Is It Easier To Learn Acoustic Or Electric Guitar

If y'all are thinking near learning guitar, y'all're probably wondering whether yous should acquire on an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar.

There isa lot of bad advice online nearly what type of guitar y'all should learn on, then in this guide, I'll give you clear communication to make the right choice.

Afterward you read this guide, learn near all the unlike types of guitars in this guide.

Let'southward go through some common questions yous might have to assist you make up one's mind between an acoustic or electric guitar.

Is information technology Meliorate to Start With Acoustic or Electric Guitar?

This is the large question y'all probably accept when thinking well-nigh what type of guitar to buy.

There is a lot of bad advice online that says you should get-go on a specific type of guitar.

Some people say you should start on a classical audio-visual guitar considering the strings are easier on your fingers. Other people say to start on electric guitar because the strings are easier on your fingers. Some even say that you lot should get-go on a steel-string guitar to toughen up your fingers.

All of the above is terrible advice and completely misses the point.

It is better to first with the type of guitar that suits the style of music you want to learn. Start with an acoustic guitar if yous desire to learn music that is all-time on an acoustic guitar. First with an electrical guitar if y'all want to play electric guitar music. Pick the guitar that you will savor playing.

If you lot want to play rock, y'all will hate learning on a classical guitar. Not only volition it feel wrong, simply it volition sound terrible. You tin can't get large fat distorted guitar tones from a classical guitar.

Imagine trying to acquire metal, punk, or rock on a guitar like these:

Classical Guitars

I've had students who wanted to learn metal and walked into their start lesson with a guitar like these because the person at the store told them information technology's the best guitar to get-go with.

As you can imagine, the students hated their guitars and couldn't wait until they could switch to an electric guitar.

Besides, if you desire to learn acoustic folk songs, y'all will hate learning on an electric guitar. Information technology just won't sound or experience correct.

Imagine trying to play a soft fingerpicked ballad with a guitar like this:

Strandberg weight

Even if this guitar is easier to learn on than a steel-string acoustic, it's unsuitable for the style of music you want to play.

It doesn't matter if one type of guitarmight be easier on your fingers than other types. If the type of guitar doesn't match the mode of music you want to learn, y'all won't enjoy it.

Outset on the blazon of guitar that suits the music you want to learn.

What type of guitar suits the music yous desire to larn? Cheque out this guide on guitar types to find the exact type of guitar that is right for y'all.

Difference Between Playing Acoustic and Electric Guitar

Audio-visual and electric guitars can await and sound completely different, simply there is also differences in what they're like to play.

The principal difference betwixt playing an acoustic and electric guitar is how they feel. Acoustic guitars are bigger and bulkier and the strings can experience tight. Electric guitars are typically smaller and easier to hold and the strings feel softer under your fingers.

Permit's expect at the dissimilar ways acoustic and electric guitars experience to play.

Audio-visual vs Electrical Guitar Lap Comfort

Lap comfort is how comfy a guitar feels in your lap while you play.

Take a quick await at the below photo and it will be clear how different the 2 types of guitars will feel to hold every bit y'all play:

Acoustic vs Electric Guitars

The large and bulky acoustic guitar volition sit on your lap very differently to the slim and contoured electrical guitar.

Electric guitars tend to experience comfortable sitting on your lap as the slim body and contours almost hug you.

For almost adults, the difference in how an electric vs acoustic guitar feels on your lap isn't anything to worry about.

For shorter adults or children, the difference in how a guitar feels tin can make a large deviation in your enjoyment of the guitar.

A child trying to play a full-size acoustic guitar may struggle to reach the fretboard.

If you lot're buying a guitar for a child or you're a short person (at that place's nothing wrong with that!), check out my guide on guitar sizes to larn nigh the unlike options yous have.

I also talk virtually this potential issue in my guide on guitar for small easily.

Finger Playability on Audio-visual vs Electric Guitars

The big difference betwixt acoustic and electrical guitars is how they feel nether your fingers.

1 of the reasons some people recommend nylon-string acoustic guitars (also called classical guitars) is that these strings are soft under your fingers.

