Beginners
Guitar practice routine for beginners: the first three months
As a beginner, spend most of your practice on chord changes and a little on finger control: 5 minutes of warm-up, 10 of chord changes, 5 of a simple scale and 5 playing a song. Measure chord changes per minute; it is the clearest sign you are improving.
The routine, minute by minute
| Min | Block | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Finger warm-up | One finger per fret, one note per click, at 60 BPM. |
| 10 | Chords | Two open chords. Switch between them for 1 minute and count the changes. |
| 5 | Scale | C major on one string, to learn the fretboard and use the metronome. |
| 5 | Song | A simple song with the chords you are learning. |
Total: 25 minutes
What matters in the first three months
Early on, three things decide whether you keep playing: fingertips that stop hurting, chord changes fast enough to play a song, and finishing songs. Speed and theory can wait.
Practise every day, even for 10 minutes. Your fingertips toughen up with frequent short sessions, not with one long one.
The chord change test
- Pick two open chords, for example E minor and C.
- Set a one-minute timer and switch between them, strumming once on each.
- Count the clean changes. Write the number down.
- Repeat daily. Going from 15 to 40 changes a minute in a few weeks is normal.
Which chords first
Start with Em, Am, C, G, D, E and A, in roughly that order. Em and Am need few fingers and give you early songs; G and D come next because so many songs use them.
Common beginner mistakes
- Squeezing the neck too hard. Press just enough for the note to ring.
- Looking for a new song every day. Finish one before starting the next.
- Skipping the metronome. Even 60 BPM teaches you to keep time.
- Practising only what you already play well.
Practise it in Fretster
Each exercise comes with a metronome and timer, and saves your clean BPM so you can see the trend.
- Chromatics — 1 note/clickBasic chromatics, 1 note per click. Builds precision and helps you play relaxed.Open exercise →
- C Major Scale on One StringPractice the C major scale on every string, always starting on C.Open exercise →
- Play a SongPick a song, follow its chart, and play along with the metronome.Open exercise →
Questions
- How long should a beginner practise guitar each day?
- Between 15 and 30 minutes a day. Short daily sessions work better than long weekly ones, especially while your fingertips adapt.
- How long until chord changes feel easy?
- With daily practice most beginners change between open chords comfortably within 4 to 8 weeks.
- Should beginners use a metronome?
- Yes, at a slow tempo like 60 BPM. It builds timing from the start, and timing is harder to fix later.