Is It Hard To Go From Acoustic To Electric Guitar? Explained With Facts

Most of the people who start learning guitar will usually have their first guitar be an acoustic one. They will stick with that for a while until they have the urge to switch to electric guitar. This can be daunting for some people who are not sure what to expect.

The acoustic and electric guitars are essentially the same thing. They produce sound in the same way but only the electric guitar needs to amplify that sound using a guitar amp. So in essence, you will need more equipments to play the electric guitar the way it’s meant to be played.

Playing electric guitar will also require some more knowledge of electronics and amplifier settings in order to get a sound that is soothing. Yes, you can get many different sounds from one guitar by simply plugging it in a different amplifier or even if a different player plays the same guitar.

How To Switch From Acoustic To Electric Guitar?

As we have already learned, switching from acoustic to electric will require some additional equipment, but it is not a daunting task. The first thing you will need is an electric guitar and an amplifier. There are many electric guitar starter packs that have everything one player needs to start playing. These are some tips for beginner electric guitarists.

Don’t Play Too Loud

The first tip I would recommend is not to play the electric guitar too loud. Apart from annoying your neighbors, this will distort the guitar sound in most cases and can damage your amp and even your hearing. So keeping the volume normal will give you the best result.

Keep Your Guitar In Tune

Everyone hates playing or hearing someone play out of tune. This does not necessarily mean that you need to tune your guitar with a tuner, but rather play in tune. The electric guitar usually has a lot lower action compared to the acoustic. This means that even the slightest bend of string can get you out of tune. So focusing on that will help you be a better player.

Focus On A Clean Sound

For many players, the first instinct is to go straight to distorted sound. Sure, it is a lot of fun to experiment with distortion, but it tends to hide some mistakes when your practice. My advice is to create a clean tone that suits your playing and focus on practicing using it. Later on, you can add distortion to it further beef up your sound.

Learn About Electric Guitars

You may be into electric guitar just for the sake of playing it, but taking time to learn and educate yourself on how the electric guitar works and what each part of the guitar does is a great help in your skillset. It will help you choose the correct guitar for your playing style and tone as well as save you a lot of money in the long run. Why pay someone to set up your guitar when you do it yourself using the internet?

Is It Easy To Do Transition From Acoustic Guitar To Electric Guitar?

Although, the principle of an electric and acoustic guitar is the same they can be completely different animals from each other. For some players, this transition will come naturally, especially if they got good on the acoustic guitar.

The action of an electric guitar is usually lower than that of the acoustics. This is one of the great things about the electric guitar. It will make you play faster and some things will feel easier playing on the electric than on an acoustic.

But the electric guitar, especially if it is a cheap one, will usually lack the feel of the sound and the dynamic range. If you play electric guitar long enough, going back to the acoustic will feel like coming home.

Do Acoustic Guitar Skills Transfer To Electric?

In essence, everything you play on acoustic can be played on the electric. That is why so many guitar teachers focus on acoustic guitar first rather than electric. How easy can the song be on each guitar is completely dependent on the type of guitar.

Most of the time you will find things easier to play on electric guitar than an acoustic, but it will be something only acoustic guitars have. I believe there is no electric guitar that can create a tone that the acoustic guitar has. Sure, many guitar models have come close but nothing will feel like an acoustic one.

What Are The Important Points To Keep In Mind While Transitioning?

It is important to go slow with these things. Do your best to explore the world of electric guitar prior to choosing the one for you. There are many guitar models out there and each of them serves its own purpose.

While learning about the electric guitar, you will see that there are guitar techniques that apply only to the electric. The first one you will learn is probably bending the guitar strings. This can be also done on acoustic but not as easily as on electric.

It is important to learn how to play dynamically on an electric guitar. Playing the electric guitar in the way the song dynamically requires is one of the key differences between beginner and advanced players.

Final Thoughts

Both electric and acoustic guitars have a special place in every guitarist’s heart. Although in essence, they are the same thing, they will behave differently in everyone’s hands. The point on which you should transition to electric is different for every guitarist.

In my experience, the best point to switch to electric is when you feel comfortable soloing on acoustic. Trying the same solos on the electric will give an insight into what playing the electric guitar means.

You will never, and should never permanently switch to electric guitar. You will always find yourself using both practice and play live. Do your best to practice both on a regular basis.