Can You Learn Guitar if You’re Older Than 30?

As someone over 30, you may wonder if it is too challenging to learn to play guitar at this point, considering that everything is much easier to absorb at a younger age.

You can learn to play guitar at any age if you give enough time and effort to practice. It may be slightly harder for older people to learn the guitar than younger students, but it’s possible with enough patience and willpower.

If you want to know more, stick around! I’ll explain why anyone at any age can learn to play the guitar. Additionally, I’ll provide some tips that can help you learn the guitar quickly and give you an estimation of how long it may take you to become a good guitar player.

Is It Easier To Learn Guitar if You’re Younger Than 30?

As you get older, you may notice that it takes a lot more time and effort for you to learn a new skill. As a child, you may have been able to learn new languages and instruments effortlessly, but you may be noticing it gets more challenging as you get past 30 or 40. This is not just a perception; it’s a scientific fact.

Children have much more absorbent brains as they are continuously developing. As a result, they can pick up new skills easily, including new languages or musical instruments. Generally, someone under 30 or 25 will be able to learn the guitar more easily because of the way their brain is still developing.

After humans reach 30 and 40, their ability to absorb and memorize information becomes weaker. However, this doesn’t mean that they cannot learn new skills. Everyone at any age can learn how to play a new instrument; they just need to put more effort into it.

You can learn how to play the guitar even if you’re older than 80 years old, as long as you dedicate enough time to learning this new skill and practicing regularly. As you get older, you may start to feel impatient, as new things don’t come to you as naturally as they used to, but as long as you have patience and willpower, you can learn pretty much anything.

If you’re considering picking up the guitar at 30+, you can be certain that you can learn how to play, even proficiently, in a relatively short time if you practice enough. You may need to spend a few more hours practicing and learning the techniques, but you’ll become just as good as you would if you were 15.

The good thing about the guitar is that it’s relatively easy to learn in the first place compared to other instruments, like the violin. Once again, nothing stops you from learning to play the piano or violin at any age if you’re willing to learn.

Also, it must be noted that the general fact that the brain’s plasticity and potential to learn new skills peaks around 27-28 and starts decreasing starting from that point. However, this is only an approximation and a general idea, which is not the case for everybody. Keeping the brain plasticity high by rewiring your cognitive pathways helps you learn new skills regardless of age. Doing mnemonic drills, playing chess, learning to juggle, proper nutrition, and proper sleeping times and cycles are ways to keep the neuroplasticity high to keep your brain young and fresh.

How Long Can It Take Me To Learn Guitar?

As someone over 30, you may have plenty of other activities and responsibilities, so you may not be able to dedicate as much time as you want to your new passion. Moreover, when you start, you may be a bit confused and may wonder if it’s going to take you years to start playing properly.

Thankfully, you don’t need to worry; you can learn how to play several songs using basic chords in only three months, and in a couple of years, you may be able to shred solos on your electric guitar if that’s what you want. Of course, these estimations are not arbitrary; if you have played other string instruments before and have plenty of free time to practice, you can become a good guitarist in a shorter time.

However, most amateur guitar players over 30 may need a few months just to play using open chords and then continue learning for at least one year before they can play a tune perfectly using several techniques. This is not due to age but life conditions, which prevent people from giving enough time to practice.

Another issue you must consider is that your body may have more limitations at an older age, similar to your brain. When you play the guitar, you need to have strong and elastic fingers to play properly. A younger person has more elastic fingers compared to an older one, but you can still achieve the same strength and elasticity with a bit of practice. However, this is the case for 50+ players, as elasticity and strength between ages 30 and 50 are similar to those in younger people.

Tips on Learning How To Play the Guitar

If you’ve decided and want to start playing as soon as possible, I can help you with a few tips. Keep in mind these particular tips when learning how to play the guitar:

• Find online sources to learn the guitar. Face-to-face physical lessons are more effective, but they take more time and are more expensive. There are plenty of online sources that can help you learn the basics and more advanced techniques in your schedule.
• Make a lesson plan. If you’re learning by yourself, plan what you need to learn well so you don’t get overwhelmed. There are plenty of guides online that can help you.
• Be patient. I can’t stress how important patience is when learning a new skill, especially at an older age. The fact that ability may not come naturally may make you think you’re wasting your time, but you need to continue trying.
• Practice continuously and consistently. You need to make time for your practice to improve your skills every day. Playing once a month will make learning much more difficult.

Final Thoughts

The guitar is a relatively easy and fun instrument to play. Anyone at any age can learn how to play the guitar with patience and willpower.

Generally, it may take you a few months to play a few simple songs and maybe a year or two to become proficient if you practice regularly. To start learning, consider getting a good guitar that is easy to play and find the best lesson option, be it in person or online. Make time to practice and be patient when learning.

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