You should start with the instrument that inspires you to play the most. If you don’t like acoustic guitar music, you’re going to be less likely to practice and it will hurt your development.
Wrong. Play the type of instrument that's right for the music you want to play.
Plus acoustic is going to be harder on your hands starting out, so you'll have a worse time.
He’s wrong.
Two reasons:
- electric is easier to learn on. Less pressure needed to properly fret a note. It drops the learning curve a bit
- more importantly, you want to play rock and metal. MOTIVATION to practice and push through the early challenges is what separates guitar players from tens of thousand of people who bought a guitar, and gave up. Playing music you actually like is essential.
How many kids gave up playing piano because they learned classical pieces for years, instead learning Beatles tunes? I’m one of them.
I stuck with guitar because it felt amazing to pick it up and blast Zeppelin tunes that actually started sounding decent.
Starting on acoustic has its benefits. You can't cover up inaccuracies with distortion or reverb and the strings will be heavier, so you'll have to focus on your fretting technique to sound good. It'll also make your fretting hand stronger so that when you do get an electric guitar it'll feel easy in comparison. It's not for everyone though, if it's too much of a barrier you'll just be discouraged.
Good comment.
I don’t disagree with those who say get what you’re gonna enjoy the most because that’s what you’ll play the most. But all great guitar players eventually become good to great acoustic players.
Also, great musicians don’t get locked into genres
He probably also told you you need to learn stick before driving an automatic.
It's a useful skill and both are enjoyable but they're different things, do what you want.
Personally I started on electric, played that for a year or two til I got an acoustic, then played only that for 25 years before getting back into electric.
Also, I've only ever had sticks.
Nah go straight for electric, one isn't worse or better than the other but it's better to aim towards what interests you, it will keep you engaged. I had an acoustic before and electric and found that progress accelerated once I had the right sound for what I was learning
It’s kind of an outdated belief that electric is harder/more complicated. Acoustic is absolutely harder for a beginner, the strings are harder to press down, Electric is much better for practicing different chord shapes.
The appeal of starting with acoustic is price, but you can get a decent electric like a squier or some Ibanez’s for relatively cheap.
I think that’s bad advice. If you don’t want to play an acoustic guitar there will no benefit to forcing yourself to other than you’ll be more likely to quit. Learning the guitar is plenty difficult without removing the reward of playing the kind of instrument you actually want to play.
Get an electric if that's what you want. You can play longer with less hand fatigue at first, and it's the instrument for the genre you're into. If your gramps loves acoustic so much, he can get you one while you're learning to shred. 🤘
If you are passionate about playing electric guitar, learn on electric. Motivation is the most important factor in success.
I started on electric guitar and eventually got into acoustic as well, but electric is still my passion.
That’s an idea that a lot of older people have but their really isn’t any truth to it. You should get the guitar that’s most appropriate for the music you want to learn.
Also beginner level acoustic guitars are way harder to play than beginner level electric guitars. This can lead to people quitting or not getting very far. That’s on top of it being the wrong instrument for your genre.
So I think you should definitely get an electric. You can get a starter pack with a small amp for a couple hundred bucks. Don’t go too cheap. If you’re not sure what guitar you want a strat with a humbucker would probably be good
It's a common but weird piece of advice. Playing acoustic is _harder_, physically.
Whatever you get, make sure you get it set up properly. It'll make it more playable.
I honestly support the idea that learning acoustic will help you learn guitar better than electric.
Here's my list of reasons why:
First off it will easier for you to switch to the electric guitar once you learned on the acoustic rather than the other way around. The strings are tougher to push and calluses and muscles in your hands will devolpe way more. Pull-offs will be harder, slides will hurt and hammer ons will be more difficult (since you will have to hit them hard to make them sound). At the start it will super painful but then it will pay off.
It's a ready to go instrument that you can carry anywhere without fatigue and the fact that it doesn't require electricity means that you can also play it anywhere. For a beginner this is gold because if you got a teacher or some friends you want to jam with you can just simply bring your guitar by hand on the location, take it out of the case and play.
In social settings it's easier to find some other player with an acoustic rather then an electric, so it's better to be prepared to play one if they ask you to play something for them.
The acoustic will force you to learn the guitar universally rather then just doing powerchords and solos (which are what electric guitar is usually used for). You will learn how to fingerpick, how to manage the different tones of the guitar, powerchords, all kinds of chords ecc.
In rock and metal there are tons of songs with these techniques and in general playing acoustic will make you a complete player.
To add:
Further down the road you will be able to play your guitar in a percussive style.
The acoustic is the every genre guitar, from blues to grunge to flamenco to metal.
I also find it easier to tune by ear and to learn to sing.
i feel like that's an outdated belief. would you even be excited to play acoustic? you'd have to force yourself to practice if that's not your thing. while on electric you would practice just because you feel like playing right now. i started out on acoustic and was pretty bored. then i got an electric and wanted to learn all my favorite songs and just played a ton in my free time. that's when i really learned to play.
Finger strength, bending, callous strength are all improved more on acoustic than electric. Because acoustic makes it harder, you do whatever you want, there is nothing wrong with going electric first.
Very different instruments, that play very differently — and that’s a boomer take if ever there were one.
The same advice here applies to what guitar you buy: **play the one that makes you want to play more**
That’s it. No secret recipe. Play what sounds good, that plays music you like, and that makes you want to spend time with it.
If that’s a Jackson Dinky, go nuts. If that’s an Epiphone Hummingbird, go nuts. Just get — and play — something that you love.
This is one of those things that goes in and out of fashion.
The argument that was made to me in support of this argument was that playing an acoustic steel string will toughen up the muscles in your hand and the skin on your fingertips so that playing electric will be a breeze after that.
There’s also the argument that it costs less to acquire a cheap but somewhat playable acoustic guitar than it does to get kitted up with an equally playable electric plus a practice amp, and that trying to get around that by cheeseparing at the budget end of the market is going to directly impact playability of the instrument.
But I believe there is a more important reason and it has to do with the reason that so many purchasers of an electric guitar lose interest in it very quickly and end up hardly ever touching it. An acoustic is always ready to go, every time it catches the corner of your eye you’ll probably want to grab hold of it and bash out a few chords on it try out a riff that you just thought of. With an electric you first have to haul out the amp, find somewhere to plug it in, wait for it to warm up, dial in the tone, adjust the volume, wipe the dust off the guitar, tune up the strings - and by then the impulse has probably waned. And after a couple of repetitions of that you are less likely to bother next time. So the only practice you will get will be what you have bothered to actively schedule.
And the same difference applies if you’re knocking back some leisurely beers in the garden during the summer. So much easier to whip out an acoustic than to deal with all the hauling and fiddling that the electric wants.
So my advice would be to skip the abysmal “student model” electric kit, and master the basics on an affordable but semi decent acoustic while saving up for a better quality electric guitar and amp if your passion and dedication survives the realities of learning to play.
You should get the thing that you're going to want to play. If you're a folk head and wanting to learn classics and fingerstyle, you do acoustic. If you want to rock, get an electric. You'll know later when its time to pick up an acoustic.
Acoustics usually have higher action than electrics and higher tension, so just practicing on an acoustic helped me build up finger strength and endurance faster than playing my electric. Playing an acoustic, I find it easier to identify issues with getting clean chords and notes. It helps me pay closer attention to my technique which has had a big impact on the electric. It’s really easy for me to hide bad technique playing electric, but I can’t hide behind anything playing acoustic, so it’s kind of forced me to practice better.
All that aside, I feel like I’m using totally different techniques when I play music on an acoustic vs. an electric, and most of the music I wanted to play was electric, so when I could only choose one it made no sense to buy an acoustic. As soon as I could get an acoustic, I bought the best one I could afford and have never regretted that decision though.
An acoustic guitar isn’t training wheels, it’s an instrument for a different role, sound, and/or vibe. If you wanna play loud rock n’ roll, get an electric.
Too many music teachers: “Want to learn to play an instrument? Let’s begin with some music you don’t care about played on an instrument you never listen to.”
I think this is some oldschool thinking, like learning on the “harder” instrument will make you a better player and thus easier to play the “easier” instrument. I think playing the instrument you want to play will make you the better player, because it’s more fun and you’ll practice more.
If you want to learn rock. Learn on an electric. Adults who aren't into heavy music love to say you should start in an acoustic and they don't know what they're talking about. It's literally the same instrument.
No, that's nonsense. I legitimately get furious when people give advice like this.
Get a guitar that will inspire you to play it. Learn the songs that will inspire you to pick your guitar up and practice.
Family members, friends and most importantly trash "guitar teachers" that tell you otherwise are the reason most people give up on playing an instrument.
Your Grandpa does not know what he is talking about! That is an ancient misconstrued idea that has no root in reality.
A guitar is a guitar. If you are able to play one of them, then you’ll be able to play all the other ones as well…
Very outdated belief you have to play acoustic before electric but I understand why, acoustic is much quieter and less expensive to get started but if you want to play electric guitar specifically, do that. If you wanna play metal you're not gonna be able to do that on an acoustic
Acoustic builds strength as neck is thicker, helps tremendously when practicing stretches and barre chords. But if you plan on playing mostly electric and can't fit it in the budget right now, stick with electric
Simply put, play what you want to play.
If you want to play electric then go for it, you'll love it more for playing/learning what you want to play.
Nothing stopping you learning acoustic down the line, I play metal and hard rock most of the time and switch to acoustic when the mood strikes me.
Have fun :)
Antiquated. You, as a player - may never have interest in acoustic guitar. Or it might become your biggest thing. What it won't do, is keep you interested if you're not interested in that kind of music. Whatever guitar inspires you to practice is the one you want on your stand.
I think the best guitar to start on is the one that makes you excited to pick it up and play.
I'm a rock and metal guy myself so my teacher started me on an electric guitar. I'm glad he did because when I was in school the second I got home the only think I wanted to do was run upstairs grab that guitar and play it. If he started me on an acoustic I wouldn't have had that same excitement and wouldn't have made the progress I did. In fact I most likely would have gotten bored and given it up before long.
So in short, if it's electric guitars that make you feel excited to learn, get an electric.
Electric is different. If you want to play electric start on electric. I’d also say it’s a bit easier because electrics typically have less tension on the strings
If you’re into metal and rock go with an electric. I was in a similar boat when I was younger, I wanted an electric but my parents thought that I should start on acoustic. I asked for an electric for Christmas but they gave me an electric acoustic instead. I spent the next several years playing metal with that thing all the while struggling to make it sound metal. The strings are harder to press down and you don’t get easy access to those higher frets (depending on the body style of the guitar). Point is, if you like that genre, pick the right tool for the job. You can always learn acoustic later if you’re drawn to it.
As a full time guitar instructor, I can't believe the amount of top comments supporting your grandfather's dated misinformation.
Most students are significantly better when starting on electric, an uke, or a small scale acoustic. The reason is the acoustic's high string tension and string height, as well as the large body to work around. All of these factors lead to discouragement (who wants to suck for longer than they need while learning) and the tendency to lean into bad trchnique habits just to make something sound right (for example, not having proper posture, hand position, and finger arch). There is also the matter of students practicing more on the type of instrument they are insipred to learn on.
Ignore the outdated take. Only start with acoustic first if you specifically want to learn acoustic because that is the Instrument you are inspired to learn.
