Hey Jomn. I was in the same boat as you. I opted for a PT2257 to control the volume for a project I have on the go at the moment.
Great way of learning, read the datasheets.
Build the example circuits that most datasheets have, on a breadboard.
It was a bit unfortunate that I couldn't find a lib for the PT2257. So I wrote one myself, which was another challenge for a newbie. (To be honest it's not complete, but it functions for my needs.)
There are some good tutorials here....Tutorial: Arduino and the I2C bus – Part One | tronixstuff.com
Good luck with your project. It will be frustrating at times, but when you have a working example, you get a great feeling. Then you move onto the next part & start the process again.