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You can’t go wrong with the electric guitar if you want to jam along to some rock, blues, pop, jazz, or metal classics. Their versatility and distinctive sound make electric guitars a popular choice among many aspiring musicians, from beginners to seasoned players.
Wondering whether an acoustic or electric guitar is better for you as a beginner? Or do you want to move to an electric instrument after learning the basics with an acoustic guitar? We’ll explain how to get the most out of your electric guitar and explore the differences between acoustic and electric guitars!
Table of contents
Understanding electric guitars
If you’re already familiar with the acoustic guitar, switching to an electric guitar should come easy, as they share almost all the main parts and features. There are some differences, though, so it’s worth going through the electric guitar and its parts in more detail.
The electric guitar consists of different parts that together produce its unique sound. The largest part that other guitar parts connect to is the body. Next up, there’s the neck, which contains other essential guitar parts, most notably the fretboard, frets, and headstock. The headstock (located at the end of the neck) contains the parts needed to tune the guitar.
Unlike its acoustic counterpart, an electric guitar doesn’t have a soundhole in the body to amplify the sound. Instead, the electric guitar has pickups to convert string vibrations into electrical signals. Volume and tone knobs, along with pickup selectors, allow you to adjust the sound to your liking. The electric guitar also comes with an output jack to plug into an amp.
The electric amplification is useless without an amp to make the guitar’s sound audible. Some amps have built-in effects, such as distortion, delay, and chorus, that transform the guitar’s sound. This is one reason why the electric guitar is such a versatile instrument, making it perfect for a number of different genres and styles. You can enhance the electric guitar’s sound further with effects pedals.
Getting started with an electric guitar
The same fundamentals apply to learning both acoustic and electric guitar, so if you already have experience playing an acoustic instrument, transitioning to an electric one shouldn’t be an issue. If you’re starting your guitar-playing journey with an electric guitar, it’s best to start with the basics!
Basic techniques
When you learn to speak a new language, you first learn some of the most commonly used words that make up a significant portion of everyday speech. Similarly, with the guitar, you should begin by learning the most common open chords that allow you to play a large number of songs. Some basic major chords to learn include E, A, D, C, and G. Get familiar with some minor chords as well; Am, Em, and Dm are great ones to start with.
Knowing just a handful of basic chords helps build a solid foundation to expand into more intermediate chords, including barre chords, like the F major. All electric guitar players benefit from learning power chords, which are easy to play and sound great with distortion.
Learn to read music to play songs
Sheet music is far from the only method of musical notation and reading music. Both beginners and advanced players benefit from simplified guitar chord diagrams and tabs that make it incredibly easy to learn individual riffs or entire songs.
Guitar tabs allow you to play songs with guitar chords, but most importantly, they simplify melodies and complex riffs into understandable notation. As an electric guitar player, learning to read and play with tabs is one of the best ways to learn new songs!
Once you’re comfortable with reading tabs, consider practicing scales like the major and minor pentatonic scales, which build finger strength and help you get comfortable navigating the fretboard.
Practice routine
Establishing a consistent and sustainable practice routine is essential for progress. Consider your goals when creating a routine. This way there’s enough time for deliberate, focused practice, as well as having fun and jamming along to your favorite songs. Enjoying the learning process keeps your motivation high and prevents you from getting burned out. Incorporate a short warm-up into your practice routine to avoid injuries or strain.
Electric vs. acoustic guitar for beginners
Choosing between an electric and an acoustic guitar is a common dilemma for beginners starting their guitar-playing journey. However, there’s no simple answer to whether you should start with an acoustic or electric instrument. Here’s a comparison to help you decide between the two:
- Strings: Both acoustic and electric guitars can have steel strings that can cause discomfort and finger pain for beginners, as their hands aren’t used to playing, and they haven’t developed calluses on their hands. Classical guitars, in contrast, have nylon guitar strings, which are easier on the fingers. But if you want to rock out playing riffs or distorted rhythm guitar, the steel-stringed electric guitar is the way to go.
- Sound and versatility: Electric guitars’ extra amplification and additional effects offer a wider range of sounds. They allow you to play various musical genres and styles, including rock, blues, metal, and jazz. Acoustic guitars, meanwhile, are well-suited for genres like folk, country, and singer-songwriter music, and they require less equipment.
- Cost: The additional cost of an amp and effects pedals makes the initial cost of buying an electric guitar higher. However, buying a high-quality guitar from the get-go ensures you don’t have to invest in a new instrument any time soon. Additionally, there are good starter kits that come with both the guitar and other equipment you need, such as an amp, a cable, picks, guitar straps, and a carrying bag.
- Volume: If you want to play quietly, an electric guitar is the better choice. You can connect the guitar to an amp and play with headphones, so others hear only the guitar’s almost inaudible, unamplified sound. You can’t play an acoustic guitar quietly, which might be a concern in noise-sensitive environments or when playing late at night.
Should you learn with acoustic or electric guitar as a beginner?
It’s common for beginners to start playing with an acoustic guitar and transition to an electric instrument once they learn the basics. This is a good option, but it’s far from the only one!
If you don’t want to buy two different guitars, why not start playing electric guitar from the very beginning? On the flip side, some players find they prefer the sound and feel of an acoustic guitar and would rather play certain musical styles and genres acoustically. Therefore, it’s not necessary to switch to an electric guitar if you don’t feel like it.
Finally, there’s also a middle option: the electro-acoustic guitar. These are essentially acoustic guitars with an output jack as well as the necessary electronic parts to pick up the sound and amplify it through an amp. The great thing is that an electro-acoustic guitar has a sound hole, so you can play it like a regular acoustic guitar as well!
Learn to play electric guitar with Yousician
Whether you want to play guitar with an acoustic or electric guitar, Yousician is there to help you on your guitar-learning journey with interactive lessons that are great for all skill levels, both on the acoustic and electric guitar. Try Yousician for free and get started playing guitar!