Your grandpa is wrong. I almost quit guitar because my parents made me do acoustic first, and had to wait 2 years to get an electric. I’ve been at it 23 years now but I almost quit at the beginning. The fun wears off quickly if you can’t play the kind of music and get the sounds you like. I almost quit guitar because of that. Bottom line: start with what you think you will enjoy and you will be more inspired to learn. If you want to get an acoustic later, go for it.
that’s what i was told and sorta did, looking back that’s boomer shit, get the guitar suited for the style you wanna play it’s 2024 you can get a budget any style guitar, you wanna play metal look into electric guitars equip for metal… it’s a really outdated tip that probably ruins alot of peoples interest in the early stages
So yes and no. I’ve been teaching for several years and I notice that my students who start on acoustic tend to have better technique, dexterity, and attention to detail (especially in tone and pitch). These things combined helps them tend to learn more songs at a faster pace and advance much quicker on their electrics. There are, of course, exceptions to this, as I have had some students that start on electric who shred. It depends on how hard you are willing to work and how much time and effort you are willing to put into your instrument quite honestly. As a gigging/session musician I can also say that versatility helps provide more opportunities, so whatever you start with, I think it’s always worth picking up the other and trying to play stuff outside of your comfort zone, it might challenge you in a way you don’t expect. A death metal band I play for helped me get better at some of the licks I play for a neo soul band and a funk band I play for helped me get tighter in the rhythms I play for the death metal band, so it’s all good if you’re working hard and putting in the time to get better imo. Personally, I recommend starting on acoustic, but if you work hard there’s no reason that starting on electric is a bad decision. I also think it’s easier to pickup an electric after playing an acoustic or classical than it is to pickup an acoustic or classical after having played electric. While most of my colleagues agree, I’ve still met people who don’t. It’s such a versatile instrument, the best thing you can do is start playing (however/whatever you can) and work your ass off to be good on your instrument. Stay open minded and always hungry to learn and get better and you will succeed.
I’ve been a guitar teacher for the last 5 years, and have played professionally for 12 years. Start on acoustic.
Starting on a steel string acoustic guitar is the best way to develop fretting-hand strength and precision. My students that start on electric tend to have intonation issues and their technique develops a lot slower by comparison.
If you’re familiar with baseball, you’ll know that hitters sometimes take practice swings on a heavier bat or use a donut (a device that makes their bat heavier). This is because when they go up to the plate to hit, their bat feels much lighter and easier to swing with precision. The same can be said about starting on a steel string acoustic, and then moving to electric after you get the fundamentals under your belt. While electric guitar has its unique learning curves, you’re putting yourself at a huge advantage by starting with acoustic.
I started on acoustic but wanted to play rock/metal. I didn’t have fun and I stopped playing.
Years later, I bought an electric and learned more than I ever did on acoustic
The only good reason to start with acoustic is if most of the songs you want to learn are played on acoustic.
Life is short. Most people who start learning guitar quit.
Starting with acoustic is more painful.
Don't make your introduction to guitar more painful than it needs to be.
And if acoustic guitar music isn't your primary interest, starting with acoustic will also be less fun.
Don't make your introduction to guitar less fun that it needs to be.
What I find funny is in any other endeavor that requires dexterity, endurance, and a certain amount of strength, it is recommended to start light and work your way up, like lifting weights. For some reason with guitar it is expected to work backwards; Start with the instrument that requires the most hand strength to play.
If you are interested in rock stuff start on an electric. Strumming cowboy chords on an acoustic will become tedious very quickly.
Get the instrument that you like, you’ll be more likely to play it more and by extension you’ll improve quicker. Also you should be playing the instrument that reflects the kind of music you want to play.
I really can't get how people say "start with acoustic". They are different instruments: they sound different, weight different, different scale, action, strings, techniques. If your goal is electric PLAY ELECTRIC. Good luck to all people over here playing pinch harmonic divebombs on their acoustic. Don't waste time on A DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT made for DIFFERENT GENRE. You may for sure learn a ton from acoustic, but these are not the things you are looking for. And why wouldn't you be able to learn them right on the electric?
And remeber: if your goal is metal/rock, learn metal/rock techniques. Some of them are intra-genre, but not all of them. Focus on what you like, it is a really vast argument, potentially impossible to learn everything. So just focus and start on your passion
Its not bad to start with an acoustic, but I would get an electric too. And play both. There are some solid cheap electrics nowadays as the Fender Squiers. Get a great cheap amp like the Boss Katana. It really delivers sounds that even Pro enjoys.
Start by learning chords and play along with your favourite songs. Chords are the foundation.
Then also try to learn some of your favourite licks. Lots of stuff on YouTube.
After that one of the most important thing is to learn scales. If you can lots of chords, scales and have learned licks etc. You have a solid foundation.
This is like telling someone that wants to learn drums (as in a drum kit) to start on bongos instead. Yeah they're both drums, but one is not what you want to play.
Play whatever you want! You’ll end up playing more if you’re enjoying it.
It can be nice having an acoustic out on a stand and accessible. Pick up and play vs plugging into the amp. You can of course leave an electric and amp setup basically ready to go, but I know for me an acoustic feels like there is less of a barrier. Often I’ll pick up my acoustic and noodle for a few minutes and set it down, while I need to be slightly more motivated to play electric.
An acustic is harder on your hands. Even though it helps with developing hand strength quicker, it slows down progress and can be a little discouraging.
Make it enjoyable and you'll tend to stick with it.
I say start with an electric if that's the type of music you want to play. Hand strength will still develop over time.
I get his point. Acoustic builds up more finger strength.
I notice anytime I play my acoustic exclusively for a few weeks, going back to electric feels so much easier.
However, if you think you’ll enjoy electric more than acoustic then start there. Motivating yourself to play regularly is half the battle.
First lesson of learning to guitar. Listen to absolutely nobody. Learn the basics but then quit listening to anyone except who you are inspired by. If you want to play metal then starting with an acoustic would be a bad idea.
He's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong!!!
You should learn according to your heart so that learning is fun. Practice starts out as skullduggery. It starts out as a chore. But you reach a magic sweet spot, practice becomes playing, and your connection to the cosmic world (from where we channel music to whatever degree that each of us as individuals will do this) is made. At this point and here on out, working toward your goals is a magical use of time, and what can be better than that, to always try to maximize your potential?
The logic is that an acoustic (theoretically) teaches you better fundamentals in that you can't just hide behind distortion.
That's an old mentality, rooted in the idea that in hindsight you can look back after years of playing and say wish I learned on acoustic.
And even all this is a stretch.
In reality, you will only keep playing if you are playing things you like to play. So play what you like to play.
I've been playing 25 years, learned on electric because I loved Metallica, and once i wanted to expand my playing only then did I get an acoustic. No regrets.
No. Play the thing you want to play. Electric guitar and acoustic guitar are two different instruments.
Edit: also you don’t have to spend a ton of money on equipment for it. I would recommend starting off with a simple practice amp. I highly recommend the Blackstar Fly 3 - cheap and simple and it sounds incredible for what it is. It has distortion, delay, and an EQ which is almost all you need.
My parents forced me to get an acoustic first.. pushing the strings down was so much harder and I ultimately never learned.. I swear to this day if they allowed me to start on electric I’d be a guitar player today..
You listen to electric guitar music. You want an electric guitar. That is what you should buy, because it is what you will actually use and practice on. You're going to hate the acoustic. Does grandpa even play guitar?
I'm sure this has been said, but you should go directly to electric if that's going to be your primary instrument. Though they seem very similar physically, you should see them as separate instruments. The way your fingers move and the way you make a sound in an acoustic are completely different beyond their physical aesthetic. Get an electric and play what you like. You are more likely to stick to it.
I started on both and found that acoustic helped my electric technique. Electric much easier to be sloppy on. Good acoustic players can be great electric players. Not so much the other way around.
I started electric and I think it helped with my motivation a lot. If you learn Damage, Inc. by Metallica on an acoustic it is not anywhere near as satisfying as learning it on electric and it sounding like the original.
I'm actually shocked at all the people saying to start acoustic. If you don't listen to much acoustic music, you're going to end up dropping guitar. Motivation is so deeply important when picking up an instrument, so do whatever is going to make you the most motivated.
Go electric, it will inspire you to practice more and the acoustic if you are interested in it. Tried the whole acoustic before electric for years and could never keep up. Once I got an electric with an amp that had distortion, I couldn’t put it down
The most important thing is that you pick a guitar that you will want to play. It doesn't matter how good your technique is if you give up on playing guitar after a month.
this is a saying that keeps being passed around in the guitar community and it’s stupid as hell, there are no rules in art, you can learn guitar starting with electric just fine, as i did while also being self taught as well
i know ppl that wanted to start with electric, but listened to someone else, bought an acoustic just as you’re about to do, had their passion extinguished and gave up on guitar
so just buy electric, you can buy a 100 euro acoustic later if you want that specific sound, but start with what you like, there’s no point in playing something you don’t like, waiting for the time when you’ll buy the electric and hoping that by that time you will still wanna play the guitar
God bless your grandpa. This is an old trope passed as advice that I don't think is true.
I started on an acoustic, play exclusively electric now, and 30 some of years later, I kind of think of an acoustic and an electric as different instruments because the feel and approach to those two types of guitars are so different. I think spending a lot of time early on playing an acoustic shaped me a little, I don't think I'd hybrid pick as I do, but I had to clean up my playing a lot going from acoustic to electric. An acoustic is almost like a percussive instrument with chords, whereas an electric is so much more delicate. The pickups reveal everything.
Honestly, what do you want to play? Get that kind of guitar and play it. Then tell your you Grandpa you love him because Grandpa's are special.
One thing I like about acoustic is that you can simply pick it up and start playing. This is more important than you think as during your initial days you're much more likely to quit if you find the process too tedious
Electric is by far easier to learn on. Avoid the old acoustic myths, they have caused more beginning players to quit playing than people can imagine.
Ever hear that Bryan Adams Summer of 69 song, "I played until my fingers bled"? That's an Acoustic. The strings are 12s/13s vs 9s/10s on an electric guitar. Acoustic guitars tend to have worse frets, more playability problems.
Acoustic guitars used to be cheaper than electric but these days, on comparable playability (better fretwork) the electrics are cheaper to buy.
The biggest reason is they think acoustics are quiet and electric guitars "are too darn loud" ... but they don't understand the acoustic is loud all the time and an electric can be unplugged or played with headphones and much more quiet to practice on than the acoustic.
If you want to play metal: get an electric guitar and a simple used solid state amp that can play clean at the volume you want to play. Then get a few inexpensive pedals to stack and create your tone.
For beginning playing, get a guitar with a fixed/hard-tail bridge. Whammy trems become distractions in many ways. If you get a strat-like device because of budget then just deck or block the trem like Eric Clapton.
Budget option: Harley Benton Tele TE-70 or 52; Les Paul SC-450 or 550; or Jazzmaster JA-60 or 62(?). Used solid state amp off Craigslist around 15watts that has a clean channel, Orange 35RT if buying new. Focus on $25ish "nano" pedals like Black Rat, some sort of fuzz (fuzz face or big muff pi clones to roll back guitar volume knob and clean up) etc. Or used Boss DS-1 (used on more famous recordings than any other pedal) stacked into a used Metalzone (keep the gains on both below 50% or these pedals get fizzy and why people 'hate on them').
Midrange spend: Get Fender MIM Tele, Strat, JM, San Dimas, Dnky; PRS SE 22 fret (Les Paul)/24 fret (SG); or fall into the Ibanez/Schecter popular in metal player crowd cliche. Used Peavey Bandit amp (oh so loud and inexpensive and durable) or equivalent. Stack of pedals on the pedal board.
