May 26, 2025
“I’m Too Old” and Other Myths: The Top Excuses for Not Learning Guitar — and 5 Science-Backed Reasons You Should Start Today
You’ve probably said it, or heard it said:
“I wish I learned guitar when I was younger.”
“I don’t have the time.”
“I’m not musical enough.”
These inner narratives — as familiar as they are limiting — are often what keep people from one of the most accessible, beneficial, and rewarding hobbies out there: learning to play the guitar.
But here’s the truth: picking up a guitar isn’t just about playing songs. It’s about engaging your brain, soothing your nervous system, connecting with others, and building a personal outlet for creativity and self-regulation. And science backs it up.
Let’s break down the five most common myths, and then look at five thoroughly grounded, research-supported reasons to start today — no matter your age or background.
Reality check: The idea that musical skills must be learned in childhood is outdated.
Real-world proof: Jazz guitarist Pat Martino re-learned guitar in his 50s after brain surgery. Countless amateur players have taken their first lesson post-retirement.
Conclusion: You’re not too old. You’re just on time.
You don’t need hours a day — just minutes with intention.
Pro tip: Schedule guitar the same way you’d schedule a short walk or coffee break. And keep your guitar visible — it increases spontaneous practice.
Musicality isn’t innate — it’s learnable.
Reminder: If you can tap a beat or sing along to a song, you have the raw tools. The rest is just structure and repetition.
Top-tier guitars can be pricey, but quality entry-level options are more accessible than ever.
Essential tip: Invest $50–100 in a proper setup — even for a budget guitar. It will dramatically improve playability.
There’s no perfect hand size. There’s just matching the right guitar to your body.
Fact: Django Reinhardt played with two functional fingers on his fretting hand. Phil Keaggy lost part of a finger. Tommy Iommi made his own prosthetics.
Your hands are not a limitation — just a starting point.
Playing music lowered cortisol levels and increased subjective well-being in adults — especially with string instruments.
🎵 Guitar gives:
Even brief sessions of playing reduce symptoms of anxiety and improve sleep patterns.
Bonus: Playing guitar while singing activates unique brain pathways linked to multitasking and language processing.
Playing regularly helps develop:
Some physical therapists even incorporate fretting exercises into rehabilitation for hand injuries.
Playing guitar offers an instant social bridge:
Even introverts report feeling more confident and socially connected when participating in musical communities.
Guitar is one of the most emotionally expressive instruments — equally at home in raw singer-songwriter ballads and abstract ambient loops.
It empowers:
Bonus insight: Creativity exercises the default mode network of the brain — responsible for imagination, empathy, and future planning.
You don’t need to become a professional. You don’t even need to “get good.” You just need to start. The benefits — psychological, cognitive, physical, social — begin the moment you commit to learning something new.
Let your excuses fall away. Let your curiosity speak louder than your fear. And let your first note — however simple — be the start of something uniquely yours.