Friday, 28 October 2016
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 2: Acoustic Guitars
Other parts in this series:
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 1: Electric Guitars
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 3: Buying a Good Quality Guitar
Today's blog post is about the pros and cons of buying an acoustic guitar (yesterday we talked about the pros and cons of buying an electric guitar, click here if you want to check it out).
Acoustic Guitar: Pros
Portability: Let’s now consider the acoustic guitar, and one of its distinct advantages over the electric: portability. You can play an acoustic guitar just about anywhere – in the park, at a friend’s house, school or work (probably best to leave it in the case unless you’re on lunch)… and did I mention around a campfire? Playing an acoustic around the bonfire is practically a tradition in North America, and I imagine other parts of the world. Bottom line: You can play anywhere!
Sound quality: A well-crafted acoustic guitar also has a beautiful sound, which cannot be replicated by electronics. This makes the acoustic an excellent solo instrument, and a real joy to play. You can get a very full and fleshed-out sound from an acoustic, and you can sing and strum without feeling like there is anything missing, whereas on the electric you tend to want at least a bass and some drums backing you up. When practicing, of course, it doesn’t matter, but performances with just an electric guitar tend not to have the same effect. Acoustics have a fuller sound that an electric simply can not compete with, which can be great for either solo performances or for songwriting. Bottom line: You just can't beat the beautiful sound of an acoustic guitar.
Acoustic Guitar: Cons
Harder to play: When developing callouses - something we all do when starting out on the guitar - there is usually some pain in the fingertips. Acoustic guitars tend to give better (stronger) callouses, but at the cost of hurting your fingers more. You need to press down more to get the same quality of sound on an acoustic guitar. Bottom Line: If you've got sensitive fingers, electric might be the way to go.
Easier to break: Acoustic guitars are, generally, pretty hardy instruments. If you accidentally bump your wall (or ceiling, as I often used to do) with your guitar it's not the end of the world. Nevertheless, the fact that acoustics have a hollow body makes them much more fragile than an electric guitar. Most people could stand on the body of an electric and probably get away with doing little to no damage (I had a friend who did this to one of my electrics at a party for some strange reason). But trip and fall on the body of an acoustic and you’re probably looking at irreparable damage. Obviously a responsible person has less to worry about here, but I can tell you I’ve heard horror stories of fellow performers who have had an overly enthusiastic crowd member (I.e. a drunk) knock over their acoustic guitar and put a huge hole in it. Yikes! If you’re set on an acoustic, however, this potential problem shouldn’t scare you off – just be careful and mind where you leave the instrument! Bottom line: Easier to break than an electric... great for reckless rockers on stage trashing their gear, bad for the rest of us.
Which to buy?
I've given what I think are the significant pros and cons of acoustics and electrics. As for my personal opinion, I don’t really lean in one direction or the other. If you really want an acoustic and the disadvantages to owning one don’t really scare you off, then get one. But if you want to learn nothing but AC/DC songs… well, I foresee an electric in your future. Either can be a great starting instrument, depending on your wants and needs.
How Much $$$???
As I said in the pros and cons of buying the electric guitar, the starting point for either an acoustic and electric, at least in North America, tends to be about the same – somewhere between $100 and $300 (American). Some stores even offer "package deals" where you can get the guitar with picks, extra strings, strap, and an amp (for electrics), all at one low price.
My advice? Prices can go as high as you’re willing to pay, so be sure to set a budget before you venture out to buy your first guitar! And make sure you like the look of your guitar - sound is important, but if you can't stand the way your guitar looks, you might get sick of it!
Once you have an idea of which guitar you'd like to buy (or even if you don't just yet), check out the next part in my series on buying guitars: Choosing a good quality guitar.
Thursday, 27 October 2016
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 1: Electric Guitars
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 1: Electric Guitars
Other parts in this series:
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 2: Acoustic Guitars
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 3: Buying a Good Quality Guitar
You can't learn guitar without a guitar. Unless you're borrowing or renting (both of which are good ideas if you're not yet committed to playing), it's time to decide what kind of guitar you want to buy. You've got a decision to make.
Or as I like to say it: To plug in or not to plug in? That is the question.
As a guitar teacher, I often get asked whether to buy an electric guitar or an acoustic. It turns out that there are advantages and disadvantages to making either choice, so let's start by talking about the pros and cons of buying an electric guitar (the next part in this series we'll talk about the pros and cons of buying an acoustic).
Electric Guitars: Pros
First, let’s consider the benefits of starting on an electric guitar.
Easier on the fingertips: The electric guitar is usually easier to play than an acoustic, requiring less pressure on the frets with your fingers to get a good sound. Many new students find the action (the distance from the strings of the guitar to the fretboard underneath) on an acoustic to be “too high” – too difficult to press down effectively on the strings. This can discourage new players, as building callouses on the tips of your fingers can be a bit of a nuisance to begin with. If you're averse to pain, you will have an easier time playing the electric guitar. Bottom line: Electric guitars are easier on your fingertips than acoustics.