Guitar strings closeup

The cord tension is lower than other types of guitars, so you don't need to press down equally hard to play a note.

Electrical guitars as well use fairly depression string tension compared to steel-string audio-visual guitars.

But information technology'south important to understand that everybody feels some finger hurting or discomfort in the beginning. You shouldn't buy a guitar simply considering somebody told you information technology's easy on your fingers.

No affair what type of guitar you outset on, your fingers will eventually toughen upward and they won't hurt anymore.

And so don't buy a guitar just because it might avoid some discomfort. Purchase the guitar that you will dearest to play for years into the future.

What You Can Play on Audio-visual vs Electric Guitars

Other than how guitars feel to play, the other big departure between acoustic and electrical guitars is what you tin play on them.

Technically, you tin can play any style of music on whatever type of guitar. But each style of music tends to work better with a specific blazon of guitar.

Some styles of music are improve suited to acoustic guitars and other styles of music are better suited to electrical guitars.

This is really of import to go along in heed when you're deciding whether to purchase an audio-visual or electric guitar.

First, think most what styles of music you want to play.

Then await at what type of guitars are typically used in those styles of music. Look upwards alive versions of your favorite songs and see what type of guitars they use.

If you find that most of the music you listen to is played on steel-cord acoustic guitars, then that's the type of guitar you should starting time on. Don't worry that the strings may be tougher on your fingers at first, it'southward still the best choice for y'all.

If y'all find that the music you heed to is all played on 7-cord electric guitars, then don't kickoff with a 6-string guitar (something a lot of people would advise). Get-go with a vii-string electric guitar (find out about 7-cord guitars here).

It may be harder in the beginning, but it's the right option for you.

The central lesson to remember when trying to decide on the right guitar for you is that you want a guitar you volition bask playing now and years into the future.

There's nil worse than learning on a guitar that is 'meant' for beginners, then getting frustrated with it in a few months when you lot realize it's the wrong type of guitar for you lot.

Outset on the guitar that suits the music you lot want to learn and you lot'll never outgrow information technology. You may upgrade to a better guitar in the future, but you'll never outgrow it.

Acoustic vs Electric FAQ

Here are some answers to other common questions about choosing betwixt acoustic and electric guitars.

If I Can Play Acoustic Guitar, Tin I Play Electrical Guitar?

Yes, if you learn to play on an acoustic guitar, you can also play electrical guitar. Anything y'all play on ane type of guitar can exist played on any other type of guitar.

Some guitarists play both electric and acoustic guitars and the same techniques can be used on both types.

Some styles of music will experience easier on one type of guitar, but information technology is possible to play the same things on both types.

Are Electrical Guitar Chords the Same as Acoustic?

Guitar chords on electric guitars are exactly the same as acoustic guitars. The fretboards on both electric and audio-visual guitars are the same, so all the notes and chords are also the same.

The just time guitar chords change is when yous use a dissimilar tuning on your guitar. Discover out nigh alternating tunings in this guide.

Tin can You Play an Electric Guitar Like an Acoustic?

You lot can play an electric guitar like an acoustic. Yous can strum the same chords, fingerpick the same arpeggios, and play the aforementioned songs. It will sound and feel completely different on an electrical guitar, merely yous can play an electrical guitar like an audio-visual.

If you try to play an electric guitar when it isn't plugged in, it won't sound every bit good every bit an acoustic guitar. Trying to play an electric guitar when it isn't plugged in won't piece of work. You'll barely hear the notes you play and it will sound terrible.

Find out how to play an electric guitar without a guitar amp in this guide.

Is information technology Harder to Play Electric Guitar or Audio-visual?

Steel-cord acoustic guitars are harder to play than electric guitars and nylon-cord acoustic guitars due to college string tension. Some people prefer acoustic guitars and some prefer electric guitars and don't feel like i is harder than the other.

You shouldn't worry almost whether an electric or acoustic guitar is harder to play. Y'all should worry most what blazon of guitar is right for you.

Don't selection a guitar just considering information technology might be easier to play. Pick the type of guitar you will enjoy playing for years into the future.

Observe out more about types of guitars in this guide.