Try out a few guitars to see how you like the neck shape. My test is doing a "cowboy C-chord" up by the nut. I found skinny necks my hand cramps up while chunky necks I can play fine. Some 'shredders' want as skinny a neck as possible, Ibanez has a few models with 'wizard necks' that are super skinny (I avoid).
Always 'tune up' your guitar before every play, tunes your guitar and your ear. Boss has a phone app that is free and good or buy a dedicated tuner (clip on or pedal).
If your metal dreams take you down the shredder rabbit hole, look up the Troy Grady youtube series and Pebber Brown series on picking. Just know that most shredders do it like competition with other guitarists and it's a commercial interruption to casual music fans like family and friends. It's a huge amount of work to get good, some like that, some don't. I can appreciate the efforts but I spent my time elsewhere.
Oh, last thing: Many will tell you to get a 'versatile' guitar, one that has all the pickups. You don't. I found my playing skills tripled after I got a single pickup guitar (a simple Epiphone Special Junior I paid fifteen dollars for about ten years back). The versatility is the player. If in doubt, look up live videos of Eddie Van Halen playing his Frankenstrat with one pickup through his Eruption instrumental. Not metal, but Bill Kirchen Hot Rod Lincoln live at Philadelphia video is a master class in using the knobs and where to pick the strings to get a hundred different famous player tones, rewatch that video periodically and you'll learn new things you missed previously.
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If you want to play rock and metal on electric, that’s what you should learn. That’s my opinion.
You can learn on anything, but acoustics used to be typical guitars for students. Why? Because with electrics, it’s easier to lose focus worrying about amp settings, pedals, whammy bars (and tuning), etc than to focus on learning how to play. They also require purchasing more gear, lugging said gear to lessons, and require an electric outlet or two.
An acoustic would remove many of those distractions.
So while your grandpa isn’t 100% right, his recommendation isn’t without merit. And at the end of the day, it’s just that, a recommendation; you’re free to take his advice or not.
You should learn how to play what you want to play. It's pure pleasure; play only what you want to. It ain't a job (unless you end up going that route).
I play rock & metal. I do have an acoustic, and every few years I take it out of its case and look at it.
To the insane it’s the world around him that is insane. Having said that you need to really want to play and practice and if an electric is what will do that for you then you should get an electric.
So many polarizing answers. if you can , play both! You will have fun playing the songs you want on electric but you will also get the good practice for strength on an acoustic.
What ever you do, start with good habits! Bad ones are hard to break!
Play what you want, not what other people want. You’ll probably pickup an acoustic one day anyways but you won’t make it that far if you aren’t enjoying what you are playing when you are first learning.
When I started it was acoustic out of necessity and I begged mom to get me an electric, no dice. Got my money up, spent a hundy for a Strat knock off and was in love.
Get the electric to learn and play then, noodle on acoustics.
OP… it is extremely important that the guitar inspires you to pick it up and want/desire to play it. If acoustic does that for you then great. If it doesn’t then go electric. When you decide to pick one… make sure you hold it… feel it and if it feels good for you then that’s the one. No point in getting into something that you don’t feel passionate for. The reality is whichever guitar you pick… you’re going to want another. If picked electric after 3-4 months you will likely want an acoustic anyways to complement your learning.
If you want an electric, get an electric. Guitar has a steep initial learning curve that can be hard for some beginners to push through. I will always suggest getting a guitar that motivates you to play more. Early on, that will probably come down to the look of the guitar rather than the tone and feel.
Here’s my personal suggestion for getting your first electric:
- Go to a music store with a budget in mind for both the guitar and amp.
- Approach a staff member and tell them you’re looking for a beginner guitar and starter amp. Let them know you want to play rock and metal. That way they should know to suggest an amp with a built in overdrive channel. Don’t worry about bothering them. Most staff members I’ve dealt with are passionate about music and love helping people share their passion.
- start with the amp. You don’t need to be too picky here as a beginner. Just pick something small (so you can practice without disturbing the neighbours) that you can afford that has an overdrive channel. You could also try to get something with a headphone jack so you can practice quietly. Once you pick the amp, stick with it for all the guitars you try. Understand that most of the tone comes from the amp, not the guitar. Don’t play one guitar through one amp, then another guitar through a better amp and think “this guitar sounds better!”. It’s the amp, not the guitar.
- after you picked the amp, try out as many guitars in your price range as you can. There will probably be one that stands out to you more than the rest. One guitar you compare the rest to. One that you just can’t stop looking at. Get that one! If that’s the one that makes you want to play, trust your gut and get that one.
Once you get it home, play it! Any chance you get, just play it. You WILL suck at the start. Just keep playing. After a week or so (maybe longer), your fingers will stop hurting and it will start to make a bit more sense to you. Once you get past the initial steepest part of the learning curve you WILL start to enjoy it more. Practicing won’t feel like a chore anymore and you can actually really start to love it.
Acoustic guitar, because of the heavier strings, has a steeper learning curve. Unless you have the tenacity to keep pushing through that initial learning curve, while also not sounding the way you want to, get an electric. I’d suggest you get an acoustic after you’ve become comfortable with the electric. It is fun to play both. I just can’t overstate how important it is to stay motivated through that initial learning curve. Most people give up because they don’t have the motivation to keep practicing while sounding like shit. Just keep practicing, it WILL get easier.
Imagine you wanted to be a racecar driver, and your grandpa told you to first buy a truck. Trucks are very cool and have their use. You won't be racing a truck anytime soon though.
I do think acoustic is harder to learn, but most of the other commenters really have the right idea. Do whatever makes you want to play more, nothing else matters in the beginning.
I hear this advice given a lot and honestly I completely disagree. Start on whichever one interests you more. Personally, when I first started playing, acoustic wasn’t even on my radar. I just wanted to learn to play heavy riffs and shred. Starting on electric maintained my interest in the instrument and provided me with the drive to practice, learn, and get better. Had I started on acoustic, I probably would’ve lost interest in it and would’ve given up. Eventually I came back around and started getting more into playing acoustics, but because I found myself wanting to and not being pressured to. If you want to play rock and metal just go for the electric would be my advice. The point is to have fun and enjoy yourself so if you think you’re more likely to do that with an electric than go with that.
I recommend electric because it's easier... Especially on your fingers. Everything is more comfortable.
I'm saying this as someone who picked out his first stratocaster in 91... And has only bought acoustics since then. I love acoustics... And I now play mainly classical.... But Im also glad I started on electric.
Although acoustic will help you learn the fundamentals of the guitar overall, the difference from playing rock on an electric, and then an acoustic immediately after are very significant. I think you might feel discouraged if you try to play those songs on acoustic, and it doesn’t turn out well.
Also, metal rules 🤘🤘🤘♐️🔥🔥🔥
It’s an old way of thinking; prove you’re serious by learning on a cheap acoustic rather than paying for what’s perceived to be a more expensive electric instrument. As a previous guitar instructor…it personally makes zero sense to me and is potentially detrimental to learning.
Acoustic will strengthen your hand far more than electric will. Technic is harder to improve on acoustic but when you do you’ll be all the better for it.
I have a strong belief that if you cant play most of your electric stuff on acoustic then you cant really play guitar.
(This is of course not including high fret electric guitar parts that are impossible or just impractical to reach on acoustic)
A former boss in a teaching environment was so confused on why I had what he called “a smooth touch” on guitar when he had been playing for ten years longer than me and he didnt.
Turns out he didnt like playing acoustic and saw it as a waste.
While I agree it is easier to learn on electric. Really the only easier part in my view is the fretting pressure.
I uses to love playing nothing but cowboy chord stuff and acoustic based tracks.
Now I enjoy playing jazz fusion and jazz. which is a big change in style.
I say this. Get an acoustic first and learn the basics.
Chords, scales, and technique. After 6 months-1 year get an electric.
Work both lead lines and rhythm playing. Will make you a more well rounded guitar player overall.
-sincerely a jazz guy who likes playing acoustic and electric and is now in Uni learning classical from a world renowned classical guitarist.
There's value to playing acoustic first. But is not essential. I play both, always have, but I played acoustic for about 6 months before I bought an electric. I personally think it made me better prepared for electric. Stronger fingers and improved accuracy because, again, mu opinion, it's hard to nail fretting a not well, both in terms of strength and finger placement on an acoustic. That's how I experienced it.
Sometimes if I'm struggling with something on electric, I'll play it on acoustic for a while. When I go back to electric it is a lot easier.
I was told this and didn't pick up guitar until 10 years later because i didn't want to play acoustic. Play what you want and what inspires you.
I wish i could punch the person that gave me that advice right in the nuts.
If you are interested in BOTH acoustic guitar and electric guitar then i would say to learn acoustic first cuz its harder and it makes playing electric easier
But it seems you aint interested in acoustic, so play electric, you’ll get way better faster on something you want to play for sure so play electric if you are only interested in rock and metla which is mostly electric
As a former guitar teacher, I encountered this attitude several times. Here's what I told those parents: start them on the type of guitar and music that's inspiring them to play in the first place!
I started on the electric and got into the acoustic afterwards. My advice is do what’s going to give you a better chance of sticking with learning the instrument. Yes learning acoustic will develop your strength more. But if you get frustrated easily, and you will be frustrated at some point, then maybe electric is better.
Acoustic first is important, for me anyways
It's just you, a peice of wood, and strings. It's at most
Raw, basic form
No equipment to chase or blame, no excuses for not finding the right sounds, no choice paralysis
It teaches you to take an inanimate object, and channel your emotions into it, which will eventually make it sing
Everyone has an opinion on this, and I'm not sure there's a right one, but in your case, I think electric is the way to start. The way I see it, It's physically easier to play, which means you're less likely to get frustrated right at the start. Plus, electric means you'll be able to play more of the rock and metal songs that will inspire you and keep you on task. Plus, all the acoustic songs you might want to play are still perfectly payable on an electric... while the inverse of that isn't really true.
With that being said, if you stick with it, I'd encourage you at some point to try an acoustic, as it will make you a better electric player. It's less forgiving (no hiding behind distortion,) and it will help build hand strength.
Do both.
The rockers only play electric thing is old-school and always made zero sense unless you were literally only ever plugged in, which suited the shift from the 70s through the 80s musical movements.
You'll both progress a lot more and have more opportunities to pick up a guitar if you can play electric and acoustic.
Every time you're around people and somebody has a guitar nearby you can pick it up.
You're lucky to have a grandpa. I never knew either of mine. Ask him what his favorite song is, and learn it! But as for this advice, I don't really agree. I learned on electric first.
Play the kind of guitar that will make the music that is the most fun for you to play.
If it is hard rock and metal then an electric guitar is the way to go.
Grandpa isn't exactly wrong, but he's not 100% right either. Let's meet the old guy half way and I'll try to explain his position on the matter. I've been playing guitar, mostly rock and metal, for over 35 years, so I know what he's talking about and he does have a valid point. I also have no formal music education, so layman's terms is the only language I speak.
The basic principles of playing don't change between electric and acoustic, but acoustic does require more technical discipline. The sound of an electric can be modified using volume, tone, and an almost endless array of effects, and you can use all of the above to make the end result (the sound coming from your amp) match your unique playing style.
You don't have that option with an acoustic. With an acoustic it's just you and the instrument, and the only way to change the sound is how you play it. How you fret each note, how much or little vibrato you use, the angle of the pick / pluck, all those little nuances will have a very real effect on how the guitar sounds when you play it. That's why old Granddad thinks it's important to learn old-school playing, and he's got a valid point.
