What guitar would best to start off using? acoustic or electric?

UserName 217

What guitar would best to start off using? acoustic or electric?

mooliki

It completely depends on the style of music you're hoping to play. And how serious you are about playing.

The strings on an electric guitar are generally easier to hold down, they tend to be a lighter gauge string and closer to the fretboards, which helps when you're just starting practicing chord shapes without being too hard on the fingers. Also, since you can control the volume, it can help if you have to worry about noise levels.

But personally I'd say to get a better idea of the sound, a more solid understanding of how the notes relate and help you develop a keener ear for music, I'd recommend acoustic. You can get away with hiding a lot in effects and distortion when playing an electric. With an acoustic, you're either hitting the notes or you're not.

Ultimately, there are slight variations in the styles of playing one or the other, and once you've got the basics of one it'll be a lot handier to make a transition to the other. Though again, purely in terms of the physical pressure on the fingers, I find it easier to go from acoustic to electric, than the other way round.

Whichever you choose, maybe try and pick up a cheap version of the other to work on every now and then. The more different styles you practice, the better your overall playing will improve.

Hope some of that was useful.

UserName 217

mooliki wrote: »

It completely depends on the style of music you're hoping to play. And how serious you are about playing.

The strings on an electric guitar are generally easier to hold down, they tend to be a lighter gauge string and closer to the fretboards, which helps when you're just starting practicing chord shapes without being too hard on the fingers. Also, since you can control the volume, it can help if you have to worry about noise levels.

But personally I'd say to get a better idea of the sound, a more solid understanding of how the notes relate and help you develop a keener ear for music, I'd recommend acoustic. You can get away with hiding a lot in effects and distortion when playing an electric. With an acoustic, you're either hitting the notes or you're not.

Ultimately, there are slight variations in the styles of playing one or the other, and once you've got the basics of one it'll be a lot handier to make a transition to the other. Though again, purely in terms of the physical pressure on the fingers, I find it easier to go from acoustic to electric, than the other way round.

Whichever you choose, maybe try and pick up a cheap version of the other to work on every now and then. The more different styles you practice, the better your overall playing will improve.

Hope some of that was useful.

Yeah very useful thanks.

I don't mind the whole sore on the fingers. But you made a good point that using the acoustic you will hear notes a lot better etc. Yeah think I might just use electric every now and then but focus on acoustic until I progress more.

_LilyRose_

As well I'd say if you're getting a cheap acoustic to start off with, make sure you don't get one with all nylon strings, as in a classical guitar (unless you're going to learn classical guitar, which I would actually recommend as it really helps with bar chords later on and music theory in general) because your fingers won't thank you for it if you get used to playing on soft strings and then change over to a good acoustic guitar with steel strings! But you said you don't mind the whole sore fingers thing, which is great

mooliki

UserName 217 wrote: »

Yeah think I might just use electric every now and then but focus on acoustic until I progress more.

I'd say that's an ideal approach. Good luck with it!

UserName 217

_LilyRose_ wrote: »

As well I'd say if you're getting a cheap acoustic to start off with, make sure you don't get one with all nylon strings, as in a classical guitar (unless you're going to learn classical guitar, which I would actually recommend as it really helps with bar chords later on and music theory in general) because your fingers won't thank you for it if you get used to playing on soft strings and then change over to a good acoustic guitar with steel strings! But you said you don't mind the whole sore fingers thing, which is great

I have a classical and acoustic, I had the classical first which helped me with chords a lot. It didn't matter about the strings when I moved to acoustic because thats just something you have to deal with.

mooliki wrote: »

I'd say that's an ideal approach. Good luck with it!

Thanks:D

martinedwards

don't buy cheap poo though.

buy the best quality instrument you can possibly afford.

and used will double the quality at the same price.

electrics can generally be tinkered around with, with a load of room for adjustment to your personal preferences, but acoustics have much less room for the amateur to adjust.