A learn guitar plan for beginners who practise 15 minutes a day
Sore fingers and a G to C change that takes three seconds are where most beginners quit. Short, daily, structured practice gets you past it. This prompt has your todo.is agent plan 12 weeks of 15-minute sessions: chords in the order that unlocks the most songs, strumming patterns, and songs in your style with lesson links.
The prompt
- Make me a 12-week plan to learn guitar. I play [GUITAR TYPE] and I am [CURRENT LEVEL]. I want to play [MUSIC STYLE OR SONGS] and I can practise [MINUTES PER DAY] minutes a day. Start with tuning, holding the pick and posture, then chords in a useful order (Em, Am, C, G, D, then E, A, Dm, then a first barre chord F or Bm), one-minute chord-change drills, 4 strumming patterns and basic rhythm with a metronome. Every week add one real song that uses only the chords I know, with a link to a free lesson video. Make a printable PDF with chord diagrams and a daily practice checklist, email it to me, and every evening at [REMINDER TIME] send me tonight's 15-minute routine on WhatsApp.
What to change
- [GUITAR TYPE]: E.g. "acoustic steel-string", "electric" or "classical nylon".
- [CURRENT LEVEL]: E.g. "never played", "I know 3 chords" or "I played as a teen".
- [MUSIC STYLE OR SONGS]: E.g. "pop and folk to sing along", "blues", or 3 songs you love.
- [MINUTES PER DAY]: E.g. "15". Short daily sessions beat one long weekend session.
- [REMINDER TIME]: E.g. "19:30".
Example result
- Learn guitar in 12 weeks: acoustic, pop and folk
- Never played · 15 minutes a day · reminder at 19:30
- Your daily 15 minutes
- • 2 min: tune (clip-on tuner or a free tuner app) and stretch your fretting hand
- • 4 min: one-minute changes. Switch between two chords as many times as you can in 60 seconds and write the number down.
- • 4 min: strumming with a metronome
- • 5 min: this week's song
- Weeks 1 to 2: first chords
- • Posture, pick grip, pressing just behind the fret
- • Em and Am, then C
- • Strum: four down-strums per bar at 60 bpm
- • Fingertips hurt for 1 to 2 weeks. That is normal; stop if it is sharp pain.
- Weeks 3 to 4: G and D
- • G, D and the change G to C (the hardest beginner change)
- • Tip: keep your ring finger as an anchor between G and C when you can
- • Pattern 2: down, down-up, up-down-up
- • Song: a 4-chord pop song in G (G, D, Em, C)
- Weeks 5 to 6: E, A, Dm
- • Muting strings you should not play (no low E on D chord)
- • 3/4 time for a waltz-style folk song
- Weeks 7 to 9: rhythm and a capo
- • Using a capo to play songs in other keys with the same shapes
- • Palm muting, accenting beats 2 and 4
- • Pattern 3 and 4 (folk and reggae-style upstrokes)
- Weeks 10 to 12: first barre chord
- • F barre or the easier Fmaj7 first, then Bm
- • Build strength with 3 short sets a day, not one long one
- • Final song: play it start to finish with no stops at 80 bpm
- Progress log example
- • Week 3: G to C changes in 60 s: 14
- • Week 5: G to C changes in 60 s: 31
- • Aim for 40 or more before speeding up a song
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your guitar, level, style and reminder time.
- Send it to your agent in todo.is or on WhatsApp.
- You get a printable PDF with chord diagrams and a checklist, plus a routine every evening.
- Reply with your one-minute change numbers each week. Your agent speeds up or slows the plan to match.
Tips for a better result
- Count your one-minute chord changes and write them down. Seeing the number climb keeps you going.
- Practise with a metronome slower than feels necessary. Clean and slow becomes clean and fast.
- Get your guitar set up at a music shop if strings sit high above the frets. A good setup makes chords much easier.
- Use a capo to play the songs you love with the chords you already know.
learn guitar plan: FAQ
- How long does it take to learn guitar? With 15 to 20 minutes a day, most beginners can play simple songs with 4 or 5 chords in 2 to 3 months. Barre chords and smooth changes usually take 6 months or more.
- Acoustic or electric guitar for a beginner? Either works. Electric strings are lighter and easier on fingers; acoustic needs no amp. Pick the one that matches the music you want to play.
- How long until my fingertips stop hurting? Usually 2 to 4 weeks of regular practice. Short daily sessions build calluses faster than rare long ones.
- Can my agent teach me by video? It finds free lesson videos for each song and chord, and sends your routine. It cannot hear you play live, so a teacher can help with technique.
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