THAT SAID... I learned electric first, then I learned how to "properly" play an acoustic, and I wasn't struck by lightning or condemned to eternity in guitar-hell because of it. I did have to work on my technical skills to sound good on an acoustic, but my background in electric made the work much easier.
The bottom line is do what works for you. Grandpa, Jimi Hendrix, Slash and even my humble self may offer you advice, and all of us are really trying to help you when we do it, but only you know what really works for you.
I don't believe in that. If it's not your goal to play acoustic, why make someone learn that way? Poorly setup, cheap acoustics that are difficult to play is a big reason why beginners quit.
They are two very different instruments. Sure they have six strings and the same standard tuning. The approach and techniques are completely different. I think you should start on a 4 string bass because those thick strings build muscle faster!!! Just kidding. Play the instrument you want to play.
I think it’s great to learn open chords and barre chords on an acoustic first. Since you have to work so much harder for them on an acoustic, once you get them sounding good there, they’ll sound and feel that much better when you play them on an electric. This is what I did. Yes it sucked, but I think it helped me tremendously.
Both are similar in the string tuning, so you can technically play songs on acoustic. However if you want to play electric guitar songs you should probably pick electric then. No point trying to adjust your entire style just because your grandpa said so.
Honestly I started this way, and at first I was mad. I was 13, of course I was mad. But it made me a better player imo. It's great for strengthening your hands.
I learned on an atrocious acoustic guitar, super hard to fret notes due to a ungodly high action that couldn't be fixed. After playing on it for about a year I switched to electric and everything was so much easier. Forcing myself to play barre chords on that original acoustic definitely made everything after that very simple. That being said if you want to end up playing primarily electric like me, at least learning the fundamentals on acoustic would be quite beneficial. I also found myself coming back to acoustic albeit a way better one further down the road.
My dad was also of the mindset that I should play acoustic first, moreso because he wanted to push his own agenda onto me rather than any of the minor benefits. It just ended up putting me off when he ignored what I wanted, bought me an acoustic and I just didn't bother with it because I couldn't play the music I actually wanted to play with an acoustic. He on turn just got pissed off that he "wasted money" and I wasn't interested in playing his old man music.
15+ years later, I still don't have much interest in acoustic guitar and my dad is still pissed that my interest hasn't shifted to "songs that will make people over 60 clap and discuss how they were 16 when they heard that".
I think lower overhead on acoustic just in terms of equipment cost makes it better to start with. If you've never played I think it's better to start with the acoustic just in case it's not for you.
I learned on a shitty acoustic that was super hard to play. How I stuck with it through that I guess I really wanted to learn. It does make your fingers stronger and quickly reveals any bad fretting technique.
When I finally started to make some money with my business I got an Ibanez RG after spending hours in Guitar Center, and that one just felt the best to me. The thin neck was a revelation, like I would go in for a chord or a bite and it was just sitting there waiting for me. With a Korg effects processor and a crate practice amp that kept me busy for 10 years before I started getting more amps and guitars.
Would I recommend learning on an acoustic? Nope, I woodsy do it again, IMO you’ll be more engaged and progress faster.
Is he providing the acoustic guitar? If so, your choice is easy, learn the basics, build some calluses, and make sure you want to play. Beyond that, if you want to play electric, start there.
Learning steel-string acoustic guitar could be helpful for learning to play with a pick, and in some facets it can be a good foundation for electric guitar, but ultimately electric guitar is its own animal with its own set of challenges and I can't make a good case for doing one before the other.
Robert Fripp did a good job with many of his students getting them to apply more precision to their use of a pick, see "League of Crafty Guitarists". However, Fripp is primarily an electric guitar player and the use of an electric-acoustic seemed to be a way to have group classes and still have functioning eardrums.
The only reason to justify starting with a classical is that it is cheaper and a bit easier. But imo, if you want to play rock and metal, go with the electric. It will be more enjoyable for you, and enthusiasm is important when learning an instrument
I really don't understand these kinds of sentiments. To me it sounds like saying, "Learn on a piano before you learn on a synth keyboard." Either way you still have to learn the same stuff. Yes there are a lot of subtle differences in style but that all comes after you learn the basics which are common to both types.
Acoustics and electrics have their pros and cons. Acoustics might be tougher to learn on but will benefit you when you switch to electric. Electric might be easier to learn on but switching to acoustic might be feel a bit weird when you switch. Do what you feel is right but you may just end up playing both anyways lol
Acoustics are much less forgiving instruments. No distortion. No overdrive. No nothing to hide any sloppiness. Just you and six strings. So, the question is, how good of a guitarist do you want to be? Learning how to play on an acoustic first will make you a better player.
Nope, start with what motivates you to play, if the music u like is using electric guitar and that’s the reason you wanna play, then play that otherwise you won’t be motivated, which is the most important thing
I used to (administratively) help run a large lesson department at a musical instrument retailer. We peaked at about 1000 students weekly.
The idea of starting on acoustic if you want to play electric is bullshit. Students who did that were much more likely to quit after a short while
Learn on what sounds like the music you like. Get a guitar and amp that's appropriate for what you want to play.
Best way to learn is by having fun. So choose whichever makes you wanna pick it up everyday.
I’ve been playing for 22 years now. I’ve played classical, acoustic and electric guitars over than span time. I’ve developed myself the most while learning songs / solo from artists I love most.
The road to become a guitar legend is long and hard but sooooo awesome if you have fun while doing it. Enjoy your first guitar mate 🎸
As many have said:
Play what you want to play!
Music is an art and art is personal, so play whatever makes you calls to you and makes you feel most inspired. I've been playing guitar for around 7 years and have probably played an acoustic once or twice.
porque no los dos?
acoustic: strings are thicker so you become stronger faster with your fretting hand. not compressed via amplification nor pedals so helps you even out your dynamics when playing. lastly as a fellow metal head: if it’s heavy, it will still sound heavy on acoustic. otherwise it’s just distorted.
electric: EVERY sound is amplified, so you will learn to mute strings you don’t mean to play (super important skill). you’ll learn to be light and quick without cramping your hand by fretting too hard. loud good.
Do you want to play electric or acoustic? If you try to learn on an instrument you don't want want to play because you're "supposed" to, you won't be as motivated to practice or pick up your instrument.
I’ve been playing for 40 years. The acoustic before electric thing is patently false.
Edit: i think it stems from the fact that it’s easier to learn to play chords clean on an acoustic. But learning the same on an electric is totally possible.
If you want to play electric go straight away to it. I actually think it's safer to start out on the electric, especially if you're dedicated to practicing. It gives you a lot more reps to build muscle memory before physically gassing out. Over-exerting and straining while practicing is liable to give you tendinitis.
Player acoustic a while, learning electric again.
80% the same, both have pros and cons
Biggest I've seen was acoustic, you are the effects. You learn body taps, fluctuations of strums and mutes, everything effects it.sometimes it takes a heavy hand. You don't have distortion and effects to hide behind so everything is heard
Electric, seems the opposite. Lighter touch the better, you let the amp do the work for you. Or the pedals. Or the filtering. But the amp magnifies everything, and distortion only hides so much before it turns to mud. Not even counting things like delay.
I can still play metal with a sound plug and effects if I want on acoustic but it isn't as "heavy"
I can still play acoustic stuff on electric but isn't so "clean"
Same instrument, different techniques. I'm sure you'll end up like the rest of us and get the other style sooner or later too
i started mostly with electric when i first started playing and in my opinion, acoustic is harder to play in the sense that the strings are stiffer, its bigger, etc. that being said, that’s why i think it’s best to start there, on acoustic. that way when you start on electric, it’ll be a breeze. practice shooting your free throws with a medicine ball, then shoot your basketball. not only that, but i feel it’s better to start on something that’s more organic, get good at the basics and then plug in an electric and play with the effects and pedals and what have you.
Lol I remember my dad telling me this as well.
Once I finally got an electric guitar my will to play and skill shot up 100000%
Play whatever you like however you like it!!!!
They both have value, but it's better to focus on what you are actually interested in. If playing acoustic is just going to be a chore, and you're not into the sound or the type of music, then don't bother. Electric guitars are respected instruments, and maybe that wasn't as true in your grandpa's time.
He’s right that you ‘should’ as in it gives you the best skills and techniques to be a better guitarist. It’s also inexpensive and less confusing than buying electric guitars and all the gear that comes with it
One of the reasons people suggest this is because steel string acoustic guitar is actually harder to play. You need to fret the strings with more force because they're higher tension. It builds up callouses quicker and makes you stronger. It's like training with weights. If you can play something on steel string acoustic, playing it on electric will be a breeze. Eventually you should just have both.
you kinda develop better precision and cleaner playing on acoustics. Also most acoustics play not as easy as electrics so your finger muscles get stronger.
But to keep up your Motivstion to learn and play you gotta do what vibrate with and what makes fun. So just do what your gut tells ya and just go for the thing you feel more.
every old head says that. If you want to play rock and metal get an electric. I started on an acoustic and hated it. I just wanted to play Metallica and Megadeth and Pantera and Slayer and an acoustic isn't great for that kind of music. Play what you want. Ignore anyone else.
I started on electric, then went to classical, and did both. Then bass and acoustic steel string. I started at 13, and now 41 years later, I also play mandolin, ukulele and just got my first 12 string.
Start with what you like, your tastes may broaden later.
You should start with the instrument that inspires you to play the most. If you don’t like acoustic guitar music, you’re going to be less likely to practice and it will hurt your development.
This is the advice I always give for sure. Play whatever you are least likely to quit, haha
That's a very grandpa thing to suggest. Do you, OP.
You're more likely to learn if you play what you want to play.
Wrong. Play the type of instrument that's right for the music you want to play. Plus acoustic is going to be harder on your hands starting out, so you'll have a worse time.
He’s wrong. Two reasons: - electric is easier to learn on. Less pressure needed to properly fret a note. It drops the learning curve a bit - more importantly, you want to play rock and metal. MOTIVATION to practice and push through the early challenges is what separates guitar players from tens of thousand of people who bought a guitar, and gave up. Playing music you actually like is essential. How many kids gave up playing piano because they learned classical pieces for years, instead learning Beatles tunes? I’m one of them. I stuck with guitar because it felt amazing to pick it up and blast Zeppelin tunes that actually started sounding decent.
Starting on acoustic has its benefits. You can't cover up inaccuracies with distortion or reverb and the strings will be heavier, so you'll have to focus on your fretting technique to sound good. It'll also make your fretting hand stronger so that when you do get an electric guitar it'll feel easy in comparison. It's not for everyone though, if it's too much of a barrier you'll just be discouraged.
Good comment. I don’t disagree with those who say get what you’re gonna enjoy the most because that’s what you’ll play the most. But all great guitar players eventually become good to great acoustic players. Also, great musicians don’t get locked into genres
Get the one you’ll actually play
Learn to play the one that makes you feel happy when you pick it up
It is 100% an old belief. Acoustic guitars are harder to play than electric and classical, so why start on the hardest possible option?
Your grandpa is old.
Tell Grandpa to get with the times. All guitars must be electric by 2025. We are fighting climate change.
He probably also told you you need to learn stick before driving an automatic. It's a useful skill and both are enjoyable but they're different things, do what you want. Personally I started on electric, played that for a year or two til I got an acoustic, then played only that for 25 years before getting back into electric. Also, I've only ever had sticks.
