How long should you practice guitar each day?

One of the most common questions I hear from new guitar players is:

“How long should I practice each day?”

We tend to imagine that real progress requires long practice sessions of at least 30 minutes, 1 hour, or maybe more.

And if we don’t have that much time, it can feel like there’s no point in picking up the guitar at all.

Here’s the good news:

You don’t need a long practice session to make real progress.

In fact, short, focused practice done consistently is one of the fastest ways to improve.

Why?

Because in a shorter session:

• Your fingers stay fresh
• Your mind stays focused
• You avoid frustration
• You’re much more likely to come back tomorrow

You’re not training for endurance; you’re seeking to make progress.

For most beginners, 10–15 minutes a day is enough.

And if you only have 5 minutes?

That still counts.

A small daily win is far more powerful than one long session once a week.

Here’s a simple structure you can use in a short practice session:

1️⃣ Play something you already know
Build confidence and get your hands moving.

2️⃣ Work on one small new skill
Go slowly and aim for accuracy.

3️⃣ End by making music
Play a riff, a chord progression, or part of a song you enjoy.

That’s it.

When you do this a little every day, something important starts to happen.

You stop feeling like someone trying to learn guitar, and you start feeling like a guitarist.

That identity shift is powerful.

You don’t need more time.

You need the right plan for the time you already have.

So here’s your goal for this week:

Pick up the guitar for 10 minutes a day.

Not perfectly.
Just consistently.

Those small daily sessions add up faster than you think.

Keep it simple.
Keep showing up.

And most importantly, keep making music!