I may vex, i may interrupt your jokes.I've been playing almost four years, so can only comment with limited experience. I'm sure my views likely differ from other people who've posted and have playing since childhood. Nonetheless, I will share my observations, for what it's worth.I only play a very little guitar (most people who characterJust as you could not read a Shakespeare when you were in kindergarten, you'll not be able to read or play complex music until many years later. At any given time, you should able to read and play materials commensurate with how much practice and study you've put into it. In three or six months, you'll play what I call 'baby songs' or watered-down (simplified) versions or more complex pieces (the equivalent of "The dog ran after the cat (in the paragraph above)."I hope my post wasn't too discouraging, but it's better to have a goodears, so can only comment with limited experience. I'm sure my views likely differ from other people who've posted and have playing since childhood. Nonetheless, I will share my observations, for what it's worth.I only play a very little guitar (most people who characterJust as you could not read a Shakespeare when you were in kindergarten, you'll not be able to read or play complex music until many years later. At any given time, you should able to read and play materials commensurate with how much practice and study you've put into it. In three or six months, you'll play what I call 'baby songs' or watered-down (simplified) versions or more complex pieces (the equivalent of "The dog ran after the cat (in the paragraph above)."I hope my post wasn't too discouraging, but it's better to have a goodears, so can only comment with limited experience. I'm sure my views likely differ from other people who've posted and have playing since childhood. Nonetheless, I will share my observations, for what it's worth.I only play a very little guitar (most people who characterJust as you could not read a Shakespeare when you were in kindergarten, you'll not be able to read or play complex music until many years later. At any given time, you should able to read and play materials commensurate with how much practice and study you've put into it. In three or six months, you'll play what I call 'baby songs' or watered-down (simplified) versions or more complex pieces (the equivalent of "The dog ran after the cat (in the paragraph above)."I hope my post wasn't too discouraging, but it's better to have a goodears, so can only comment with limited experience. I'm sure my views likely differ from other people who've posted and have playing since childhood. Nonetheless, I will share my observations, for what it's worth.I only play a very little guitar (most people who characterJust as you could not read a Shakespeare when you were in kindergarten, you'll not be able to read or play complex music until many years later. At any given time, you should able to read and play materials commensurate with how much practice and study you've put into it. In three or six months, you'll play what I call 'baby songs' or watered-down (simplified) versions or more complex pieces (the equivalent of "The dog ran after the cat (in the paragraph above)."I hope my post wasn't too discouraging, but it's better to have a goodize it a "horrible," including myself), so I don't feel qualified to give a guitar versus piano comparison opinion.Most beginning piano students are under the misconception that there is an ultimate goal (i.e. how long will it take to learn). Most intermediate or later students eventually come to the self-realization that it is really not an endeavor with an end, but more like a journey which has none. I think even concert-level pianists will openly admit they are still learning, no matter what their level of advancement.How long does it become to take decent? Again, this is subjective. What may sound decent to a beginner will no doubt sound horrible to an advanced student. If I were forced into an answer, I'd have to respond "For the average non-playing listener, you should be able to play a pop song or intermediate level classical piece and sound 'decently' in about three to five years, with daily practice." Caveat on the daily practice part.Are you ready to commit? Most beginners start learning without a full comprehension of the time commitment of daily practice. You cannot hope to achieve any level of proficiency practicing once a week for an hour. In a way, it needs to become a part of your lifestyle, just like brushing your teeth and combing your hair in the morning. Some days you'll be extremely excited to practice and on other days, extremely demotivated . Most piano teachers recommend practicing between 30-60 minutes per day. As in life, there will be ups and down, joys and frustrations.Learning to read music. Most people compare learning to read music like learning a new language. In many ways, it is. First you learn the alphabets. At first they are meaningless. Then you learn simple words, like 'cat' and 'dog'. Then you start to string them together. "The dog ran." Then the sentences become more complex. "The dog ran