For those who want to learn guitar, you may be debating between learning on an acoustic or electric guitar. Or you might wonder, which is the best guitar for beginners.
Here are some key differences between an acoustic and an electric guitar.
The most significant distinction between an electric and an acoustic guitar is that one may be amplified while the other cannot be. Because of the electrical switches on electric guitars, they tend to seem a bit complex. The fundamental characteristics of the guitar whether it is an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar, are EXACTLY the same, so if you want to learn guitar on an electric guitar, you should learn guitar on an electric guitar!
Acoustic vs Electric Guitars: Best guitar for Beginners
Acoustic Guitar
There is also a big range of beginner guitar starter packs available on the market, which are great for those just getting starting to learn guitar.
Do remember that the tone of acoustic guitars is one and cannot be boosted with additional effects such as reverb or delay. These come with:
A. Acoustic guitar and case
B. Spare strings.
C. A tuner.
In terms of cost-effectiveness, purchasing a beginner pack is the best as you start to learn guitar.
Electric guitars are more expensive than acoustic guitars and need more accessories.
A. An amp. Or an amplifier
B. Guitar lead.
C. Tuner.
D. Picks.
Even though it may not seem like much, these additional necessities may add significantly to the cost of the electric guitar especially as you’re looking at it as the best guitar for beginners, such as you. While it might be intimidating to spend a significant amount of money on a guitar, it is well worth the investment if you want to continue playing for a long time. Purchasing a starter pack is an excellent method to cut the cost of an electric guitar down when purchasing one.
It is not necessary to use an external amplifier for it to be heard.
When it comes to sound, electric guitars are much more adaptable than acoustic guitars. Because we have an external amplifier, we have a tremendous amount of potential for sound growth. Most amplifiers offer a clean and a distortion channel, which means you have more tone possibilities than you would with an acoustic guitar. We may also improve the quality of our sound by using effects pedals in conjunction with our guitar sound.
Is it Better to Learn Guitar with an Acoustic or Electric Guitar?
This is the most important question you should ask yourself before deciding on the sort of guitar to purchase or even what type of guitar you want to learn to play.
Some individuals recommend starting with a classical acoustic guitar since the strings are gentler on your fingertips than other types of guitars. Alternatively, some individuals recommend starting with an electric guitar since the strings are less taxing on your fingers. Some even recommend that you begin with a steel-string guitar to toughen up your fingertip muscles and will tell you it is the best guitar for beginners.
It is preferable, to begin with, a guitar that is appropriate for the kind of music that you want to learn to play. If you wish to study music that is best played on an acoustic guitar, you should start with an acoustic guitar. If you wish to perform electric guitar music, you should start with an electric guitar. Choose a guitar that you will have a lot of fun with.
If you wish to play rock guitar, you will despise the experience of learning on a classical guitar. You'll not only feel uncomfortable, but you'll also sound uncomfortable. A classical guitar is incapable of producing large, fat, distorted guitar tones, as is the case with electric guitars.
Start with a guitar that is appropriate for the genre of music you wish to study
Difference Between Playing Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Acoustic and electric guitars might look and sound entirely different from one another, but there are also distinctions in how they feel and perform when they are played.
The main distinction between playing an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar is how they feel in your hands when playing. Acoustic guitars are larger and heavier than electric guitars, and the strings might feel tight. When it comes to electric guitars, the strings are often softer beneath your fingertips, making them simpler to grasp and play.
Lap Comfort: Acoustic Guitar vs Electric Guitar
The level of comfort with which a guitar sits on your lap as you play is known as lap comfort.
The huge and unwieldy acoustic guitar will sit on your lap in a totally different way than the thin and streamlined electric guitar that would rest on your lap. Electric guitars, with their slender bodies and shapes that practically hug your body, are very comfortable to hold on your lap.
When it comes to most people, the difference in how an electric guitar feels on your lap vs an acoustic guitar isn't anything to be concerned about. When it comes to shorter people and kids, the difference in how a guitar feels may make a significant difference in how much you like playing the instrument. When a youngster attempts to play a full-size acoustic guitar, he or she may find it difficult to reach the fretboard.
Finger Playability on Acoustic vs Electric Guitars
The most noticeable difference between acoustic guitar and electric guitars is how they feel beneath your fingertips when you play them as you learn guitar.
One of the reasons why some people advocate nylon-string acoustic guitars as the best guitar for beginners (also known as classical guitars) is because the strings are soft beneath your fingertips, making them easier to play.