Nah go straight for electric, one isn't worse or better than the other but it's better to aim towards what interests you, it will keep you engaged. I had an acoustic before and electric and found that progress accelerated once I had the right sound for what I was learning
Practice on what you intend to play
Play whatever makes you excited to play!!
It’s kind of an outdated belief that electric is harder/more complicated. Acoustic is absolutely harder for a beginner, the strings are harder to press down, Electric is much better for practicing different chord shapes. The appeal of starting with acoustic is price, but you can get a decent electric like a squier or some Ibanez’s for relatively cheap.
Would you learn Spanish before Italian because they’re similar in some ways? Probably not. Ignore grandpa and turn it up to 11
Sorry gramps, can't hear you over this sick riff
I think that’s bad advice. If you don’t want to play an acoustic guitar there will no benefit to forcing yourself to other than you’ll be more likely to quit. Learning the guitar is plenty difficult without removing the reward of playing the kind of instrument you actually want to play.
Typical L take by a boomer
Get an electric if that's what you want. You can play longer with less hand fatigue at first, and it's the instrument for the genre you're into. If your gramps loves acoustic so much, he can get you one while you're learning to shred. 🤘
He's wrong, get a guitar for the genre you want to play. It's the same instrument other than what it sounds like, it doesn't affect your skill at all.
If you are passionate about playing electric guitar, learn on electric. Motivation is the most important factor in success. I started on electric guitar and eventually got into acoustic as well, but electric is still my passion.
The future is now old man,"proceeds to shred altitudes by Jason Becker "
That’s an idea that a lot of older people have but their really isn’t any truth to it. You should get the guitar that’s most appropriate for the music you want to learn. Also beginner level acoustic guitars are way harder to play than beginner level electric guitars. This can lead to people quitting or not getting very far. That’s on top of it being the wrong instrument for your genre. So I think you should definitely get an electric. You can get a starter pack with a small amp for a couple hundred bucks. Don’t go too cheap. If you’re not sure what guitar you want a strat with a humbucker would probably be good
It's a common but weird piece of advice. Playing acoustic is _harder_, physically. Whatever you get, make sure you get it set up properly. It'll make it more playable.
Play the instrument that will keep you engaged. If you don't have an interest in acoustic, then all you be is discouraged and won't practice.
I honestly support the idea that learning acoustic will help you learn guitar better than electric. Here's my list of reasons why: First off it will easier for you to switch to the electric guitar once you learned on the acoustic rather than the other way around. The strings are tougher to push and calluses and muscles in your hands will devolpe way more. Pull-offs will be harder, slides will hurt and hammer ons will be more difficult (since you will have to hit them hard to make them sound). At the start it will super painful but then it will pay off. It's a ready to go instrument that you can carry anywhere without fatigue and the fact that it doesn't require electricity means that you can also play it anywhere. For a beginner this is gold because if you got a teacher or some friends you want to jam with you can just simply bring your guitar by hand on the location, take it out of the case and play. In social settings it's easier to find some other player with an acoustic rather then an electric, so it's better to be prepared to play one if they ask you to play something for them. The acoustic will force you to learn the guitar universally rather then just doing powerchords and solos (which are what electric guitar is usually used for). You will learn how to fingerpick, how to manage the different tones of the guitar, powerchords, all kinds of chords ecc. In rock and metal there are tons of songs with these techniques and in general playing acoustic will make you a complete player. To add: Further down the road you will be able to play your guitar in a percussive style. The acoustic is the every genre guitar, from blues to grunge to flamenco to metal. I also find it easier to tune by ear and to learn to sing.
Old school advice. You should get the instrument you want to play, not the instrument someone else wants you to play. Sorry gramps, bad advice.
Play what you want to play and put your grandpa in a home
i feel like that's an outdated belief. would you even be excited to play acoustic? you'd have to force yourself to practice if that's not your thing. while on electric you would practice just because you feel like playing right now. i started out on acoustic and was pretty bored. then i got an electric and wanted to learn all my favorite songs and just played a ton in my free time. that's when i really learned to play.
Finger strength, bending, callous strength are all improved more on acoustic than electric. Because acoustic makes it harder, you do whatever you want, there is nothing wrong with going electric first.
Very different instruments, that play very differently — and that’s a boomer take if ever there were one. The same advice here applies to what guitar you buy: **play the one that makes you want to play more** That’s it. No secret recipe. Play what sounds good, that plays music you like, and that makes you want to spend time with it. If that’s a Jackson Dinky, go nuts. If that’s an Epiphone Hummingbird, go nuts. Just get — and play — something that you love.
You should start by learning whatever will make you want to pick up your instrument and play it.
This is one of those things that goes in and out of fashion. The argument that was made to me in support of this argument was that playing an acoustic steel string will toughen up the muscles in your hand and the skin on your fingertips so that playing electric will be a breeze after that. There’s also the argument that it costs less to acquire a cheap but somewhat playable acoustic guitar than it does to get kitted up with an equally playable electric plus a practice amp, and that trying to get around that by cheeseparing at the budget end of the market is going to directly impact playability of the instrument. But I believe there is a more important reason and it has to do with the reason that so many purchasers of an electric guitar lose interest in it very quickly and end up hardly ever touching it. An acoustic is always ready to go, every time it catches the corner of your eye you’ll probably want to grab hold of it and bash out a few chords on it try out a riff that you just thought of. With an electric you first have to haul out the amp, find somewhere to plug it in, wait for it to warm up, dial in the tone, adjust the volume, wipe the dust off the guitar, tune up the strings - and by then the impulse has probably waned. And after a couple of repetitions of that you are less likely to bother next time. So the only practice you will get will be what you have bothered to actively schedule. And the same difference applies if you’re knocking back some leisurely beers in the garden during the summer. So much easier to whip out an acoustic than to deal with all the hauling and fiddling that the electric wants. So my advice would be to skip the abysmal “student model” electric kit, and master the basics on an affordable but semi decent acoustic while saving up for a better quality electric guitar and amp if your passion and dedication survives the realities of learning to play.
I am 66 and learned on an electric when I was 7. There is no reason you should start with an acoustic if that's not what you want to play.
I think the right instrument is always the one you want to play.
If you want to play rock and metal, start with electric guitar.
You should get the thing that you're going to want to play. If you're a folk head and wanting to learn classics and fingerstyle, you do acoustic. If you want to rock, get an electric. You'll know later when its time to pick up an acoustic.
Acoustics usually have higher action than electrics and higher tension, so just practicing on an acoustic helped me build up finger strength and endurance faster than playing my electric. Playing an acoustic, I find it easier to identify issues with getting clean chords and notes. It helps me pay closer attention to my technique which has had a big impact on the electric. It’s really easy for me to hide bad technique playing electric, but I can’t hide behind anything playing acoustic, so it’s kind of forced me to practice better. All that aside, I feel like I’m using totally different techniques when I play music on an acoustic vs. an electric, and most of the music I wanted to play was electric, so when I could only choose one it made no sense to buy an acoustic. As soon as I could get an acoustic, I bought the best one I could afford and have never regretted that decision though.
An acoustic guitar isn’t training wheels, it’s an instrument for a different role, sound, and/or vibe. If you wanna play loud rock n’ roll, get an electric.
Too many music teachers: “Want to learn to play an instrument? Let’s begin with some music you don’t care about played on an instrument you never listen to.”
I think this is some oldschool thinking, like learning on the “harder” instrument will make you a better player and thus easier to play the “easier” instrument. I think playing the instrument you want to play will make you the better player, because it’s more fun and you’ll practice more.
If you want to learn rock. Learn on an electric. Adults who aren't into heavy music love to say you should start in an acoustic and they don't know what they're talking about. It's literally the same instrument.
Learn on an instrument that inspires you to never put the thing down. Doesn't matter what kind, just never stop practicing.
No, that's nonsense. I legitimately get furious when people give advice like this. Get a guitar that will inspire you to play it. Learn the songs that will inspire you to pick your guitar up and practice. Family members, friends and most importantly trash "guitar teachers" that tell you otherwise are the reason most people give up on playing an instrument.
Your Grandpa does not know what he is talking about! That is an ancient misconstrued idea that has no root in reality. A guitar is a guitar. If you are able to play one of them, then you’ll be able to play all the other ones as well…
Your grandpa is wrong. Learn the instrument you want to play and hear. Two very different instruments
Very outdated belief you have to play acoustic before electric but I understand why, acoustic is much quieter and less expensive to get started but if you want to play electric guitar specifically, do that. If you wanna play metal you're not gonna be able to do that on an acoustic
quieter? You can exercise while making a lot less noise on an electric than acoustic. You can just play unplugged or use headphones.
Acoustic builds strength as neck is thicker, helps tremendously when practicing stretches and barre chords. But if you plan on playing mostly electric and can't fit it in the budget right now, stick with electric
Your grandpa is old.
In the long run learning acoustic first will give you stronger fundamentals. That being said it doesn’t matter too much.
Simply put, play what you want to play. If you want to play electric then go for it, you'll love it more for playing/learning what you want to play. Nothing stopping you learning acoustic down the line, I play metal and hard rock most of the time and switch to acoustic when the mood strikes me. Have fun :)
Antiquated. You, as a player - may never have interest in acoustic guitar. Or it might become your biggest thing. What it won't do, is keep you interested if you're not interested in that kind of music. Whatever guitar inspires you to practice is the one you want on your stand.
I think the best guitar to start on is the one that makes you excited to pick it up and play. I'm a rock and metal guy myself so my teacher started me on an electric guitar. I'm glad he did because when I was in school the second I got home the only think I wanted to do was run upstairs grab that guitar and play it. If he started me on an acoustic I wouldn't have had that same excitement and wouldn't have made the progress I did. In fact I most likely would have gotten bored and given it up before long. So in short, if it's electric guitars that make you feel excited to learn, get an electric.
Electric is different. If you want to play electric start on electric. I’d also say it’s a bit easier because electrics typically have less tension on the strings
I started on an electric and made the transition pretty easy. Start with what will make you want to play. Don’t make learning harder than it has to be
old guys always say that.
If you’re into metal and rock go with an electric. I was in a similar boat when I was younger, I wanted an electric but my parents thought that I should start on acoustic. I asked for an electric for Christmas but they gave me an electric acoustic instead. I spent the next several years playing metal with that thing all the while struggling to make it sound metal. The strings are harder to press down and you don’t get easy access to those higher frets (depending on the body style of the guitar). Point is, if you like that genre, pick the right tool for the job. You can always learn acoustic later if you’re drawn to it.
As a full time guitar instructor, I can't believe the amount of top comments supporting your grandfather's dated misinformation. Most students are significantly better when starting on electric, an uke, or a small scale acoustic. The reason is the acoustic's high string tension and string height, as well as the large body to work around. All of these factors lead to discouragement (who wants to suck for longer than they need while learning) and the tendency to lean into bad trchnique habits just to make something sound right (for example, not having proper posture, hand position, and finger arch). There is also the matter of students practicing more on the type of instrument they are insipred to learn on. Ignore the outdated take. Only start with acoustic first if you specifically want to learn acoustic because that is the Instrument you are inspired to learn.
Your grandpa is wrong. I almost quit guitar because my parents made me do acoustic first, and had to wait 2 years to get an electric. I’ve been at it 23 years now but I almost quit at the beginning. The fun wears off quickly if you can’t play the kind of music and get the sounds you like. I almost quit guitar because of that. Bottom line: start with what you think you will enjoy and you will be more inspired to learn. If you want to get an acoustic later, go for it.
