Many people take up the guitar all the time, often inspired by the virtuoso playing of their favourite guitarists. Skilled players make it look easy, but just how hard is it to learn guitar really?
There's no easy answer to this question, although it's safe to say that like any instrument, play the guitar is harder than it looks - especially if you want to play well. But there are lots of factors that will influence how well you progress. These include:
Your level of motivation - obviously those who love playing and who are motivated to keep practising day after day will find it easier to learn than people who get bored with the instrument after their initial enthusiasm has worn off.
The way you learn - if you're just noodling around, learning a few random chords, riffs etc, you'll probably find it hard to make meaningful progress. It's better to follow a plan of quality guitar lessons from the start, as these will teach you exactly what you need to know, and make the learning process easier and more efficient.
Your guitar - the instrument you learn on can also affect your progress. There's no need to buy an expensive guitar, especially when you're starting off, but you do need a decent quality beginner model at least. Extremely cheap guitars are often so poorly made that they'll always be difficult to play and sound awful, no matter how good you are. Needless to say, learning on a guitar like this makes things very hard.
Your practice habits - the way in which you practice can also make things harder or easier for you. It's important to really pay attention, and practice mindfully, rather than letting your mind wander while you just rehearse your mistakes and bad habits.
These are just some of the things that can affect your progress. Learning the guitar will always be challenging, but there are steps you can take to make it less arduous.

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