!
Roll on to 1990 I was employed by BAe Systems and went to work in Saudi Arabia of all places in the world. If your interested, jump over to Letsflyvfr.com and read my ABOUT page to learn more.
I had been there a few years and occasionally picked up my old Les Paul Custom copy my parents bought me for $90 with an amp when I was 12. It was not going to cut the required sound quality so I drove 8 hours from my our home down the 7,000 ft mountains we lived on to go to Jeddah! There I purchased a 1996 Gibson Les Paul Standard in ebony. I still have it today some 30 years latter.
I made friends with a few people who were interested in playing in a band. Over a bit of time we put a band together which forced me to go into TURBO mode learning guitar.
I knew the chords and Barr chords but my desire was to play lead guitar. Riffs, fills and solos is where I wanted to be. We had three guitarists in the band, a drummer as well as a bass player. A couple of different singers and away we went.
I played rhythm and others played the lead guitar but all the while I was learning the Pentatonic scale, learning more about modes and so much more. I would get up at 4.30 am and grab breakfast and head into our spare room to play along with songs we had chosen on tapes and write songs down for the band before leaving for work at around 6am.
I was the one who listened and found the chords, riffs and lyrics for our band. It was incredibly good experience. I got to the point I could listen to a song and nearly see the solo or riff being played in my head when listening. I would generally know if I was capable of playing it or not right then.
This passion drove me to eventually due to musical differences leave that band and create a new band of my own. It was awesome. We were all very new and being on our own playing open mikes together helped us get more experience.
We played songs like Hotel California where I played all the solos myself. It was a watershed moment in my guitar life. We went on t0 play Guns n Rose’s Sweet Child of mine and Knocking on heavens door which were great to play.
So to end my little story of my journey in guitar from 12 to 63 the message is it doesn’t matter about your age if you have the passion. If your older the chances of applying yourself and achieving your desired guitar proficiency I would suggest are considerably higher when your older than younger.
I wish you all the best because you have taken the first step and decided to find out more! I believe your already on your guitar journey! All the best and I wish you every success.
The Author.
Brendon McAliece is a multi lingual expatriate Australian living in Thailand who speaks Thai, a number of its dialects and Lao. He has been playing guitar since he was 12 and continues to do so to this day.
He has performing in bands across the Middle East while contracting as a Aircraft Weapons Instructor with his 10 years of RAAF Armament Fitter experience and his maintained his love for playing guitar it continues to thrive today.
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DreamingGuitar.com – DreamingCoffee.com – LetsFlyVFR.com
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