The holidays are behind us, and a fresh year stretches out ahead—full of possibility for your guitar playing. Setting New Year’s resolutions helps you stay focused on specific goals and gives you a sense of purpose. The challenge? Actually sticking to them. Studies show only about 8% of people maintain their resolutions past the first 12 days.
The good news: with the right approach and effective methods, you can build new habits and achieve long-term goals. This year is rich with opportunities to become a more skilled player and a more well-rounded musician.
Here are ten resolutions worth considering for 2026:
1. Set Meaningful, Achievable Goals
If you know where you want to go, it’s much easier to figure out how to get there. Think about what you genuinely want to achieve as a guitar player this year. Do you want to improve your lead playing? Learn jazz comping? Finally nail fingerstyle technique? Get specific.
Set concrete goals rather than vague aspirations. Instead of “get better at guitar,” try “learn to improvise over a 12-bar blues progression” or “master five fingerstyle arrangements.” When your goal is something you actually want—not just something you think you should want—you’re far more likely to stick with it.
Lay Down a Clear Path
Once you have your goal, determine what steps will get you there. For many players, structured guitar lessons can accelerate progress significantly. Quality instruction helps you stay consistent through accountability, gives you a customized approach based on your current abilities, helps eliminate bad habits before they become ingrained, and introduces you to techniques and concepts you might never discover on your own.
TrueFire’s Learning Paths offer structured curricula in Blues, Jazz, Rock, Acoustic, Country, and Bass—each designed to take you from wherever you are now to wherever you want to be. The paths include core courses plus supplementary material, so you can dive deep into areas that interest you most.
Measure Your Progress
How will you know you’ve improved? Set benchmarks. After a month of focused practice, you might measure progress by playing with other musicians, writing an original song, or performing a solo you couldn’t play before. Some goals might feel intimidating at first, but breaking them into smaller steps makes them achievable.
Want to play a guitar solo? Start by learning a scale pattern, then work on some riffs using that pattern. Master techniques like bends, vibrato, and slides. Use those techniques to create musical phrases. Eventually, pick a solo and work through it piece by piece.
Track Your Time
Time management trips up most people. You wake up planning to practice, then realize at bedtime that it never happened. A practice schedule solves this. Be realistic about duration and timing—on busy days, even ten minutes counts. Set calendar reminders on your phone to help you commit.
2. Practice with a Metronome
A metronome is one of the most valuable tools any musician can own. Free metronome apps work perfectly fine if you’re on a budget—TrueFire has one built into the site.
Learning to play with a metronome can feel frustrating at first, but it will quickly make you a better player. The device functions like a mirror: if you notice timing issues while playing with it, those issues were always there—you just hadn’t noticed. That’s useful information. Start slow and gradually increase tempo as the pattern becomes comfortable. If you can play a strum pattern at 100 BPM this week, aim for 110 BPM next week.
Consider a DAW
A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is software that lets you record, edit, and mix audio on your computer. The learning curve takes some effort, but the possibilities you’ll unlock are worth it. Free options exist—start by downloading one and commit to recording something regularly. It will improve both your playing and your listening skills.
3. Keep a Practice Journal
A practice journal helps you track progress and spot patterns in your learning. You can see how long different skills take to develop, which helps you plan realistic schedules going forward.
Your journal doesn’t have to be a physical notebook—a notes app on your phone works fine. Daily entries might include the date and time, specific areas you practiced (and for how long), challenges you encountered and potential solutions, and new insights about yourself or your playing.
Bring your journal to every practice session. Having a place to capture ideas encourages active thinking about your progress rather than mindless repetition.
4. Create a Dedicated Practice Space
A dedicated practice space visualizes your commitment and encourages more frequent, productive sessions with fewer distractions. The space doesn’t need to be large—just enough room for the essentials.
Useful gear for your practice space includes an armless practice chair with adjustable height (many guitarists find drum thrones comfortable), a footstool to help you hold the guitar in proper position, a sturdy adjustable music stand, and a guitar stand for easy access and to keep your instrument visible and inviting.
During winter or dry weather, keep guitars in their cases when not in use. Dry air causes shrinking, warping, and cracking. If you notice intonation problems or fret buzz, consider adding a humidifier to your case.
5. Perform Something This Year
Stage fright is one of the most common obstacles for guitarists. The only way through it is exposure—playing in front of people helps you gain confidence, even when you make mistakes. The more you perform, the less you’ll fumble and tremble.
Places to Start
Open mic nights at coffee shops or bars offer low-pressure environments. The atmosphere is relaxed, and people are typically eating or socializing rather than focusing intensely on your performance.
Music circles exist in most communities—search social media or local papers. Beyond making friends with similar interests, group playing builds confidence and can lead to gig opportunities.
Booking an actual gig is a significant step. Start with familiar venues and friendly faces who’ll give you a chance. Create simple promotional materials that showcase your skills, and post them at local pubs, restaurants, and coffee shops.
6. Record Yourself
Recording your playing helps you hear yourself objectively and creates a catalog of your progress over time. Look for affordable recording studios in your area, or install recording software on your computer and learn to use it through tutorials.
Once you can record your practice sessions and performances, you’ll have documentation of your musical journey. You can also share recordings with friends and family for honest feedback, or upload to YouTube to connect with other musicians.