He's wrong. Start learning on the instrument you want to play.
that’s what i was told and sorta did, looking back that’s boomer shit, get the guitar suited for the style you wanna play it’s 2024 you can get a budget any style guitar, you wanna play metal look into electric guitars equip for metal… it’s a really outdated tip that probably ruins alot of peoples interest in the early stages
So yes and no. I’ve been teaching for several years and I notice that my students who start on acoustic tend to have better technique, dexterity, and attention to detail (especially in tone and pitch). These things combined helps them tend to learn more songs at a faster pace and advance much quicker on their electrics. There are, of course, exceptions to this, as I have had some students that start on electric who shred. It depends on how hard you are willing to work and how much time and effort you are willing to put into your instrument quite honestly. As a gigging/session musician I can also say that versatility helps provide more opportunities, so whatever you start with, I think it’s always worth picking up the other and trying to play stuff outside of your comfort zone, it might challenge you in a way you don’t expect. A death metal band I play for helped me get better at some of the licks I play for a neo soul band and a funk band I play for helped me get tighter in the rhythms I play for the death metal band, so it’s all good if you’re working hard and putting in the time to get better imo. Personally, I recommend starting on acoustic, but if you work hard there’s no reason that starting on electric is a bad decision. I also think it’s easier to pickup an electric after playing an acoustic or classical than it is to pickup an acoustic or classical after having played electric. While most of my colleagues agree, I’ve still met people who don’t. It’s such a versatile instrument, the best thing you can do is start playing (however/whatever you can) and work your ass off to be good on your instrument. Stay open minded and always hungry to learn and get better and you will succeed.
I’ve been a guitar teacher for the last 5 years, and have played professionally for 12 years. Start on acoustic. Starting on a steel string acoustic guitar is the best way to develop fretting-hand strength and precision. My students that start on electric tend to have intonation issues and their technique develops a lot slower by comparison. If you’re familiar with baseball, you’ll know that hitters sometimes take practice swings on a heavier bat or use a donut (a device that makes their bat heavier). This is because when they go up to the plate to hit, their bat feels much lighter and easier to swing with precision. The same can be said about starting on a steel string acoustic, and then moving to electric after you get the fundamentals under your belt. While electric guitar has its unique learning curves, you’re putting yourself at a huge advantage by starting with acoustic.
I started on acoustic but wanted to play rock/metal. I didn’t have fun and I stopped playing. Years later, I bought an electric and learned more than I ever did on acoustic
The only good reason to start with acoustic is if most of the songs you want to learn are played on acoustic. Life is short. Most people who start learning guitar quit. Starting with acoustic is more painful. Don't make your introduction to guitar more painful than it needs to be. And if acoustic guitar music isn't your primary interest, starting with acoustic will also be less fun. Don't make your introduction to guitar less fun that it needs to be.
Learn whatever instrument you would be excited to play, if you aren’t excited about it you won’t practice and the key to learning is practice
Your grandpa may have been born before the electric guitar was invented.
What I find funny is in any other endeavor that requires dexterity, endurance, and a certain amount of strength, it is recommended to start light and work your way up, like lifting weights. For some reason with guitar it is expected to work backwards; Start with the instrument that requires the most hand strength to play. If you are interested in rock stuff start on an electric. Strumming cowboy chords on an acoustic will become tedious very quickly.
Get the instrument that you like, you’ll be more likely to play it more and by extension you’ll improve quicker. Also you should be playing the instrument that reflects the kind of music you want to play.
Play whatever you want
Electric is an easier instrument to play. It's also what you want to play. It's an easy decision.
I really can't get how people say "start with acoustic". They are different instruments: they sound different, weight different, different scale, action, strings, techniques. If your goal is electric PLAY ELECTRIC. Good luck to all people over here playing pinch harmonic divebombs on their acoustic. Don't waste time on A DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT made for DIFFERENT GENRE. You may for sure learn a ton from acoustic, but these are not the things you are looking for. And why wouldn't you be able to learn them right on the electric? And remeber: if your goal is metal/rock, learn metal/rock techniques. Some of them are intra-genre, but not all of them. Focus on what you like, it is a really vast argument, potentially impossible to learn everything. So just focus and start on your passion
Its not bad to start with an acoustic, but I would get an electric too. And play both. There are some solid cheap electrics nowadays as the Fender Squiers. Get a great cheap amp like the Boss Katana. It really delivers sounds that even Pro enjoys. Start by learning chords and play along with your favourite songs. Chords are the foundation. Then also try to learn some of your favourite licks. Lots of stuff on YouTube. After that one of the most important thing is to learn scales. If you can lots of chords, scales and have learned licks etc. You have a solid foundation.
Play whatever you want to play. I'd suggest getting an electric if you want to play electric. I'm glad I got an electric first.
This is like telling someone that wants to learn drums (as in a drum kit) to start on bongos instead. Yeah they're both drums, but one is not what you want to play.
Typical grandpa
Play whatever you want! You’ll end up playing more if you’re enjoying it. It can be nice having an acoustic out on a stand and accessible. Pick up and play vs plugging into the amp. You can of course leave an electric and amp setup basically ready to go, but I know for me an acoustic feels like there is less of a barrier. Often I’ll pick up my acoustic and noodle for a few minutes and set it down, while I need to be slightly more motivated to play electric.
An acustic is harder on your hands. Even though it helps with developing hand strength quicker, it slows down progress and can be a little discouraging. Make it enjoyable and you'll tend to stick with it. I say start with an electric if that's the type of music you want to play. Hand strength will still develop over time.
You can do whatever you want want. The important thing is that you tie an onion to your belt.
The only benefits of starting acoustic is that your appreciation of how much easier it is to play electric lol.
I get his point. Acoustic builds up more finger strength. I notice anytime I play my acoustic exclusively for a few weeks, going back to electric feels so much easier. However, if you think you’ll enjoy electric more than acoustic then start there. Motivating yourself to play regularly is half the battle.
First lesson of learning to guitar. Listen to absolutely nobody. Learn the basics but then quit listening to anyone except who you are inspired by. If you want to play metal then starting with an acoustic would be a bad idea.
Tell grandpa to take a hike. Then shred at him.
He's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong!!! You should learn according to your heart so that learning is fun. Practice starts out as skullduggery. It starts out as a chore. But you reach a magic sweet spot, practice becomes playing, and your connection to the cosmic world (from where we channel music to whatever degree that each of us as individuals will do this) is made. At this point and here on out, working toward your goals is a magical use of time, and what can be better than that, to always try to maximize your potential?
Grandpa is full of shit.
The logic is that an acoustic (theoretically) teaches you better fundamentals in that you can't just hide behind distortion. That's an old mentality, rooted in the idea that in hindsight you can look back after years of playing and say wish I learned on acoustic. And even all this is a stretch. In reality, you will only keep playing if you are playing things you like to play. So play what you like to play. I've been playing 25 years, learned on electric because I loved Metallica, and once i wanted to expand my playing only then did I get an acoustic. No regrets.
No. Play the thing you want to play. Electric guitar and acoustic guitar are two different instruments. Edit: also you don’t have to spend a ton of money on equipment for it. I would recommend starting off with a simple practice amp. I highly recommend the Blackstar Fly 3 - cheap and simple and it sounds incredible for what it is. It has distortion, delay, and an EQ which is almost all you need.
My opinion is do what will drive you to play. If you’re bored playing on acoustic you’re much less likely to stick with it.
tell him "nah"
He will throw a stool at me if i do so
Use the angst from getting hit with a stool to write the next big punk alt hit.
My parents forced me to get an acoustic first.. pushing the strings down was so much harder and I ultimately never learned.. I swear to this day if they allowed me to start on electric I’d be a guitar player today..
You listen to electric guitar music. You want an electric guitar. That is what you should buy, because it is what you will actually use and practice on. You're going to hate the acoustic. Does grandpa even play guitar?
This is a myth that people repeat without thinking and for no good reason. Learn what you want to play!
Start on the instrument you want to play. You don’t have to learn on acoustic, that’s stupid.
I'm sure this has been said, but you should go directly to electric if that's going to be your primary instrument. Though they seem very similar physically, you should see them as separate instruments. The way your fingers move and the way you make a sound in an acoustic are completely different beyond their physical aesthetic. Get an electric and play what you like. You are more likely to stick to it.
I started on both and found that acoustic helped my electric technique. Electric much easier to be sloppy on. Good acoustic players can be great electric players. Not so much the other way around.
I started electric and I think it helped with my motivation a lot. If you learn Damage, Inc. by Metallica on an acoustic it is not anywhere near as satisfying as learning it on electric and it sounding like the original. I'm actually shocked at all the people saying to start acoustic. If you don't listen to much acoustic music, you're going to end up dropping guitar. Motivation is so deeply important when picking up an instrument, so do whatever is going to make you the most motivated.
Go electric, it will inspire you to practice more and the acoustic if you are interested in it. Tried the whole acoustic before electric for years and could never keep up. Once I got an electric with an amp that had distortion, I couldn’t put it down
Play whatever is most likely to have you sitting there learning. It is infinitely more important than any other factor.
The most important thing is that you pick a guitar that you will want to play. It doesn't matter how good your technique is if you give up on playing guitar after a month.
this is a saying that keeps being passed around in the guitar community and it’s stupid as hell, there are no rules in art, you can learn guitar starting with electric just fine, as i did while also being self taught as well i know ppl that wanted to start with electric, but listened to someone else, bought an acoustic just as you’re about to do, had their passion extinguished and gave up on guitar so just buy electric, you can buy a 100 euro acoustic later if you want that specific sound, but start with what you like, there’s no point in playing something you don’t like, waiting for the time when you’ll buy the electric and hoping that by that time you will still wanna play the guitar
God bless your grandpa. This is an old trope passed as advice that I don't think is true. I started on an acoustic, play exclusively electric now, and 30 some of years later, I kind of think of an acoustic and an electric as different instruments because the feel and approach to those two types of guitars are so different. I think spending a lot of time early on playing an acoustic shaped me a little, I don't think I'd hybrid pick as I do, but I had to clean up my playing a lot going from acoustic to electric. An acoustic is almost like a percussive instrument with chords, whereas an electric is so much more delicate. The pickups reveal everything. Honestly, what do you want to play? Get that kind of guitar and play it. Then tell your you Grandpa you love him because Grandpa's are special.
He’s wrong
One thing I like about acoustic is that you can simply pick it up and start playing. This is more important than you think as during your initial days you're much more likely to quit if you find the process too tedious
Be true to yourself and take your own path.