after the cat, but couldn't catch it." Sentences then turn to paragraphs. Paragraphs turn into pages. Pages into chapters. Chapters into books. Upon completion of a children's book, you then progress to a more difficult children's book, then another, then another. Soon you're reading high school materials, then college materials, then post graduate materials. Each concept learned serves as a foundation or building block in which more advanced ideas are built upon. ize it a "horrible," including myself), so I don't feel qualified to give a guitar versus piano comparison opinion.Most beginning piano students are under the misconception that there is an ultimate goal (i.e. how long will it take to learn). Most intermediate or later students eventually come to the self-realization that it is really not an endeavor with an end, but more like a journey which has none. I think even concert-level pianists will openly admit they are still learning, no matter what their level of advancement.How long does it become to take decent? Again, this is subjective. What may sound decent to a beginner will no doubt sound horrible to an advanced student. If I were forced into an answer, I'd have to respond "For the average non-playing listener, you should be able to play a pop song or intermediate level classical piece and sound 'decently' in about three to five years, with daily practice." Caveat on the daily practice part.Are you ready to commit? Most beginners start learning without a full comprehension of the time commitment of daily practice. You cannot hope to achieve any level of proficiency practicing once a week for an hour. In a way, it needs to become a part of your lifestyle, just like brushing your teeth and combing your hair in the morning. Some days you'll be extremely excited to practice and on other days, extremely demotivated . Most piano teachers recommend practicing between 30-60 minutes per day. As in life, there will be ups and down, joys and frustrations.Learning to read music. Most people compare learning to read music like learning a new language. In many ways, it is. First you learn the alphabets. At first they are meaningless. Then you learn simple words, like 'cat' and 'dog'. Then you start to string them together. "The dog ran." Then the sentences become more complex. "The dog ran after the cat, but couldn't catch it." Sentences then turn to paragraphs. Paragraphs turn into pages. Pages into chapters. Chapters into books. Upon completion of a children's book, you then progress to a more difficult children's book, then another, then another. Soon you're reading high school materials, then college materials, then post graduate materials. Each concept learned serves as a foundation or building block in which more advanced ideas are built upon. ize it a "horrible," including myself), so I don't feel qualified to give a guitar versus piano comparison opinion.Most beginning piano students are under the misconception that there is an ultimate goal (i.e. how long will it take to learn). Most intermediate or later students eventually come to the self-realization that it is really not an endeavor with an end, but more like a journey which has none. I think even concert-level pianists will openly admit they are still learning, no matter what their level of advancement.How long does it become to take decent? Again, this is subjective. What may sound decent to a beginner will no doubt sound horrible to an advanced student. If I were forced into an answer, I'd have to respond "For the average non-playing listener, you should be able to play a pop song or intermediate level classical piece and sound 'decently' in about three to five years, with daily practice." Caveat on the daily practice part.Are you ready to commit? Most beginners start learning without a full comprehension of the time commitment of daily practice. You cannot hope to achieve any level of proficiency practicing once a week for an hour. In a way, it needs to become a part of your lifestyle, just like brushing your teeth and combing your hair in the morning. Some days you'll be extremely excited to practice and on other days, extremely demotivated . Most piano teachers recommend practicing between 30-60 minutes per day. As in life, there will be ups and down, joys and frustrations.Learning to read music. Most people compare learning to read music like learning a new language. In many ways, it is. First you learn the alphabets. At first they are meaningless. Then you learn simple words, like 'cat' and 'dog'. Then you start to string them together. "The dog ran." Then the sentences become more complex. "The dog ran after the cat, but couldn't catch it." Sentences then turn to paragraphs. Paragraphs turn into pages. Pages into chapters. Chapters into books. Upon completion of a children's book, you then progress to a more difficult children's book, then another, then another. Soon you're reading high school materials, then college materials, then post graduate materials. Each concept learned serves as a foundation or building block in which more advanced ideas are built upon. idea of what's involved right from