The Beginners Guitar Dilemma – Electric Or Acoustic?
When starting to learn guitar the question is often raised whether you should start on electric guitar or on acoustic guitar. For some, this will be a simple choice as they will be drawn to one or the other based on the musical genre they are attracted to playing.
But the question still st
There are pros and cons to each at different stages of a guitarist learning so any evaluation needs to take into account the short term and long term benefits of each. I started on acoustic guitar. My brother started on electric. Over the years I have mentored other guitarists who brought along to sessions whatever guitar they had to hand. What I noticed, is that you can almost tell from a guitarist\’s technique whether they started on electric or acoustic, just by watching them play.
So here are the pros and cons we saw of each approach.
Starting On Electric Guitar
Pros
* Narrower gauge strings and guitar neck make it easier to play.
* Amplification makes it easier to develop a subtlety of playing as it permits various nuances in your play (e.g. vibrato).
* It is possible to practice using earphones (neighbors will appreciate this).
Cons
* Muscle strength in the fingers does not build up as strongly as when playing acoustic.
* Using effects hides faults (string buzz, poor left hand placement).
* Strong tendency for incorrect placement of the left thumb on the guitar neck.
Starting On Acoustic Guitar
Pros
* Lower cost starting option.
* An amp is not required, so you can play and practice anywhere.
* Builds up finger muscle strength.
Cons
* Strong temptation to strum through all songs. Beginners should take the time to learn subtle finger picking styles.
* Guitar solos can get lost if playing in a group which may put off some beginners.
* Using earphones with an acoustic guitar is not an option.
From my perspective, guitarists who start out on electric build up a speed of playing (solos, chord changes, etc.) which is admirable, but it is often at the cost of good playing technique. Playing the electric guitar hides a number of faults such as incorrect placement of the thumb and not holding down strings solidly that results in strings buzzing or being muted during play (this is highly noticeable when recording an electric).
In comparison, the acoustic guitarist builds up the finger strength, learns better hand placement on the frets and fosters clear sounding play.
That said, if you can saddle the cost of buying both electric and acoustic guitars then you could balance out the beginners training on each instrument and they will benefit from both approaches.
Are you frustrated with your current guitar tuition/guitar course? Read Ed\’s review of Jamorama online guitar lessons at teach yourself guitar the modern way.
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