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| Play guitar (normally having six strings) : Acoustic or Electric Guitar to learn on? | |
The guitar is a relatively simple musical instrument to learn. It is obviously easier to learn to play the guitar when one is younger, but personally I have learned the guitar at the ripe (or rotten) age of 40. If you like to listen to music you really should learn to play the guitar, it's a great feeling to hug your ax and shred (or strum, depending on your personality). As long as one has semi-functioning fingers and relatively operational ears, anyone can learn to play the guitar. Unlike other hobbies such as collecting stamps or TV Guides, playing the giutar requires a little bit of dedication and some free time. Expect to spend at least 15 minutes everyday for practice, or at least a half hour about two or three times a week at the very minimum. Unless you practice, you're never going to train your hands and your ears to make music. If you want your child to learn to play the guitar, jump to the Child Guitar lessons information page. |
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To learn to play the guitar, you need at least one guitar. If you can borrow one from a friend that is well and good, but if not - the first agonizing decision is wether to learn on an Acoustic guitar (normally having six strings) or an Electric Guitar. One thing that should be mentioned is this, once you start playing you WILL end up with more than one guitar. Having ten and fifteen guitars is not uncommon for amateur guitar players, similar to women and their umpteen pairs of shoes - if it feels good, you have GOT to have it! The first consideration is the kind of music you are interested in. If your taste is in Classical music, you will want to get a Classical Acoustic Guitar (with nylon strings). If you just want to play campfire songs or folk music, an acoustic guitar would probably be a good choice - if you want to play with a pick a steel string acoustic guitar; or if you want to play with your fingers (finger picking) then a nylon string acoustic guitar. Rock, blues, jazz and similar genres of music could do well with either acoustic or electric guitars; however if your taste is in heavy metal then stick with the electric guitar (you really can't shred metal on an acoustic guitar). |
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Not withstanding the above recommendations, here is one simple fact: electric guitars are easier to learn with. And not withstanding that fact - learning on an acoustic guitar, because it is harder and less forgiving, will enable you to play better much faster than learning on an electric guitar. Acoustic guitars have heavier strings (remember, they have to vibrate enough to make sounds), and are harder on your fingertips. Because there is no electronic correction to the sounds - what you (or they) strum is what you hear. Any mistakes or bad habits are cacophonously announced - which is actually a good thing as you learn to correct bad habits and errors quickly. The acoustic guitar also has a more delicate tone, as you practice you will be able to easily learn how to control your strumming and fretting fingers. Decent acoustic guitars can be more expensive than comparable electric guitars, however, an electric guitar requires an amplifier (amp) which also adds to the cost. The acoustic guitar also offers portability, since you don't need any amplification equipment. This makes practicing easier as you can lug the acoustic guitar around the house and yard (or attic, if your spouse banishes you there for making too much noise). Personally, I learned to play on an electric guitar - but I would advise against it. The strings on an electric guitar are lighter and thus easier to handle. Electronic effects and amplification can cover up mistakes, which may sound good but it in reality it is not. I had to relearn finger positioning and strumming when I got my first accoustic guitar, because of the bad habits the electric guitar had covered up when I was learning. |
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The electric guitar does make it easier to just start playing, so if you have a short attention span or are short on patience - an electric guitar will at least help you to begin playing. Just keep in mind that you will have to change your habits if and when you start playing an acoustic guitar. Once you choose between an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar to learn with, go to your favorite guitar store and try them out for size! Every guitar is unique, subtle differences in the wood and other materials used, gives each and every guitar in the world its own feel and sound. See the next sections for Buying Acoustic Guitars and Buying Electric Guitars. Once quick thing to mention is that accoustic guitars come in different sizes (thickness) and scales (lengths). While it is tempting to buy a guitar online, you have no way to knowing if it "feels right" and "sounds right", you should make a trip to your local guitar store and find one that feels and sounds just right. After all, you're the one that will be playing it for years to come - if you're not happy with it from day one, you will never be happy with it. Visit more than one guitar store, take your time and try out all the guitars. Most stores allow you to try out the guitars before you buy - it is a normal thing to want to hear a musical instrument. If the store does NOT let you play their guitars - they are trying to hide something so just leave and go somewhere else where they are more friendly. You may also want to ask the salesperson to play any instrument that you like - this way you get to hear what it sounds like when played by (presumably) a professional. Again, if you want your child to learn to play the guitar - jump to the Child Guitar lessons information page. Kids work differently (if you have kids, I don't have to tell you that!). So now that you are ready, check out the next sections for Buying Acoustic Guitar and Buying Electric Guitar. Electric Guitar Parts<<<Previous Next>>>Buy Acoustic Guitar 
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| Play Guitar : Parts of an Electric Guitar | |
Here is a picture of a typical electric guitar with its parts marked. Click the menu on the left side if you want to jump to the Acoustic Guitar Parts or to selecting an Acoustic or Electric Guitar. Scroll down for detailed information on the electric guitars parts.
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 There are three main sections zoomed in the picture; the Headstock, the Neck, and the Body. The headstock holds the Tuner Posts around which the strings are wrapped and terminated. The Tuners are knobs that increase or decrease the tension on the string wrapped around the tuner posts (tuning the sound made by the strings). Note that some electric guitars may have different looking tuners, and some may even have three tuner keys on opposite sides. Even though they may look different, they work in the same manner. The Nut guides the strings to the tuner posts and maintains the height of the strings. 
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The length of the Neck depends on the scale of the guitar and the number of frets it has. The back of the neck could be "C" shaped, or "V" shaped (sideways < if you compare it to the letter C). The front of the neck is the Fingerboard or Fretboard, that contains the Frets embedded in notches along its surface. The Strings run down the neck over the frets. The height of the strings over the frets is called the Action; if the action is too high the strings are harder to press down, if the action is too low the strings may rattle against the frets muffling the notes. The neck usually has "dot" markers on the top and the side facing the player, showing the position of the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th (which has two dots), 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st, and 24th (which also has two dots) fret. Note that (or this, or whatever) not all electric guitars have 24 frets. Those guitars that do have 24 frets will have smaller spacing between all the other frets, which is may make things a little difficult for large hands and fingers.
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The body of the electric guitar has one, two or three Pickups under the strings. These electro-magnetic coils "pickup" the vibration from the strings and send it to the amp. There are two varieties of pickups, single-coil and humbucker (dual-coil), and electric guitars have different combinations of these pickups in the three possible positions - closest to the neck, in the middle, and furthest from the neck. A Pickup Selector Switch allows you to choose which pickup will be active, some models even allow you to select combinations of pickups for unique sounds. The strings terminate in the Bridge, some versions also have a Whammy Bar to create Tremolo effects (by rapidly pushing the bar in and out, changing the angle of the bridge). Volume and Tone control knobs are also present on the body, allowing you to make minor changes to your guitars sound without having to fiddle with the amp. A Cable Connector allows you to connect a cable from your electric guitar to your amplifier or effects pedal. Acoustic Guitar Parts<<<Previous Next>>>Acoustic or Electric Guitar 
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