7. Learn to Read Standard Notation
Many guitarists never learn to read music, but doing so opens significant doors. Understanding notation helps you grasp fretboard theory—you’ll need to identify notes when exploring concepts from courses like Street Theory for Guitarists. It also helps with learning rhythms, since guitar tabs don’t always include timing information.
Much guitar music is only available in standard notation. Learning to read it gives you access to a much larger repertoire.
Don’t Neglect Fundamental Skills
Many resolutions fail because players learn to hold a pick, strum some chords, and then abandon consistent practice. The fundamental skills that form the basis of guitar playing are reading, chords, picking, scales, arpeggios, rhythm, and ear training.
Format your practice sessions to touch on these areas regularly, but don’t try to cover all of them in a single session—you’ll get overwhelmed. A weekly rotation schedule works well. Throw in riffs and songs you enjoy to keep things fun.
If you’re just starting with scales, begin with major scales. Mastering major scale patterns from various positions on the neck makes it easier to transpose to other keys and provides a foundation for other scale types.
8. Learn a Song in a New Style
Becoming a well-rounded player means stepping outside your comfort zone. This year, commit to learning music in a style you’ve never explored.
If you typically play rock, try jazz. If you’ve been reading sheet music, experiment with chord charts and lead sheets. Learning a new style empowers you with fresh approaches and helps you notice things you’d previously overlooked.
TrueFire’s library covers everything from blues and jazz to fingerstyle, country, and beyond—taught by world-class instructors like Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Gales, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, and Larry Carlton.
Add Guitar Exercises
Guitar exercises aren’t always fun, but with the right mindset they can be just as engaging as learning songs. Exercises target physical movements on the guitar rather than musical expression. When you play a familiar song, your hands move almost reflexively—your brain coordinates your movements according to how the song should sound.
Non-musical exercises enhance your finger skills and make it easier to learn new material, even songs you’ve never heard. Find exercises that address specific weaknesses, and switch them up periodically to keep improving.
9. Take Care of Your Body
Playing guitar is a physical activity, and most musical injuries come from repetitive movements. Playing through pain leads to playing less often—or not at all.
Pay attention to areas of strain while you play. Look for exercises that strengthen those muscles and incorporate them into a daily routine. Always warm up and stretch before playing. Meditation can improve your focus and help you connect more deeply with your music—a few minutes of calm before practicing can make a noticeable difference.
10. Join a Band or Collaborate
Playing with others is one of the fastest ways to improve your chops and learn about sound while creating lasting friendships and memories. Contact local guitarists—they likely know of bands looking for members, or might be interested in forming one.
If you can’t find an existing band, put one together yourself. Sites like Bandmix help connect musicians looking for collaborators.
Work on Regular Collaborations
Collaboration takes many forms: writing songs with other musicians, jamming during practice sessions, or finding someone to mix your recordings. Working with others gives you opportunities to share ideas, learn new techniques from experienced players, improve your listening skills, and engage your creativity.
Don’t let circumstances limit you—online collaboration is easier than ever. Record tracks and share them for feedback. Set up challenges with other players to keep things fun and motivating.
Get an Accountability Partner
An accountability partner provides support and helps you structure your time. Spending time with a like-minded friend or partner motivates you to stick to your goals and dream bigger.
Discuss your goals, find common ground, and set milestones with timelines. Sync calendars and set reminders to check in with each other. When you achieve something together, celebrate it.
Strategies for Sticking to Your Resolutions
Setting goals is easy. Maintaining new activities long enough to form positive habits is the real challenge. Here’s what works:
Identify your goals and the activities that will get you there. The ultimate goal is to become a better player. Determine the most realistic path based on your schedule and finances. TrueFire’s All Access gives you unlimited streaming access to over 85,000 video lessons—a comprehensive resource for any level or style.
Be clear about how new activities fit into your life. If you want to perform for an audience by summer, plan to play for friends and family at a gathering this spring. Having a deadline motivates you to stay on track.
Be specific about your goals and habits. If you want to play a solo in three months, determine how long your practice sessions should be and what they should include. Structure your available time accordingly—maybe the first ten minutes for warmup and review, then focused work on new material.
Eliminate habits that don’t serve your goals. Distractions are always tempting. When practice gets frustrating, scrolling through social media is easier than pushing through. Leave your phone in another room during practice. Replace unproductive habits with activities related to music or fitness.
Create commitment structures. Schedule regular practice sessions starting from a specific day. Contact your accountability partner. Sign up for a course in advance. Hit the ground running so you don’t debate whether it can wait until tomorrow.
Monitor your progress. A wall calendar in your practice space works well for tracking. Mark each session with a sticker or note. Track new songs as you learn them. Visible progress reinforces commitment.
Prepare for setbacks. Think about what has derailed you in the past. If evening practice sessions get crowded out by other responsibilities, plan to wake fifteen minutes earlier the next day for a short session rather than skipping entirely. Flexibility prevents a missed day from becoming a missed week.
Make 2026 Your Year
The resolutions that stick are the ones connected to genuine desire. Choose goals that excite you, break them into achievable steps, and build systems that keep you accountable.
If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Here’s to a year of growth, music, and becoming the guitarist you want to be.
Ready to get started? Join TrueFire free and get a 14-day trial of All Access, unlimited streaming to over 85,000 lessons from the best educators in the world.