Can I Learn Electric Guitar Without Learning Acoustic Guitar First?
For many guitarists, the reason why they start to learn how to play guitar is the fact that someone had inspired them, in most cases legendary guitarists we all know. Well, chances are that these guitarists are playing electric guitar most of the time.
Many people will reach a crossroads on whether should they buy an electric or acoustic guitar as their first guitar. They usually ask themselves can I learn electric guitar without playing acoustic guitar?
The short answer is simple. Yes, you can learn how to play the electric guitar without even touching the acoustic guitar. But what else is there to know? Should you buy electric or acoustic first? Through this article, we will go through the pros and cons and what is recommended for beginner players.
Is It Necessary To Learn Acoustic Guitar Before Electric?
Visually, almost everyone gravitates toward the electric guitar. It makes you feel powerful and gives you the will to play more and more. In essence, acoustic and electric guitars are the same thing. You can play almost everything the same way on both types of instruments.
But is it necessary to learn acoustic before electric guitar? The short answer is no. You will not be a worse player if you have not learned acoustic guitar first. Both ways have pros and cons to them.
Can A Beginner Learn Electric Guitar? Few Things To Keep In Mind
If it happens that your first guitar is an electric one, do not be intimidated by it. You can get far on electric guitar, the same as on acoustic, if not even further.
The world of electric guitars is huge. Today, guitar companies make guitars in every shape, size, and weight there is. There are a few things you should have in mind if you want to go the electric guitar route.
Choosing the correct guitar for you is one of the key factors for your success. Most of the time, the type of music you want to play is what determines which guitar you should buy. Although this is the number one reason, other factors come in hand also.
The next thing you should think about is the price of the guitar. This is also important, especially if you are not sure that you will succeed in learning to play. In that case, avoid buying expensive guitars with a $1000 price tag to them and go for more beginner-friendly prices and starter kits.
This way you will not break your budget and it will give you chance to explore the electric guitar until you do not upgrade, which you can do anytime nowadays. Usually, the started kits will come with everything you need to start playing the guitar almost straight out of the box without too much hustle.
A good guitar will keep the tune perfectly and will have great intonation across the entire length of the neck. This is especially important for beginner guitar players. Playing on an in-tune guitar will get your ears used to the sound of the correctly tuned guitar which will further train your ear.
Is Electric Guitar Easier Than Acoustic?
The electric guitar is in most cases easier on the guitar player’s hand. The reason for that is that these guitars usually have lower action than acoustic. This immediately makes life easier for electric guitar players since it does not require as much pressure to produce the tone as on acoustic guitar.
Now, this does not mean that electric guitar is super easy to play compared to acoustic. I’ve played many acoustic guitars that felt better than most electric guitars. So choosing the right guitar goes the same for electric and acoustic guitars.
Reasons Why You Can Learn Electric Guitar First
As we already mentioned, electric guitar and acoustic guitar are practically the same things. You can play everything on both guitars, and if you are good enough there will be almost no difference to it.
If you live in a busy neighborhood with many neighbors, the electric guitar would be the perfect choice for you. Most amplifiers come with a phones output that you can use to practice any time of the day without annoying your neighbors.
Tonally, the electric guitar is quite versatile. If you are into experimenting, you will end up adjusting the settings on the amp and your guitar to see what toe can you get out of the guitar for a major part of your playing sessions.
The total versatility of the electric guitar will give you a wider range of musical choices. This way you will not be held down playing just one genre and will give you the opportunity to explore different musical tastes.
Downsides Of Learning Electric Guitar First
Although you can get great results starting with electric, there are a few drawbacks to learning the electric guitar first.
The most significant downside of starting on the electric guitar first is that you will have a difficult time learning how to play dynamically and how to create your own sound without using any of the effects or amplifiers. Electric guitar players usually take a long time until they start to understand and get used to this concept.
Apart from that, electric guitars are usually heavier. The reason for that is they are usually made out of a solid block of wood while acoustic guitars are hollow and much lighter. Another downside of the electric guitar is that it requires additional equipment which is not cheap.
Still, you can play the electric guitar unplugged but that is not the way they are meant to be played. Since they need to be plugged in, they need electrical power. This is another drawback compared to the acoustic guitar which you can play everywhere you want and is easier to transport due to the lightweight and lack of additional equipment.
Final Verdict
Taking on the journey to learn how to play guitar can be daunting and frightening for people. Most of the time they are met by the choice of playing acoustic or electric guitar. Both ways have pros and cons to them.
Usually, it is recommended to start with acoustic guitar first so you can build your muscles, develop a proper feel for the tone and slowly transition to electric guitar. Regardless of which guitar is your first, it all comes down to the will and daily and quality practicing.
