Is 15 Minutes a Day Enough to Get Better at Guitar or Singing?

It’s a question we hear all the time:

“Is 15 minutes a day actually enough to make progress on guitar or singing… or is that just something people say to make us feel better when life is busy?”

Here’s the bigger question though:

When you get to the beginning of 2027, do you want to look back and see real progress… or feel like you’re standing in the exact same place you are right now?

“If I Don’t Have an Hour, What’s the Point?”

A lot of musicians feel stuck because they believe progress only happens with long, uninterrupted practice sessions.

If you can’t carve out an hour a day, it can start to feel like:

• “Why even bother?”

• “I’ll get serious again when life slows down.”

• “I just don’t have the time right now.”

And honestly—we get it.

Right now, we’re in a season with a 4-year-old and a 5-month-old, and practice time is limited and precious. Many Guitar Fam members are in similar seasons: busy work schedules, family responsibilities, injuries, or simply not having the same energy they used to.

The Good News: 15 Minutes Is Enough

Let’s say this clearly:

It’s okay to have seasons where long practice sessions just aren’t realistic.

And here’s the good news—15 minutes a day, done consistently, can absolutely lead to progress.

If you can’t do 15, do 10. If you can’t do 10, do 5.

And if you truly can’t do 5… it might be worth asking whether this is something you want to make space for right now.

Less Time Means More Focus

Here’s the key: The less time you have, the more focused your practice needs to be.

Instead of running an entire song from top to bottom:

• Zoom in on the one thing that’s holding you back

• Even if it’s just one bar

• Slow it down

• Simplify it

• Repeat it

That’s real practice.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

For Chelsea, after pregnancy, a C-section, and caring for a newborn, the goal wasn’t “do everything.” It was simply getting back into a routine—sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 5—while nursing and taking care of a 4-year-old.

For Nate, practice has looked like short, focused fingerstyle sessions:

• 15 minutes on one specific song while our older kid has screen time

• Sometimes another 10 minutes later in the day

• Occasionally picking it up again at night to work on the same tune

Those small sessions add up. And the quality of practice matters far more than most people realize.

Consistency Beats Intensity

Being busy isn’t a reason you can’t make progress. Consistency over time is far more powerful than occasional marathon practice sessions.

So here’s a simple challenge:

Set aside 15 minutes today

• If you can’t, do 5

• Set a timer

• When it goes off, give yourself permission to stop

You showed up. That counts.

And here’s the funny thing—once you start, you’ll probably want to keep going.

Need Help Staying Consistent?

If you’d like help staying motivated and consistent, we’d love to invite you to create a free account at GuitarFam.com.

The courses and community are built to provide structure, encouragement, and accountability—especially during busy seasons of life.

You can also schedule:

• A complimentary private guitar lesson with Nate

• Or a private singing lesson with Chelsea

Imagine This…

Imagine getting to January of 2027 and looking back at the year feeling proud—because even though life was full, you made time for something you love.

So… do you think 15 minutes a day is enough to make progress?

There’s really only one way to find out.

Go get 'em,

Nate & Chelsea