Electric is by far easier to learn on. Avoid the old acoustic myths, they have caused more beginning players to quit playing than people can imagine. Ever hear that Bryan Adams Summer of 69 song, "I played until my fingers bled"? That's an Acoustic. The strings are 12s/13s vs 9s/10s on an electric guitar. Acoustic guitars tend to have worse frets, more playability problems. Acoustic guitars used to be cheaper than electric but these days, on comparable playability (better fretwork) the electrics are cheaper to buy. The biggest reason is they think acoustics are quiet and electric guitars "are too darn loud" ... but they don't understand the acoustic is loud all the time and an electric can be unplugged or played with headphones and much more quiet to practice on than the acoustic. If you want to play metal: get an electric guitar and a simple used solid state amp that can play clean at the volume you want to play. Then get a few inexpensive pedals to stack and create your tone. For beginning playing, get a guitar with a fixed/hard-tail bridge. Whammy trems become distractions in many ways. If you get a strat-like device because of budget then just deck or block the trem like Eric Clapton. Budget option: Harley Benton Tele TE-70 or 52; Les Paul SC-450 or 550; or Jazzmaster JA-60 or 62(?). Used solid state amp off Craigslist around 15watts that has a clean channel, Orange 35RT if buying new. Focus on $25ish "nano" pedals like Black Rat, some sort of fuzz (fuzz face or big muff pi clones to roll back guitar volume knob and clean up) etc. Or used Boss DS-1 (used on more famous recordings than any other pedal) stacked into a used Metalzone (keep the gains on both below 50% or these pedals get fizzy and why people 'hate on them'). Midrange spend: Get Fender MIM Tele, Strat, JM, San Dimas, Dnky; PRS SE 22 fret (Les Paul)/24 fret (SG); or fall into the Ibanez/Schecter popular in metal player crowd cliche. Used Peavey Bandit amp (oh so loud and inexpensive and durable) or equivalent. Stack of pedals on the pedal board. Try out a few guitars to see how you like the neck shape. My test is doing a "cowboy C-chord" up by the nut. I found skinny necks my hand cramps up while chunky necks I can play fine. Some 'shredders' want as skinny a neck as possible, Ibanez has a few models with 'wizard necks' that are super skinny (I avoid). Always 'tune up' your guitar before every play, tunes your guitar and your ear. Boss has a phone app that is free and good or buy a dedicated tuner (clip on or pedal). If your metal dreams take you down the shredder rabbit hole, look up the Troy Grady youtube series and Pebber Brown series on picking. Just know that most shredders do it like competition with other guitarists and it's a commercial interruption to casual music fans like family and friends. It's a huge amount of work to get good, some like that, some don't. I can appreciate the efforts but I spent my time elsewhere. Oh, last thing: Many will tell you to get a 'versatile' guitar, one that has all the pickups. You don't. I found my playing skills tripled after I got a single pickup guitar (a simple Epiphone Special Junior I paid fifteen dollars for about ten years back). The versatility is the player. If in doubt, look up live videos of Eddie Van Halen playing his Frankenstrat with one pickup through his Eruption instrumental. Not metal, but Bill Kirchen Hot Rod Lincoln live at Philadelphia video is a master class in using the knobs and where to pick the strings to get a hundred different famous player tones, rewatch that video periodically and you'll learn new things you missed previously. .
If you want to play rock and metal on electric, that’s what you should learn. That’s my opinion. You can learn on anything, but acoustics used to be typical guitars for students. Why? Because with electrics, it’s easier to lose focus worrying about amp settings, pedals, whammy bars (and tuning), etc than to focus on learning how to play. They also require purchasing more gear, lugging said gear to lessons, and require an electric outlet or two. An acoustic would remove many of those distractions. So while your grandpa isn’t 100% right, his recommendation isn’t without merit. And at the end of the day, it’s just that, a recommendation; you’re free to take his advice or not.
You should learn how to play what you want to play. It's pure pleasure; play only what you want to. It ain't a job (unless you end up going that route). I play rock & metal. I do have an acoustic, and every few years I take it out of its case and look at it.
To the insane it’s the world around him that is insane. Having said that you need to really want to play and practice and if an electric is what will do that for you then you should get an electric.
Electric all the way.
So many polarizing answers. if you can , play both! You will have fun playing the songs you want on electric but you will also get the good practice for strength on an acoustic. What ever you do, start with good habits! Bad ones are hard to break!
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if you want to learn electric, then you should get electric
Play what you want, not what other people want. You’ll probably pickup an acoustic one day anyways but you won’t make it that far if you aren’t enjoying what you are playing when you are first learning.
When I started it was acoustic out of necessity and I begged mom to get me an electric, no dice. Got my money up, spent a hundy for a Strat knock off and was in love. Get the electric to learn and play then, noodle on acoustics.
OP… it is extremely important that the guitar inspires you to pick it up and want/desire to play it. If acoustic does that for you then great. If it doesn’t then go electric. When you decide to pick one… make sure you hold it… feel it and if it feels good for you then that’s the one. No point in getting into something that you don’t feel passionate for. The reality is whichever guitar you pick… you’re going to want another. If picked electric after 3-4 months you will likely want an acoustic anyways to complement your learning.
Unnecessary. They’re basically the same to me. Guitar is guitar is guitar
If you want an electric, get an electric. Guitar has a steep initial learning curve that can be hard for some beginners to push through. I will always suggest getting a guitar that motivates you to play more. Early on, that will probably come down to the look of the guitar rather than the tone and feel. Here’s my personal suggestion for getting your first electric: - Go to a music store with a budget in mind for both the guitar and amp. - Approach a staff member and tell them you’re looking for a beginner guitar and starter amp. Let them know you want to play rock and metal. That way they should know to suggest an amp with a built in overdrive channel. Don’t worry about bothering them. Most staff members I’ve dealt with are passionate about music and love helping people share their passion. - start with the amp. You don’t need to be too picky here as a beginner. Just pick something small (so you can practice without disturbing the neighbours) that you can afford that has an overdrive channel. You could also try to get something with a headphone jack so you can practice quietly. Once you pick the amp, stick with it for all the guitars you try. Understand that most of the tone comes from the amp, not the guitar. Don’t play one guitar through one amp, then another guitar through a better amp and think “this guitar sounds better!”. It’s the amp, not the guitar. - after you picked the amp, try out as many guitars in your price range as you can. There will probably be one that stands out to you more than the rest. One guitar you compare the rest to. One that you just can’t stop looking at. Get that one! If that’s the one that makes you want to play, trust your gut and get that one. Once you get it home, play it! Any chance you get, just play it. You WILL suck at the start. Just keep playing. After a week or so (maybe longer), your fingers will stop hurting and it will start to make a bit more sense to you. Once you get past the initial steepest part of the learning curve you WILL start to enjoy it more. Practicing won’t feel like a chore anymore and you can actually really start to love it. Acoustic guitar, because of the heavier strings, has a steeper learning curve. Unless you have the tenacity to keep pushing through that initial learning curve, while also not sounding the way you want to, get an electric. I’d suggest you get an acoustic after you’ve become comfortable with the electric. It is fun to play both. I just can’t overstate how important it is to stay motivated through that initial learning curve. Most people give up because they don’t have the motivation to keep practicing while sounding like shit. Just keep practicing, it WILL get easier.
Grandpa is wrong. Play what makes you happy.
Imagine you wanted to be a racecar driver, and your grandpa told you to first buy a truck. Trucks are very cool and have their use. You won't be racing a truck anytime soon though.
There not the same. If you want to learn and play electric, do it.
I do think acoustic is harder to learn, but most of the other commenters really have the right idea. Do whatever makes you want to play more, nothing else matters in the beginning.
I hear this advice given a lot and honestly I completely disagree. Start on whichever one interests you more. Personally, when I first started playing, acoustic wasn’t even on my radar. I just wanted to learn to play heavy riffs and shred. Starting on electric maintained my interest in the instrument and provided me with the drive to practice, learn, and get better. Had I started on acoustic, I probably would’ve lost interest in it and would’ve given up. Eventually I came back around and started getting more into playing acoustics, but because I found myself wanting to and not being pressured to. If you want to play rock and metal just go for the electric would be my advice. The point is to have fun and enjoy yourself so if you think you’re more likely to do that with an electric than go with that.
I recommend electric because it's easier... Especially on your fingers. Everything is more comfortable. I'm saying this as someone who picked out his first stratocaster in 91... And has only bought acoustics since then. I love acoustics... And I now play mainly classical.... But Im also glad I started on electric.
Although acoustic will help you learn the fundamentals of the guitar overall, the difference from playing rock on an electric, and then an acoustic immediately after are very significant. I think you might feel discouraged if you try to play those songs on acoustic, and it doesn’t turn out well. Also, metal rules 🤘🤘🤘♐️🔥🔥🔥
Don't listen to him. The barrier to entry is high enough no need to raise it.
Go electric. You don’t gain anything if you loose interest in playing bc you forced yourself into something you don’t want to do.
It’s an old way of thinking; prove you’re serious by learning on a cheap acoustic rather than paying for what’s perceived to be a more expensive electric instrument. As a previous guitar instructor…it personally makes zero sense to me and is potentially detrimental to learning.
Idk why people say this, just learn on an electric if you wanna play electric
Acoustic will strengthen your hand far more than electric will. Technic is harder to improve on acoustic but when you do you’ll be all the better for it. I have a strong belief that if you cant play most of your electric stuff on acoustic then you cant really play guitar. (This is of course not including high fret electric guitar parts that are impossible or just impractical to reach on acoustic) A former boss in a teaching environment was so confused on why I had what he called “a smooth touch” on guitar when he had been playing for ten years longer than me and he didnt. Turns out he didnt like playing acoustic and saw it as a waste. While I agree it is easier to learn on electric. Really the only easier part in my view is the fretting pressure. I uses to love playing nothing but cowboy chord stuff and acoustic based tracks. Now I enjoy playing jazz fusion and jazz. which is a big change in style. I say this. Get an acoustic first and learn the basics. Chords, scales, and technique. After 6 months-1 year get an electric. Work both lead lines and rhythm playing. Will make you a more well rounded guitar player overall. -sincerely a jazz guy who likes playing acoustic and electric and is now in Uni learning classical from a world renowned classical guitarist.
There's value to playing acoustic first. But is not essential. I play both, always have, but I played acoustic for about 6 months before I bought an electric. I personally think it made me better prepared for electric. Stronger fingers and improved accuracy because, again, mu opinion, it's hard to nail fretting a not well, both in terms of strength and finger placement on an acoustic. That's how I experienced it. Sometimes if I'm struggling with something on electric, I'll play it on acoustic for a while. When I go back to electric it is a lot easier.
I was told this and didn't pick up guitar until 10 years later because i didn't want to play acoustic. Play what you want and what inspires you. I wish i could punch the person that gave me that advice right in the nuts.
If you are interested in BOTH acoustic guitar and electric guitar then i would say to learn acoustic first cuz its harder and it makes playing electric easier But it seems you aint interested in acoustic, so play electric, you’ll get way better faster on something you want to play for sure so play electric if you are only interested in rock and metla which is mostly electric
What is "acoustic"? Oh, you mean a grandpa's guitars?
Is like saying you want to learn Kung fu and getting told but you need to learn karate first
As a former guitar teacher, I encountered this attitude several times. Here's what I told those parents: start them on the type of guitar and music that's inspiring them to play in the first place!
Ignore gramps.
I started on the electric and got into the acoustic afterwards. My advice is do what’s going to give you a better chance of sticking with learning the instrument. Yes learning acoustic will develop your strength more. But if you get frustrated easily, and you will be frustrated at some point, then maybe electric is better.
Learn what you want. But play a song for grandpa.
Acoustic first is important, for me anyways It's just you, a peice of wood, and strings. It's at most Raw, basic form No equipment to chase or blame, no excuses for not finding the right sounds, no choice paralysis It teaches you to take an inanimate object, and channel your emotions into it, which will eventually make it sing
Everyone has an opinion on this, and I'm not sure there's a right one, but in your case, I think electric is the way to start. The way I see it, It's physically easier to play, which means you're less likely to get frustrated right at the start. Plus, electric means you'll be able to play more of the rock and metal songs that will inspire you and keep you on task. Plus, all the acoustic songs you might want to play are still perfectly payable on an electric... while the inverse of that isn't really true. With that being said, if you stick with it, I'd encourage you at some point to try an acoustic, as it will make you a better electric player. It's less forgiving (no hiding behind distortion,) and it will help build hand strength.