Greater variety of possible tones (especially when combined with the right amp and/or pedals): Another advantage that comes with playing an electric guitar is the variety of sounds you can get from it. Combine it with the right amplifier and/or guitar pedals and you can get just about any sound you want out of your instrument. Need some distortion to rock out? No problem – many amps and pedals have distortion. Want some Flanger? Delay? Echo or Reverb? Crazy sounding chirping, clicking, or laser beam-like sounds? With a bit of research and perhaps some ingenuity, you can get almost any sound you want out of an electric. Bottom line: You can get a lot of really cool sounds with an electric guitar and the right amp or pedal.
Greater variety of techniques: Lastly, another positive with electric guitars would be the variety of sounds you can get from using techniques like tapping, bending, and pinch harmonics. You can use some or all of these techniques on an acoustic (though bending is out of the question on some acoustics), but the combination of either tapping or pinch harmonics with effects like distortion are just awe-inspiring (the solo to “Jump” by Van Halen comes to mind). Most techniques are harder to do properly on an acoustic, anyway. Bottom line: More techniques are available to you on the electric guitar.
Now let's discuss the disadvantages to starting on an electric guitar...
Electric Guitar: Cons
You need to buy an amp: The most obvious disadvantage to buying an electric guitar first is the fact that you’ll also need to buy an amp, and possibly some other gear like guitar pedals, to get the most out of your axe. This can be expensive if you’re not careful. Having said that, you can often find decent starter packages in your local music store that offer a basic electric guitar with a small amp, patch cord, picks, and extra strings – enough to get you started on an electric for a decent price (you can always upgrade to better equipment later). Bottom line: Uh, you need an amp.
Not as portable as an acoustic: An electric guitar really requires plugging in to be used effectively. You can certainly practice some things without your amp, but your guitar’s not loud enough to, say, play while singing at a campfire, or jam out in the park with buddies, or to busk on the street (if that’s your thing). Portability is definitely an issue. Bottom line: Less portable (you need an amp to be heard).
How Much $$$???
Beginner acoustic and electric guitars (ones that are playable, decent quality, but probably worth upgrading at some point if you continue playing) tend to cost about the same here in North America - somewhere between $100US and $300US. You can sometimes find a "package deal" for an electric where you can get the guitar with picks, extra strings, strap, and an amp (for electrics), all at one low price.
My only advice here is to set a budget before you go buying. It can be very tempting to shell out a thousand dollars for a new axe, but if you're not committed to playing, is it worth it? Only you can answer this kind of question for yourself. Just be sure you think before you buy!
Should you buy an electric?
All in all, for an electric guitar you’re really looking at the benefits of ease of playing and potential versatility of sounds versus the potential cost and portability issues that come with a lot of gear, and gear that requires some power to be of use. If you want to play loud, or you want a wide variety of potential tones, the electric guitar is definitely the right choice (you can always get an acoustic later if you’re really worried about being a well-rounded guitarist.) Otherwise, you may need to consider the pros and cons of buying an acoustic guitar...
Other parts in this series:
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 2: Acoustic Guitars
Buying Your First Guitar, Part 3: Buying a Good Quality Guitar
You can't learn guitar without a guitar. Unless you're borrowing or renting (both of which are good ideas if you're not yet committed to playing), it's time to decide what kind of guitar you want to buy. You've got a decision to make.
Or as I like to say it: To plug in or not to plug in? That is the question.
As a guitar teacher, I often get asked whether to buy an electric guitar or an acoustic. It turns out that there are advantages and disadvantages to making either choice, so let's start by talking about the pros and cons of buying an electric guitar (the next part in this series we'll talk about the pros and cons of buying an acoustic).
Electric Guitars: Pros
First, let’s consider the benefits of starting on an electric guitar.
Easier on the fingertips: The electric guitar is usually easier to play than an acoustic, requiring less pressure on the frets with your fingers to get a good sound. Many new students find the action (the distance from the strings of the guitar to the fretboard underneath) on an acoustic to be “too high” – too difficult to press down effectively on the strings. This can discourage new players, as building callouses on the tips of your fingers can be a bit of a nuisance to begin with. If you're averse to pain, you will have an easier time playing the electric guitar. Bottom line: Electric guitars are easier on your fingertips than acoustics.
Greater variety of possible tones (especially when combined with the right amp and/or pedals): Another advantage that comes with playing an electric guitar is the variety of sounds you can get from it. Combine it with the right amplifier and/or guitar pedals and you can get just about any sound you want out of your instrument. Need some distortion to rock out? No problem – many amps and pedals have distortion. Want some Flanger? Delay? Echo or Reverb? Crazy sounding chirping, clicking, or laser beam-like sounds? With a bit of research and perhaps some ingenuity, you can get almost any sound you want out of an electric. Bottom line: You can get a lot of really cool sounds with an electric guitar and the right amp or pedal.
