I've been taking lessons from an instructor for about the last 9 months. He basically taken me through scales, blues progressions (and some jazz) and now more recently we've been working on diatonic triads and he is trying to get me to learn to play by ear. This is exactly what I told I wanted - I didn't want to just learn chords shapes then head to You Tube to memorize songs (nothing wrong with that, I just want something different.

Here's the deal; it is so incredibly hard for me. I don't think I am getting it and I do practice very day (in my 40's with kids so it 30 minutes...maybe an hour+ some days but not 2,3 or 4 hrs) and really struggling. I actually told him this weekend I was throwing in the towel (I'd go the You Tube route and still play but go in a different direction than leaning theory, playing by ear etc)....not necessarily because that's what I want but that's all I felt I was capable of based on natural ability, patience and commitment (probably combo of all 3).

He got back to me and asked me to strongly reconsider and told me I do have "what it takes, that is is just a very difficult task that I am trying to learn" and he wouldn't say that if he didn't mean it. I tend to believe him in that he would put me through this just for my monthly lesson fee (he could probably replace me pretty quick).

So, the question how difficult is this, really? My guess is most of you experts will say "it depends on several factors", but I am just trying to get a sense of the degree of difficulty. If generally this shouldn't be that hard I think I need to rethink my approach and accept maybe I have limited ability. If on the other hand it really is generally that difficult of a task at least I know my hard work is not a waste of time and is just the price to invest to accomplish what I am saying I want to do.