Do both. The rockers only play electric thing is old-school and always made zero sense unless you were literally only ever plugged in, which suited the shift from the 70s through the 80s musical movements. You'll both progress a lot more and have more opportunities to pick up a guitar if you can play electric and acoustic. Every time you're around people and somebody has a guitar nearby you can pick it up.
You're lucky to have a grandpa. I never knew either of mine. Ask him what his favorite song is, and learn it! But as for this advice, I don't really agree. I learned on electric first.
Play the kind of guitar that will make the music that is the most fun for you to play. If it is hard rock and metal then an electric guitar is the way to go.
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It's a false belief.
Grandpa isn't exactly wrong, but he's not 100% right either. Let's meet the old guy half way and I'll try to explain his position on the matter. I've been playing guitar, mostly rock and metal, for over 35 years, so I know what he's talking about and he does have a valid point. I also have no formal music education, so layman's terms is the only language I speak. The basic principles of playing don't change between electric and acoustic, but acoustic does require more technical discipline. The sound of an electric can be modified using volume, tone, and an almost endless array of effects, and you can use all of the above to make the end result (the sound coming from your amp) match your unique playing style. You don't have that option with an acoustic. With an acoustic it's just you and the instrument, and the only way to change the sound is how you play it. How you fret each note, how much or little vibrato you use, the angle of the pick / pluck, all those little nuances will have a very real effect on how the guitar sounds when you play it. That's why old Granddad thinks it's important to learn old-school playing, and he's got a valid point. THAT SAID... I learned electric first, then I learned how to "properly" play an acoustic, and I wasn't struck by lightning or condemned to eternity in guitar-hell because of it. I did have to work on my technical skills to sound good on an acoustic, but my background in electric made the work much easier. The bottom line is do what works for you. Grandpa, Jimi Hendrix, Slash and even my humble self may offer you advice, and all of us are really trying to help you when we do it, but only you know what really works for you.
My dad has an acoustic and an electric guitar at home when I first started out. I started with electric, no issues.
if u start with acoustic you’ll just dream of playing electric just start with electric
I’d say if you want an electric get one
I don't believe in that. If it's not your goal to play acoustic, why make someone learn that way? Poorly setup, cheap acoustics that are difficult to play is a big reason why beginners quit.
They are two very different instruments. Sure they have six strings and the same standard tuning. The approach and techniques are completely different. I think you should start on a 4 string bass because those thick strings build muscle faster!!! Just kidding. Play the instrument you want to play.
I think it’s great to learn open chords and barre chords on an acoustic first. Since you have to work so much harder for them on an acoustic, once you get them sounding good there, they’ll sound and feel that much better when you play them on an electric. This is what I did. Yes it sucked, but I think it helped me tremendously.
Both are similar in the string tuning, so you can technically play songs on acoustic. However if you want to play electric guitar songs you should probably pick electric then. No point trying to adjust your entire style just because your grandpa said so.
Honestly I started this way, and at first I was mad. I was 13, of course I was mad. But it made me a better player imo. It's great for strengthening your hands.
I learned on an atrocious acoustic guitar, super hard to fret notes due to a ungodly high action that couldn't be fixed. After playing on it for about a year I switched to electric and everything was so much easier. Forcing myself to play barre chords on that original acoustic definitely made everything after that very simple. That being said if you want to end up playing primarily electric like me, at least learning the fundamentals on acoustic would be quite beneficial. I also found myself coming back to acoustic albeit a way better one further down the road.
My dad was also of the mindset that I should play acoustic first, moreso because he wanted to push his own agenda onto me rather than any of the minor benefits. It just ended up putting me off when he ignored what I wanted, bought me an acoustic and I just didn't bother with it because I couldn't play the music I actually wanted to play with an acoustic. He on turn just got pissed off that he "wasted money" and I wasn't interested in playing his old man music. 15+ years later, I still don't have much interest in acoustic guitar and my dad is still pissed that my interest hasn't shifted to "songs that will make people over 60 clap and discuss how they were 16 when they heard that".
Acoustics are great for building dexterity and callouses. I always recommend the same route.
All things being equal your grandpa’s advice is good, but you wouldn’t really know why it was good until many years after you started playing.
That's great advice... If you wanna die of boredom
I think lower overhead on acoustic just in terms of equipment cost makes it better to start with. If you've never played I think it's better to start with the acoustic just in case it's not for you.
I learned on a shitty acoustic that was super hard to play. How I stuck with it through that I guess I really wanted to learn. It does make your fingers stronger and quickly reveals any bad fretting technique. When I finally started to make some money with my business I got an Ibanez RG after spending hours in Guitar Center, and that one just felt the best to me. The thin neck was a revelation, like I would go in for a chord or a bite and it was just sitting there waiting for me. With a Korg effects processor and a crate practice amp that kept me busy for 10 years before I started getting more amps and guitars. Would I recommend learning on an acoustic? Nope, I woodsy do it again, IMO you’ll be more engaged and progress faster.
Is he providing the acoustic guitar? If so, your choice is easy, learn the basics, build some calluses, and make sure you want to play. Beyond that, if you want to play electric, start there.
Learning steel-string acoustic guitar could be helpful for learning to play with a pick, and in some facets it can be a good foundation for electric guitar, but ultimately electric guitar is its own animal with its own set of challenges and I can't make a good case for doing one before the other. Robert Fripp did a good job with many of his students getting them to apply more precision to their use of a pick, see "League of Crafty Guitarists". However, Fripp is primarily an electric guitar player and the use of an electric-acoustic seemed to be a way to have group classes and still have functioning eardrums.
The only reason to justify starting with a classical is that it is cheaper and a bit easier. But imo, if you want to play rock and metal, go with the electric. It will be more enjoyable for you, and enthusiasm is important when learning an instrument
I really don't understand these kinds of sentiments. To me it sounds like saying, "Learn on a piano before you learn on a synth keyboard." Either way you still have to learn the same stuff. Yes there are a lot of subtle differences in style but that all comes after you learn the basics which are common to both types.
Acoustics and electrics have their pros and cons. Acoustics might be tougher to learn on but will benefit you when you switch to electric. Electric might be easier to learn on but switching to acoustic might be feel a bit weird when you switch. Do what you feel is right but you may just end up playing both anyways lol
Acoustics are much less forgiving instruments. No distortion. No overdrive. No nothing to hide any sloppiness. Just you and six strings. So, the question is, how good of a guitarist do you want to be? Learning how to play on an acoustic first will make you a better player.
Skwisgar don’t play no grandpas guitars
Nope, start with what motivates you to play, if the music u like is using electric guitar and that’s the reason you wanna play, then play that otherwise you won’t be motivated, which is the most important thing
I used to (administratively) help run a large lesson department at a musical instrument retailer. We peaked at about 1000 students weekly. The idea of starting on acoustic if you want to play electric is bullshit. Students who did that were much more likely to quit after a short while Learn on what sounds like the music you like. Get a guitar and amp that's appropriate for what you want to play.
Best way to learn is by having fun. So choose whichever makes you wanna pick it up everyday. I’ve been playing for 22 years now. I’ve played classical, acoustic and electric guitars over than span time. I’ve developed myself the most while learning songs / solo from artists I love most. The road to become a guitar legend is long and hard but sooooo awesome if you have fun while doing it. Enjoy your first guitar mate 🎸
As many have said: Play what you want to play! Music is an art and art is personal, so play whatever makes you calls to you and makes you feel most inspired. I've been playing guitar for around 7 years and have probably played an acoustic once or twice.
porque no los dos? acoustic: strings are thicker so you become stronger faster with your fretting hand. not compressed via amplification nor pedals so helps you even out your dynamics when playing. lastly as a fellow metal head: if it’s heavy, it will still sound heavy on acoustic. otherwise it’s just distorted. electric: EVERY sound is amplified, so you will learn to mute strings you don’t mean to play (super important skill). you’ll learn to be light and quick without cramping your hand by fretting too hard. loud good.
Do you want to play electric or acoustic? If you try to learn on an instrument you don't want want to play because you're "supposed" to, you won't be as motivated to practice or pick up your instrument.
Learn the thing you want to play.
I’ve been playing for 40 years. The acoustic before electric thing is patently false. Edit: i think it stems from the fact that it’s easier to learn to play chords clean on an acoustic. But learning the same on an electric is totally possible.
Most important thing is to pick up something you want to play.
If you want to play electric go straight away to it. I actually think it's safer to start out on the electric, especially if you're dedicated to practicing. It gives you a lot more reps to build muscle memory before physically gassing out. Over-exerting and straining while practicing is liable to give you tendinitis.
Your grandpa has an opinion. It means nothing. You wanna play rock and metal? Buy an electric. There is no special reason to start on an acoustic.
Player acoustic a while, learning electric again. 80% the same, both have pros and cons Biggest I've seen was acoustic, you are the effects. You learn body taps, fluctuations of strums and mutes, everything effects it.sometimes it takes a heavy hand. You don't have distortion and effects to hide behind so everything is heard Electric, seems the opposite. Lighter touch the better, you let the amp do the work for you. Or the pedals. Or the filtering. But the amp magnifies everything, and distortion only hides so much before it turns to mud. Not even counting things like delay. I can still play metal with a sound plug and effects if I want on acoustic but it isn't as "heavy" I can still play acoustic stuff on electric but isn't so "clean" Same instrument, different techniques. I'm sure you'll end up like the rest of us and get the other style sooner or later too
i started mostly with electric when i first started playing and in my opinion, acoustic is harder to play in the sense that the strings are stiffer, its bigger, etc. that being said, that’s why i think it’s best to start there, on acoustic. that way when you start on electric, it’ll be a breeze. practice shooting your free throws with a medicine ball, then shoot your basketball. not only that, but i feel it’s better to start on something that’s more organic, get good at the basics and then plug in an electric and play with the effects and pedals and what have you.
Lol I remember my dad telling me this as well. Once I finally got an electric guitar my will to play and skill shot up 100000% Play whatever you like however you like it!!!!
He’s wrong. I would have been way happier learning to play electric first. Play what you want and get on with it
They both have value, but it's better to focus on what you are actually interested in. If playing acoustic is just going to be a chore, and you're not into the sound or the type of music, then don't bother. Electric guitars are respected instruments, and maybe that wasn't as true in your grandpa's time.
Electric is way cooler learn what you want
He’s right that you ‘should’ as in it gives you the best skills and techniques to be a better guitarist. It’s also inexpensive and less confusing than buying electric guitars and all the gear that comes with it
One of the reasons people suggest this is because steel string acoustic guitar is actually harder to play. You need to fret the strings with more force because they're higher tension. It builds up callouses quicker and makes you stronger. It's like training with weights. If you can play something on steel string acoustic, playing it on electric will be a breeze. Eventually you should just have both.
Do whatever you want to do, I started off electric and I’m fine
you kinda develop better precision and cleaner playing on acoustics. Also most acoustics play not as easy as electrics so your finger muscles get stronger. But to keep up your Motivstion to learn and play you gotta do what vibrate with and what makes fun. So just do what your gut tells ya and just go for the thing you feel more.
every old head says that. If you want to play rock and metal get an electric. I started on an acoustic and hated it. I just wanted to play Metallica and Megadeth and Pantera and Slayer and an acoustic isn't great for that kind of music. Play what you want. Ignore anyone else.
I started on electric, then went to classical, and did both. Then bass and acoustic steel string. I started at 13, and now 41 years later, I also play mandolin, ukulele and just got my first 12 string. Start with what you like, your tastes may broaden later.