Greater variety of techniques: Lastly, another positive with electric guitars would be the variety of sounds you can get from using techniques like tapping, bending, and pinch harmonics. You can use some or all of these techniques on an acoustic (though bending is out of the question on some acoustics), but the combination of either tapping or pinch harmonics with effects like distortion are just awe-inspiring (the solo to “Jump” by Van Halen comes to mind). Most techniques are harder to do properly on an acoustic, anyway. Bottom line: More techniques are available to you on the electric guitar.
Now let's discuss the disadvantages to starting on an electric guitar...
Electric Guitar: Cons
You need to buy an amp: The most obvious disadvantage to buying an electric guitar first is the fact that you’ll also need to buy an amp, and possibly some other gear like guitar pedals, to get the most out of your axe. This can be expensive if you’re not careful. Having said that, you can often find decent starter packages in your local music store that offer a basic electric guitar with a small amp, patch cord, picks, and extra strings – enough to get you started on an electric for a decent price (you can always upgrade to better equipment later). Bottom line: Uh, you need an amp.
Not as portable as an acoustic: An electric guitar really requires plugging in to be used effectively. You can certainly practice some things without your amp, but your guitar’s not loud enough to, say, play while singing at a campfire, or jam out in the park with buddies, or to busk on the street (if that’s your thing). Portability is definitely an issue. Bottom line: Less portable (you need an amp to be heard).
How Much $$$???
Beginner acoustic and electric guitars (ones that are playable, decent quality, but probably worth upgrading at some point if you continue playing) tend to cost about the same here in North America - somewhere between $100US and $300US. You can sometimes find a "package deal" for an electric where you can get the guitar with picks, extra strings, strap, and an amp (for electrics), all at one low price.
My only advice here is to set a budget before you go buying. It can be very tempting to shell out a thousand dollars for a new axe, but if you're not committed to playing, is it worth it? Only you can answer this kind of question for yourself. Just be sure you think before you buy!
Should you buy an electric?
All in all, for an electric guitar you’re really looking at the benefits of ease of playing and potential versatility of sounds versus the potential cost and portability issues that come with a lot of gear, and gear that requires some power to be of use. If you want to play loud, or you want a wide variety of potential tones, the electric guitar is definitely the right choice (you can always get an acoustic later if you’re really worried about being a well-rounded guitarist.) Otherwise, you may need to consider the pros and cons of buying an acoustic guitar...
Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Welcome to my blog
Welcome!
If you're looking to learn guitar, ukelele, bass, songwriting, this is the place! Learn about me and what I do.
About me
A little information about me: I've been teaching music (currently teaching piano, ukelele, guitar, bass, and songwriting) for about 12 years, playing for about 20. I've been teaching out of Pro Music school in Waterloo for about 7 years now. I love teaching, and it's a great joy to see progress from all of my students.
I'm also passionate about songwriting and have been writing music for many years. I recorded an album in 2007 (which will be available here soon), and I'm working on an acoustic album now.
Contact Me For Lessons!
In Person:
One of the easiest ways to do lessons with me is through Pro Music School in Waterloo. Their website and contact information can be found here:
Pro Music
Online:
Do you live outside of Ontario, Canada? How about lessons via webcam? Send me an e-mail at: lessons *AT* thomastheguitarguy *DOT* com (just replace "*AT*" with "@" and "*DOT*" with "." to send your e-mail - I wrote it this way in the hopes that I won't get too much spam mail!)
About this blog
My goal with this blog is for it to be a resource for all guitarists, bassists, songwriters, and ukelele players around the world. I want you to be able to find information on just about anything you want to know about music. I update almost every day, so check back often.
Lots more to come, thanks for dropping by!
If you're looking to learn guitar, ukelele, bass, songwriting, this is the place! Learn about me and what I do.
About me
A little information about me: I've been teaching music (currently teaching piano, ukelele, guitar, bass, and songwriting) for about 12 years, playing for about 20. I've been teaching out of Pro Music school in Waterloo for about 7 years now. I love teaching, and it's a great joy to see progress from all of my students.
I'm also passionate about songwriting and have been writing music for many years. I recorded an album in 2007 (which will be available here soon), and I'm working on an acoustic album now.
Contact Me For Lessons!
In Person:
One of the easiest ways to do lessons with me is through Pro Music School in Waterloo. Their website and contact information can be found here:
Pro Music
Online:
Do you live outside of Ontario, Canada? How about lessons via webcam? Send me an e-mail at: lessons *AT* thomastheguitarguy *DOT* com (just replace "*AT*" with "@" and "*DOT*" with "." to send your e-mail - I wrote it this way in the hopes that I won't get too much spam mail!)
About this blog
My goal with this blog is for it to be a resource for all guitarists, bassists, songwriters, and ukelele players around the world. I want you to be able to find information on just about anything you want to know about music. I update almost every day, so check back often.
Lots more to come, thanks for dropping by!
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