Should I start learning on an Acoustic or Electric guitar?
In this post, I aim to share the most important factors in choosing to start playing an Acoustic or Electric guitar when taking guitar lessons.
The first thing to consider is the type of music you want to be able to play. Is it well suited to the Acoustic or Electric guitar? In many cases you either won't know or it'll be a combination of both. Regardless, have a think about which of these preferences you are closer to and then you'll be able to start your online guitar lessons.
In most cases, for somebody who doesn't strongly suit the Acoustic guitar in terms of preferred musical styles - I would recommend beginning on an Electric guitar for a few different reasons:
- Firstly, the Electric is just straight up easier to play. Why? Because the strings are closer to the neck of the guitar than on an Acoustic. Every Electric guitar is equipped with an adjustable bridge meaning with a bit of time spent searching and following a tutorial, your guitar's strings will be in a comfortable position, minimising strain on your hands.
- Another reason is the volume control an Electric guitar has. It's perfectly valid to practice on an unplugged Electric guitar and if you're afraid of disturbing anyone with the noise, it might be just a better option anyway.
- Lastly, what I would say stands out about the Electric guitar is the variety of accessible sounds as opposed to on an Acoustic guitar. Even with a cheap practice amplifier, you can have access to several preset guitar sounds - offering you more choice of how you play the instrument, as well as inspiring new interests and ideas.
Andy Millar
Hi! I'm Andy. I've been teaching guitar and bass guitar since 2018 to people of various ages, abilities and styles.
As a teacher, I always aim to strike a balance between challenge and enjoyment. While I make a plan for every lesson, I am flexible to change the pace of the lesson where necessary, ...