Because the string tension is lighter than on other kinds of guitars, you don't have to push as hard to play a note as you would on a traditional guitar. In addition, as compared to steel-string acoustic guitars, electric guitars have lower string tension.
However, it is crucial to remember that everyone has some degree of finger pain or discomfort at the beginning of the procedure. You shouldn't purchase a guitar just on the basis of the fact that it is easy on the fingertips of someone else and you are being advised to pick it up as the best guitar for beginners.
No matter what sort of guitar you begin with, your fingers will ultimately become tough and no longer cause you any discomfort or pain. So don't purchase a guitar only for the purpose of alleviating some agony. Consider learning guitar in the style and type that you will enjoy playing for many years to come.
What You Can Play on Acoustic vs Electric Guitars
Aside from the way acoustic and electric guitars feel to play, the other significant difference between the two types of guitars is what you can play on them.
Technically, you can play any kind of music on any sort of guitar, regardless of the instrument. However, each form of music seems to be more suited to a certain sort of guitar than the others. There are some types of music that are better served by acoustic guitars, and there are other types of music that are better served by electric guitars. When determining whether to purchase an acoustic or an electric guitar, it is important to consider the following factors.
First and foremost, choose the kind of music you wish to perform. Then have a look at the kind of guitars that are frequently utilised in that musical genre. Look for live performances of your favourite tunes to discover what kind of guitars the musicians are using.
The steel-string acoustic guitar is the sort of guitar you should start with if you discover that most of the music you listen to is performed on this type of instrument. Never mind that the strings may be more difficult on your fingers at first; it will still be the greatest option for you in the long run!
Start with a 6-string electric guitar if the music you listen to is only performed on a 7-string electric guitar. Otherwise, you'll be disappointed (something a lot of people would advise). Begin with a 7-string electric guitar to learn the basics.
Start with a guitar especially as you just start out to learn guitar, which is appropriate for the kind of music you wish to study, and you will never outgrow your instrument. You may eventually upgrade to a better guitar, but you will never outgrow your current one.
Acoustic vs Electric FAQ
Here are some more answers to frequently asked questions concerning the differences between acoustic and electric guitars.
Is it possible for me to play electric guitar if I can play acoustic guitar?
The answer is yes, if you learn how to play on an acoustic guitar, you can also learn how to play on an electric guitar. Almost everything you can learn to play on one kind of guitar can be learned to play on any other type of guitar as well.
Several guitarists utilise both electric and acoustic guitars, and the same skills may be applied to both kinds of instruments. Even while certain forms of music will seem easier to play on one type of guitar than on another, it is still feasible to perform the same things on both sorts of guitars.
Are the chords on an electric guitar the same as those on an acoustic guitar?
When playing an electric guitar, the guitar chords are precisely the same as they are on an acoustic guitar. Since the fretboards of both electric and acoustic guitars are identical, all of the notes and chords sound the same on both instruments.
One of the few times guitar chords change is when you switch to a new tune on your instrument.
Is it possible to play an electric guitar similarly to an acoustic?
You may use an electric guitar in the same way that you would an acoustic. You can strum the same chords, fingerpick the same arpeggios, and play the same tunes that everyone else is playing on the internet. Even though it will sound and feel very different on an electric guitar, you can still play an electric guitar as you would an acoustic guitar.
When you try to play an electric guitar without plugging it in, the sound will not be as nice as when you play an acoustic guitar. Attempting to play an electric guitar when it is not plugged in will not provide results. You'll be able to hardly hear the notes you're playing, and it'll sound dreadful as a result.
Is it more difficult to play an electric guitar than an acoustic guitar?
Because of the increased string tension on steel-string acoustic guitars, they are more difficult to play than electric guitars and nylon-string acoustic guitars. Some individuals love acoustic guitars, while others prefer electric guitars, and they do not believe that one is more difficult to play than the other.
You shouldn't be concerned about whether an electric or an acoustic guitar is more difficult to play than the other. It is not necessary to be concerned with whatever sort of guitar is best for you.
It doesn't matter whether it's an acoustic or an electric guitar when you learn guitar; what matters is that it motivates you to take it up and practise. Having a guitar that does not inspire you will make the experience of learning to play the guitar a disappointment. So even if it takes paying a little more money on an electric guitar, it's a worthwhile investment. However, if you want to save a little money on an acoustic, that's quite OK. It doesn't matter whether the instrument inspires you or not.