The acoustic guitar is a beautiful instrument with an interesting history. The sound of the acoustic guitar can range from soft and soothing, to loud and powerful.
It’s not hard to learn the basics of the acoustic guitar, but it can be more difficult than learning on an electric guitar. The good news is that once you have learned how to play on an acoustic, then the electric will be so easy for you to play.
If, on the other hand, you learned how to play on the electric guitar first, and then you switched over to an acoustic guitar, you may become frustrated on much harder it is to play on an acoustic.
In this article, we help you figure out if starting out on your guitar playing journey with the acoustic guitar is the right decision for you.
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Can I Teach Myself Acoustic Guitar?
The answer to this question is a resounding yes! You can teach yourself acoustic guitar. It’s never too late or too early to start learning how to play the guitar.
You may be wondering, what if I’m left-handed? The good news is that guitars are made for both right and left-handed people so it doesn’t matter which hand is the dominant one.
Playing an acoustic guitar requires fingerpicking skills and strumming skills in order to produce different sounds from the instrument. But don’t worry, even if you have no experience with these techniques at all, there are plenty of online tutorials and classes to pick from.
I recommend starting your guitar-playing journey on JustinGuitar.com. Not only is most of the stuff on there absolutely free, but Justin is one of the best guitar teachers on the internet today. So, not only can you teach yourself guitar, but you can do it for FREE!
Is It Better To Learn the Acoustic Guitar First?
The answer to this question really depends on what your goals are when it comes to learning the guitar. If you’re mostly looking to play songs around a campfire or at home with your family, then obviously the acoustic guitar would be the best option.
However, if you can see yourself playing in a rock band or you want to learn certain riffs from your favorite metal songs, then you may want to think about an electric guitar instead if that’s all you plan to do.
You might also be one of those people that want to eventually play several different types of music. If this sounds like you, then my advice is to learn on an acoustic guitar first.
The reason for this is because the acoustic is a bit harder to learn in regards to forming chords, fret buzz, etc. So, after you learn the acoustic, then the electric guitar will be much easier to figure out.
If you learn on an electric guitar first and then switch over to playing the acoustic, you’re going to find the strings on an acoustic guitar much harder to press down on and play. This could cause a ton of frustration and might make you give up the guitar completely.
Of course, this isn’t always the case, and many guitarists learn the electric first, but as mentioned above, it creates an uphill battle of learning. Take my advice and conquer the hard stuff first. Acoustic first, then electric = downhill battle of learning.
What Age Is Too Late To Learn Guitar?
It’s never too late to start learning how to play the guitar! Let me repeat that so I can make sure you get my point. You are never too old to learn the guitar.
While learning the guitar at a younger age does have its benefits, it doesn’t mean that it’s too late for you. And it doesn’t matter how old you are, either.
In fact, starting out learning the guitar later in your life may have some really straightforward benefits. For one, you’re much older and wiser, which means that you know that it often just takes a little practice to learn new things and master them.
When you’re younger, it’s easier to give up on learning new things. At least that’s been my experience anyway. When you’re younger, you also don’t have as much control over the quality of instruments that you can buy, especially if your parents are the ones buying them.
Another great benefit to learning the guitar later on in life is that eventually, you’ll be so good at the instrument that you’ll be able to teach your kids or grandchildren how to play.
The ability to teach others how to play can often be more rewarding and satisfying than the original process of learning it was.
How Often Should I Practice Guitar?
It is better to practice guitar in little spurts of time every day than it is to practice for several hours at once every weekend. It will be much easier for you to remember basic concepts in shorter blocks of time.
I recommend practicing for about 20 minutes each day for around 4 or 5 days per week when you’re first starting out.
The reason for this is because the tips of your fingers will hurt for the first month or so of playing. These are called guitar calluses or finger calluses.
It takes time to build up your calluses, but rest assured, everybody who has ever learned the guitar, has had to go through the pain.
And in my opinion, it’s not really that painful. There are other events that are much more painful such as childbirth or breaking a bone. Eventually, your calluses will be strong and the pain will no longer exist.
After you have built up your guitar calluses, then you’ll definitely want to practice your guitar more often, like an hour a day for 6 days a week.
Again, it really depends on what your goals are. It’s important to remember that in the beginning, it’s completely normal to become frustrated when you can’t seem to get things right.
If that happens, stop for the day and get back to it tomorrow. You’ll have a fresh new day with a fresh mind, and you may be able to conquer what it was that you were struggling with the day before.
Which Guitar Is Best for Beginners?
When it comes to the best type of guitar to start out on, it’s really a matter of what your goals actually are in terms of learning the instrument.
However, there will be a few key things to watch out for when looking to buy your first guitar. You don’t want too cheap of a guitar because the quality on them is often lacking, which could cause you to give up before you even start.
For example, some guitars that you may see on some websites seem like they’re at a good affordable price, but the truth is, most cheap guitars have strings that are way too high off the neck. This makes it extremely hard to press down on the strings.
The best thing to do would be to go to your local music store and test several guitars out so you can see firsthand which one is right for you.
It also helps to ask the employees what would be best for a beginner. Just be aware that they may steer you in a more expensive direction.
You definitely shouldn’t start out on too expensive of a guitar either, since you really don’t know for a fact if you will stick with the hobby.
If you don’t live near a music store or it feels too intimidating to go into one, there are some decent options available online. Below, are some suggestions when it comes to purchasing your very first guitar.
Best Beginner Acoustic
Last update on 2025-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Beginner Electric
Last update on 2025-01-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
