how long should it take me to play a new song?

It sounds like you're progressing to the point where you're no longer new to the game, and that means you're going to find that you start to have greater control over how fast you learn, based on how deeply you want to learn a song.

Enough of the generalities though...

If you're willing to pick songs that are mostly just chords or learn adaptations of songs that have been broken down to straight strumming and chord changes, you should be approaching a point where you can learn a song virtually instantly providing there are no chord shapes that are foreign to you and you're not dealing with lots of weird stops or anything of that nature.

If you're talking about learning a song note for note off a recording, then that changes the game entirely. If you're talking about memorizing the words and singing while playing, again, you're altering the formula. In these situations, it could easily take you two weeks to learn a sufficiently complicated song.

If you tell us approximately how much you practice each day and what level of songs you're talking about, we can probably get you a more educated estimate.

It all depends on the song, your ear, and how much effort you put into it.

Something like Mary Had a Little Lamb... a couple minutes. Mediterranean Sundance... a couple years. There's a pretty broad spectrum of difficulty out there.

As you play, your ear gets better and you anticipate changes. I've been playing 30 years, and I regularly learn a tune (note for note) in an hour. I couldn't do that when I'd been playing six months - then it was a couple weeks (though with today's technology, that's probably cut in half - no more needle drops!)

You'll also find that the more songs you've learned already, the faster you can learn new ones. A lot of music, especially popular music, has similar structures to other popular music, so simple tunes get faster and faster the more you know.

I've been at this about a year and a half and it takes me about an hour to learn the chords and rhythm and be able to sing a song. Note for note or chord melodies take a little longer. I mostly play Oldtime Mountain(Bluegrass) or Gospel which are fairly simple songs. It took me several days to learn a song when I first started. Once the rhythm light turned on it got a lot easier.

This is an interesting post since I wonder myself. Now maybe I'm alittle unique (slow) but I've been at this about 2 1/2 years and yes if it's just the chords (rhythm) then many can be lerned in a day or less.

But I really have the desire to learn songs like that. I'm trying to learn more of the leads than the rhythm and I find it takes me weeks to learn. Mostly it's just memorizing that many notes, not that there is anything inherently difficult.

I'll give you an example. I'm trying to learn Aqualung by Jethro Tull. the electric guitar part including the solo. I've been working on the solo for about a week and a half and I only have about 80% down. I have to admit I haven't spend more than about an hour a day on it.

I'm sure that's pretty slow, it's not anything difficult to play.

Now I have no ear so I have to rely on either "official" sheet music or tab. Alot of tab isn't correct which ends up not matching the CD. I can usually tell though when it doesn't sound right and I sometimes correct it on my own with what I think sounds correct.

But it sounds like to me your doing well in learning new songs.

It's definitely true the more you know the easier and easier it becomes.

Chris

One thing that has helped me is that I belong to a group and we gig three times a month. We try to learn one new song for each gig and we do most of the time. Having that dead line and the thought of messing up in front of a crowd drives me to practice. Of coarse I often mess up a little, but I'm usually the only one that notices. I'm harder on myself than anyone in the group.

It took me 26 years to learn "Blowing in the Wind". :shock: Since then, on average, I've been picking up about a song per year. Accounting for the years when I didn't touch a guitar.

Right now, assuming I'm strumming chords and I'm familliar with the song, I can usually read it though then make a pretty good stab at it as long as I have the lyrics and chords in front of me. I guess wht I'm trying to get at is what the others have said, the more you know the faster you pick up new tunes. Keep in mind that "Normal" is nothing more than a setting on a washing machine. Everyone has their own pace, but it seems like you're doing fine (finer than many in fact).

Take care.

hi there

NOTE BOAT WROTE " Something like Mary Had a Little Lamb... a couple minutes. Mediterranean Sundance... a couple years. There's a pretty broad spectrum of difficulty out there.

how very true but I'm thinking your talking about something in between like something out Lion king or Shrek as for Aqualung by Jethro Tull I don't know it .

But everyone has their own time span on picking up different songs if you know what I mean .
I learned Hotel California in 3 days but it took me 6 weeks to learn Sylvias mother by Dr Hook and it's easier than Hotel California so it's up to the individual .

Cheers
L.K

A lot of learning speed depends on your motivation, too... I learned 3 new tunes yesterday, note-for-note off the CDs - but for me there's immediate money in knowing them. Stuff I learn for the fun of it I don't work at quite so much... my fingers hurt today! Good thing I don't need to play 'em until Wednesday :)

It usually takes me about 2 or 3 weeks to learn a song. Most times it takes longer, never does it take less than 2 weeks. Some songs I have not completely learned to my satisfaction, and will probably take months to complete! However, it has become easier to learn new songs, as the repetoire gets bigger.

The biggest problem for a beginner like me is to find easy "achievable" songs, which can be played on one guitar. I believe its important to move at your own pace; and not be "pressured" into playing pieces that are above your present level of ability. Challenging songs are OK, and are gradually essential ; but I think that in the beginning, it's best to go for "closure". To completely learn a song and then move on...

The Easy Songs For Beginners has been of enormous benefit to me...
~ghost~