the get go. With that said, I've found it to be an extremely rewarding and gratifying journey and hope you do too.As a side note, learning the piano is an extremely isolating activity. ize it a "horrible," including myself), so I don't feel qualified to give a guitar versus piano comparison opinion.Most beginning piano students are under the misconception that there is an ultimate goal (i.e. how long will it take to learn). Most intermediate or later students eventually come to the self-realization that it is really not an endeavor with an end, but more like a journey which has none. I think even concert-level pianists will openly admit they are still learning, no matter what their level of advancement.How long does it become to take decent? Again, this is subjective. What may sound decent to a beginner will no doubt sound horrible to an advanced student. If I were forced into an answer, I'd have to respond "For the average non-playing listener, you should be able to play a pop song or intermediate level classical piece and sound 'decently' in about three to five years, with daily practice." Caveat on the daily practice part.Are you ready to commit? Most beginners start learning without a full comprehension of the time commitment of daily practice. You cannot hope to achieve any level of proficiency practicing once a week for an hour. In a way, it needs to become a part of your lifestyle, just like brushing your teeth and combing your hair in the morning. Some days you'll be extremely excited to practice and on other days, extremely demotivated . Most piano teachers recommend practicing between 30-60 minutes per day. As in life, there will be ups and down, joys and frustrations.Learning to read music. Most people compare learning to read music like learning a new language. In many ways, it is. First you learn the alphabets. At first they are meaningless. Then you learn simple words, like 'cat' and 'dog'. Then you start to string them together. "The dog ran." Then the sentences become more complex. "The dog ran after the cat, but couldn't catch it." Sentences then turn to paragraphs. Paragraphs turn into pages. Pages into chapters. Chapters into books. Upon completion of a children's book, you then progress to a more difficult children's book, then another, then another. Soon you're reading high school materials, then college materials, then post graduate materials. Each concept learned serves as a foundation or building block in which more advanced ideas are built upon. ize it a "horrible," including myself), so I don't feel qualified to give a guitar versus piano comparison opinion.Most beginning piano students are under the misconception that there is an ultimate goal (i.e. how long will it take to learn). Most intermediate or later students eventually come to the self-realization that it is really not an endeavor with an end, but more like a journey which has none. I think even concert-level pianists will openly admit they are still learning, no matter what their level of advancement.How long does it become to take decent? Again, this is subjective. What may sound decent to a beginner will no doubt sound horrible to an advanced student. If I were forced into an answer, I'd have to respond "For the average non-playing listener, you should be able to play a pop song or intermediate level classical piece and sound 'decently' in about three to five years, with daily practice." Caveat on the daily practice part.Are you ready to commit? Most beginners start learning without a full comprehension of the time commitment of daily practice. You cannot hope to achieve any level of proficiency practicing once a week for an hour. In a way, it needs to become a part of your lifestyle, just like brushing your teeth and combing your hair in the morning. Some days you'll be extremely excited to practice and on other days, extremely demotivated . Most piano teachers recommend practicing between 30-60 minutes per day. As in life, there will be ups and down, joys and frustrations.Learning to read music. Most people compare learning to read music like learning a new language. In many ways, it is. First you learn the alphabets. At first they are meaningless. Then you learn simple words, like 'cat' and 'dog'. Then you start to string them together. "The dog ran." Then the sentences become more complex. "The dog ran after the cat, but couldn't catch it." Sentences then turn to paragraphs. Paragraphs turn into pages. Pages into chapters. Chapters into books. Upon completion of a children's book, you then progress to a more difficult children's book, then another, then another. Soon you're reading high school materials, then college materials, then post graduate materials. Each concept learned serves as a foundation or building block in which more advanced ideas are built upon. Many find it's helpful to interact with others going through the same experiences they are. I hang out at Piano World forums, where we share ideas and experiences, ask questions and listen to each other give little mini-recitals. It's a lot of fun. Should you decide to take the plunge, please feel free to join us.