Is It Better to Play Acoustic Guitar Before You Start Playing Electric?
i have never played a string instrument (trumpet only) but i really want to learn electric guitar. my mom says that she will get me lessons as long as i start on acoustic, because someone recommended it. (she will do anything if someone recommends it!) i want to know if it's easier to start on electric or acoustic. also, is it hard to play a string instrument?
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I see this question asked quite a bit, so now its time to offer my 2 cents worth.
There is NO right or wrong instrument to start on. Bad D makes some very good points in his answer. One thing ive seen in the past though : An instrument that the student has no desire to play and is forced into is going to wind up a dust collector in a very short time. An instrument freely chosen by the student is going to get practiced a heck of a lot more than the previous, and chances are, they will move on to another instrument in years to come. If all you want to play though is folk ballads, then definately acoustic is the way to go.
Also, bear in mind this one thing: An instrument of extreme poor quality makes the learning process even more difficult. Go to your LOCAL music store, not Guitar Center, and have the instructors there help in choosing the right electric or acoustic guitar for you. Ive seen to many times at G.C. where the commision of the salesman comes into play and not the best choice for the individual buying it.
Yamaha, Takamine, Epiphone, Fender, and Ibanez make very playable acoustic guitars in the 200-350 range, with Takamine being on the high end of that.
Squire, Ibanez, Epiphone, Yamaha… some electrics to think about when purchasing.
Hope this has helped, and whatever instrument you choose….PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!
I don’t think it’s critical, but I recommend acoustic first. Once you go electric, it is frustrating to some to pick up acoustic because it requires more finger pressure. Plus there is something awfully sweet about the sound of acoustic that you’ll never have with an electric.
It also depends on your style. If you are more into various "roots" music then I’d go acoustic. If jazz or rock/pop/metal then electric, in general.
Its fine to start electirc and people think it is easier, because you hear more sound. however, yuo need an amp and that is a lot of trouble and yur parents might find the noise to be troublesome. If you play without the amp you can hear much. An acoustic is easier to manage but some people say it is harder to manage, it is also cheaper i believe. My friend started with electric and i only have an acoustic. Yes it is hard to play an acoustic instrument, but with a lot of practice, its pretty easy.
One of my most fequently asked questions from beginner players is whether to choose electric or acoustic. This is MY VIEW – others may disgaree and they are welcome to their opinion. Mine is subject to change without notice!
But it really doesn’t matter.
The basic types are Acoustic (steel strings), Electric and Classical (nylon strings). You can have semi-acoustic guitars too and also electro-acoustic guitars (acoustic guitars with a fitted pick-up system)
So lets look at the pro’s and cons or each.
Playability
Electric guitar is easier to play. The strings are usually closer to the neck, thinner and therefor easier to press down. Barre chords on acoustic guitar can be very demanding and requires a lot of finger strength. Cheaper acoustic guitars can be very hard to play up the neck.
The distance from the strings to the neck is called the "action". when it is very low it is easy to press the strings down, when it it too low the strings will buzz. If it’s too high it’s too hard to play, though many pro players (like myself) prefer a higher action so you can dig into the strings. Getting your guitar action set up by a good lutherer can make a huge difference to your guitar’s playability.
I have a number of private students that found an AMaZING difference when they had set their guitar up correctly. If you are struggling to play barré chords on an acoustic guitar, it could certainly be a part of the problem.
Sound and Style
It is what you want to do…If you want to play rock, get an electric. If you want to play folk or fingerstyle I think acoustic is a good choice. If you want to play classical then you need a nylon string classic guitar. It all depends on what style you want to play. If you want to play all styles, then electric might be the way to go and get an acoustic later.
Costs
Very cheap acoustics are usually not such a great idea, often sound quality is poor and they are hard to play, I often see students selling them after a six month struggle – so you’ll find a lot on e-bay! But that is all you need. See my recommened products page.
Electric guitars need an amplifier to be heard although they make enough sound just for practice without one. There are also a number of units (like Line 6 Pod) that can be plugged into your hi-fi, not much use if you wanna play in a band though!
Verdict
Well I think for the general beginner an elecric guitar is probably a better starter instrument, mainly because they are a little easier to play and so you will see results faster and it will inspire you to play more!
Brands – Acoustic
Maton (my favouries by far) Yamaha and Fender all make good budget acoustic guitars. At the higher end I rate Maton, Martin, Taylor and Guild. Old ones often sound great and have more character. Watch out for cracks in the wood if you buy second hand guitar, if you don’t know what you are doing, ask someone who does!!
Brands – Electric
My favorite adage applies, "Buy cheap, Buy twice". I rate the Yamaha Pacifica guitars, very good build and slighly thinner neck (good for rock), consistently excellent build quality. I don’t think there is much of a question about the quality of these guitars and most of the other teachers I respect recommend them too! There are cheaper guitars but for the few pounds you will save you are much better off to go for a Pacifica.
There are some cheaper Ibanez guitars that sound great. The Fender Squire are not bad either, though I’ve seen some bady set up ones with really cheap fittings so they are on the way down in my book. Buying a good USA strat will always be awesome though
DON’T BUY AN ELECTRIC WITH A FLOATING TREMELO WHEN YOU START OUT.
They are a total pain in the butt, very hard to tune and a real pain to change strings. The cheaper ones go out of tune a lot too. If you spend more, and know why you want one, then fine, but locking tremelos on budget instruments are usually rubbish.
Brands – Classical
I think the Yamaha brand are excellent, and that what I started on! There are others but Yamaha are very consistent top notch product.
I hope that help you make up your mind!!
OK then – time to make sure you know the best way to practice!
use the acoustic first. youll get used to the feel of the strings and the pressure you need to apply. once you get the hang of it, go electric. you know, its rare but when moms are right they know what theyre talkin about (or the guy who reccomended the idea)
I always recommend to the beginner to start with an acoustic guitar. It will offer more challenges in developing the calluses along with chords and their progressions. If a beginner has the drive to move past the hurting fingertips until the calluses arrive then the person stands a stronger chance to excel at the instrument because it takes dedication and perseverance.
I also recommend against the use of capos because they inhibit building fretboard expertise. Learn the moveable chords, otherwise known as chromatic chords. Next, tackle the challenge of learning music theory for the guitar. You can’t go wrong in learning music notation because it will open the world of music at your fingertips.
Yes it is. It’s not required but at least when you switch to playing electric guitar you’ll know most of what you need to know.
Make your momma happy! The electric is a little easier on the fingers, but the acoustic will toughen you fingers up. You can learn on any guitar. If you play the trumpet then alot of the muscial theory will transfer over. Its not hard to learn, it just takes patience and practice
Pooryorrick hit the nail on the head. Listen to that.