Acoustic guitar or electric guitar first?

    Today, I’m going to give some insight as to which guitar I think you should purchase first; whether you’re learning for fun, grades or to complete your Duke of Edinburgh.

    Acoustic Guitar

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    Acoustic / Electro acoustic Guitar

    The advantages of buying an acoustic guitar is that you can practice without any amplification. It doesn’t need to be plugged in and you’ll be able to get a decent volume when strumming the guitar whether you’re sitting at home or practicing with friends

    The Electro Acoustic guitar is a guitar which you can plug in to an amplifier or PA system. Electro is short for electric. The electro acoustic is still an acoustic guitar but you can choose whether to plug it in whilst performing.

    Electro acoustic guitars will cost a little extra due to it’s functionality which depending on the model may also come with a tuner built in too. As with any type of guitar, guitars can cost from £150 and above 1k.

    The Electric Guitar

    Quite often you’ll see a beginners’ guitar package which seems appealing but I would recommend buying a guitar separately.

    Entry models hold little to no resale value. Buying guitars in as a package will come with a lead which will break in the not distant future. The amp will also have limited volume range.

    Is the electric guitar appropriate for home use?

    The short answer is yes but the electric guitar is quite overwhelming for some. It takes a while to get used to the sound and it’s extroverted characteristics.

    Whilst the electric guitar appears to be loud and aggressive you are able to change the tone from clean to distorted. When learning as a beginner I often encourage my students to practice on a clean tone so that you’re not covering up your mistakes. You’ll also be able to hear where you can improve. When you feel you’re ready too test your skills, you can always attend one of your local ‘open mic’ sessions!

    There are different levels of volume and whilst the sound does transfer it can be ‘controlled’ to a degree. When playing at. home the sound can be within normal TV volume ranges.

    The Classical Guitar

    Similar to the Acoustic guitar, the classical guitar has a different shaped body. The string type is different too. On a classical guitar the strings are made from nylon whereas an acoustic guitar the strings are made from steel. The advantage of learning on a classical guitar is it’s a little easier to press down. You can hold this guitar in it’s formal pose or informal whilst learning. 

    Should I play the acoustic, electric, or classical guitar first?

    I encourage beginners to start on a classical guitar because I feel that it’s important to state that the foundations of learning the guitar is the same. Whether you want to learn electric, classical or acoustic guitar the chord and scale shapes are all the same. An E major chord is an E major chord whether on electric, acoustic, or classical. You can later transfer the knowledge to a different style.

    I typically suggest purchase a classical guitar first. It will cost less and will enable to appreciate a more expensive instrument once you have mastered the basics. Calluses will also develop.

    There are lots of tunes that can be played on either the acoustic or classical -with just a few chords for the acoustic guitar. It will also save you time as you’ll learn the correct technique. You can then branch out into finger-style, electric guitar, bass and perhaps even some music theory too.

    Learning on a classical guitar isn’t a waste of time as knowledge is transferred to which ever style it is you want to work towards whether that’s jazz, rock, metal, classical, finger-style.

    Nylon or steel strings for beginners?

    Nylon strings are beginner friendly as pressing down on the strings will be much easier.  The more popular guitars such as acoustic electric and bass guitars are slightly harder to play, but with practise & determination you’ll be fine. 

    After playing the acoustic or electric guitar for a while, you’ll start to develop calluses which harden the finger tips and makes the pressing down on the strings easier. 

    If you’re keen on learning finger-style guitar, you might want to think about starting with the classical guitar. It’s formality often puts beginner guitarists off but it’s actually a really good introduction to the finger-style guitar technique. You can actually have classical guitars that are able to be plugged in to an amplifier too.

    Developing calluses is going to be an achievement. This will show that you have been practicing regularly whilst making lots of progress. Once you’re past this stage you’ll be able to play trickier songs with more interesting techniques such as hammer-ons pull-offs, weird chord shapes and more. 

    When purchasing a guitar for the first time it’s often worth noting that the strings that are already on there are not necessarily appropriate for beginners. I’d recommend purchasing a lighter gauge string as this will allow you to press down on the fretboard a lot more easily.  

    Learning on the electric guitar

    My guitar buzzes, is it me?

    If you’ve been playing a while and are becoming efficient you might now be due an upgrade because there’s a good chance it might not actually be you. But as a beginner there’s also a chance that it could be. Check whether you’re playing the note to the right of the fret and not to the left of centre. When to the left of centre you’re more likely to acheive the ‘buzz’.

    Are you left handed?

    If you’re left handed I would recommend buying a right handed guitar. You’ll benefit from buying a right handed guitar because the natural power from your left hand will make learning the chord shapes a lot easier. You’ll also have more choice when it comes to upgrading your instrument.

    Digital Grades, how to record your exam

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