Hi
I picked up the guitar in early January,2025. After about 3 to 4 weeks of trying a few different online teachers out there I decided to go with Justin. Love the structure and recommended practice for each module. I try to play 4 to 5 times a week for about 40 to 45 minutes each practice. I know this is for fun and to enjoy at my pace. After a few months I’m just into module7 at end of grade 1. I sometimes wonder if I should go even slower but other times I want to move on . Should it bother me that I may be 4 plus months in grade 1.
I guess I’m just wondering how long others spend on these modules. I play a few songs on the app but not always at 100 %bpm. Should I feel closer to perfection on the tasks before moving on?
Beginner Grade 1 has 75 lessons plus essential consolidation. Each lesson requires at least one day of practice time but by the end of Grade 1, in Modules 5, 6 and 7, I would say that to do the learning justice and really get solid in the basics, each lesson should respectfully be given several days or a week or more, each of the seven modules probably starting at one week for module 1 up to several weeks for module 7. I would even (albeit exaggeratedly to make a point) go so far as to suggest treating each module number as a guide to the weeks required.
Modules 1 to 7 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 28 weeks. That is more than six months just there.
Grade 2 has 68 lessons. And as the learning ramps up the technical challenge and skill, each lesson and each module will require extended time to really get to grips with. I would suggest a similar approach.
Modules 8 to 14 = 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 = 77 weeks. That is more than a year.
Okay - those cumulative totals are on the high side. But I would rather encourage that over
the opposite of not taking enough time.
Hi Mark, welcome to the Community! You’re doing just fine. As @GrumpyMac said, we all learn at different paces. One thing I’ve learned in my beginner’s journey: If you get bored or stuck with something, set it aside for a while, and come back to it. Each Grade has a consolidation period which offers the perfect opportunity to do this. And if it’s still a problem, move on again. I’ve found that when a song I want to learn requires a skill that I haven’t got down, I’m suddenly inspired to give it the time it needs!
While you’re here, consider heading over to the Introduce Yourself topic and saying hello (again) to the Community!
Just remember what Justin often says… there are no rules. If you are satisfied with your progress and enjoying how you are pacing yourself, that’s what’s important.
Welcome to the community mate. You’ve certainly landed in the best place.
If you are thinking about ‘going slower’, then its perhaps a sign to spend more time on each lesson, do revision after each module etc.
Each individual is different.
Give yourself the best possible foundation. An additional few months now for focused consolidation etc, can mean much smoother progress as you continue. Early concepts and techniques are crucial.
Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
We all learn, develop and grow in this journey on our own pace. Sure there might be some standards around, but basically, there are no rules about progressing this fast or that slow…
Just take your time to get it right and have fun doing so.
I don’t think that, for instance, Hendrickx or Page, Dylan or Clapton ever wondered if their progress was going fast enough… They too, just played and learned.
Having fun playing, that’s the most important thing there is. The rest will come, don’t you worry.
Hey Mark,
I just hit the 2 year mark and I just finished module 11. IMO it’s different for everyone. I’m fortunate to be retired which gives me a little more free time. Just a few suggestions that I’ve done in the past. I sometimes go back into previous modules and watch select videos that I feel I didn’t get enough out of the first time around. Example I don’t need to watch say what to practice in module 3 but I may need to review the wishing you were here riff simply because I did not finish the riff the first time around. I do think going about it on your time is better than rushing through and possibly creating bad habits. Hope this helps!
There some old bloke around here who always says “Its a marathon, not a sprint”, when it comes to these type of questions. Don’t think going slow is a hinderance, its the opposite. Going too fast will trip you up down the line. If you feel you need to slow down, I’d say that is a sign that you realise you may be going to fast. But as said, we are all different.
As and example I took 22 months to complete the old Beginner’s Course. That was roughly equivalent to todays Grade 1 and 2 but both of those grades now have around an additional 33% of content. So I reckon from scratch (if you ignore 17 years kicking me start stop heels), those Grades would have taken me say 36 months.
Too slow not fast enough, who knows. But whatever speed you chose, be honest with yourself when assessing if you have actually learnt something fully. Consolidation is there for a reason so use it wisely. No short cuts no quick wins, just hard graft,
IMO, it’s certainly useful to push yourself, at the very least so you know your threshold for “too much”. You definitely need to be willing to back off, though, and even revisit things.
Once I got around 8 months into it (and as @TheMadman_tobyjenner described, I had a LOT of years of start/stop before that), I found myself pushing too hard on new stuff and getting myself overwhelmed. I did back off for awhile and stopped adding new material and just worked on playing and working on refining things I’d already “learned”.
I do agree that to do the lessons justice, though, that you need to spend time on them. I’m not sure I’d put any kinds of hard requirements on yourself because that kind of thing is likely to burn you out eventually. But I do find value in being able to play songs at 100% tempo. I don’t think “perfection” at 100% tempo should necessarily be your goal, because chasing that is futile. But keeping mistakes down, sure. Aim for that. I enjoy playing along with original recordings. I get a real feeling of accomplishment when I build myself up to that point.
Old dog here: been at it for 10 months. Still haven’t “graduated” from grade 1 (having trouble memorizing songs). So, I’m still developing that skill, but my itch for novelty has me poking around in grade 2, working the strumming and music theory courses too, etc. Practice a day from 45minutes to many hours (on those especially rainy days).
(whoever first promoted keeping the guitar right at hand in a stand–genius!)
One thing that I’ve found is may “aural vocabulary/acuity” has grown significantly from when I started. I can hear/notice stuff now that I didn’t/couldn’t earlier in my journey. At times I get too detail oriented, and my chosen pace enables me to indulge that behavior.
One suggestion is to make regular recordings (and remember to name/file them nicely…). Listening to them later I find that with my more experienced ear, I’m able to go, “Oh, I could work on that part there to get rid of the muted string, the rhythm’s a bit off there, strumming doesn’t quite work with this song, …”
I’m not ready to bare my soul, but I sure sound better by the week (presently struggling mightily with getting into/out of the full barre F chord smoothly, so those songs are painful to listen to…)
That, and figuring out how to memorize a song…
Nice to meet you Mark stick with it mate I just gave my granddaughter her first lesson tonight and she was like no way man Granda I can’t do that, but she will cheers Hec and welcome to a great community
