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So, you want to learn to play the guitar and buy your first instrument and play sweet music on it all day long? But where do you start? Which guitar is best for you? Acoustic guitar or electric? These are just some of the burning questions that need answering, even before you learn a single note or chord.
Most budding guitar players purchase their first instrument after gazing into guitar shop windows or leafing through guitar magazines for months or even years, imagining themselves as a rock god wowing audiences with their power chords and riffs.
No other musical instrument conjures up such strong levels of passion and emotion quite like the guitar, or inspires complete beginners to fantasize about making sweet music to the masses. However, fantasizing alone is not enough to get a 'real-life' guitar to produce wonderful music. Hard work and many hours of practice is also needed as well, and during the long hard hours of practice and sore finger-tips it is all too easy to become disheartened and lose sight of the passion and enthusiasm which made you want to learn the guitar in the first place.
Buying your first guitar
The beginner guitarist has never had it so good when it comes to buying their first guitar. With the advent of modern hi-tech manufacturing processes and the huge amount of competition for your money, the price of starter guitars has plummeted in recent years.
Having said that, the old saying "let the buyer beware' still holds true when purchasing your first guitar. Do not let the avid sale person persuade you into buying a guitar that is neither suitable nor right for the kind of music you wish to play. It is no good buying an electric bass guitar if you want to play folk songs around a camp fire!
You need to decide in advance what sort of acoustic or electric guitar you want and don't forget to set an overall budget for your purchase and seek good advice from a guitar playing friend before going to your local guitar store. In fact it would be a great idea to take your more experienced guitar playing friend with you when you go along to purchase your guitar. At least your friend will tell it like it is and is not on a commission!
Acoustic Guitar or Electric Guitar?
There is a bewildering variety of instruments out there in 'guitar land' and at a wide range of prices too. If you would like to be able to play your guitar anywhere - indoors or out - with a minimum of fuss, then an acoustic guitar is for you. No amps, no electricity and no speakers needed. The cheapest acoustic guitar types tend to be nylon stringed 'classical' guitars but tend to lack powerful tones needed for most pop and rock songs. For this you will probably need a steel strung 'flat top' guitar which tend to be slightly more expensive, are great for vigorous strumming and ideal for solo finger-picking work.
If you would like to become a 'rock god' then there is no substitute for an electric guitar like the all time favourite The Fender Stratocaster!
The musical impact of playing an electric guitar will stay with you for the rest of your life, but to experience it you will need to buy and amplifier and a speaker, oh and you will need electricity (so no playing around the camp fire). In reality though there is no difference in the way you learn to play an electric guitar from that of an acoustic guitar except that electric guitars tend to be a little heavier, but there is no significant difference in the amount of physical strength needed to master the guitar.
So when it is time to make your choice between acoustic and electric, the only deciding factor should be your own musical preferences and the practical requirements of each type of guitar.
About this Author
Gavin Hartwell is the author of Learn To Play The Guitar - an up-to-the-minute resource for all beginner and novice guitar players. Check out Learn To Play The Guitar [http://www.learntoplay-theguitar.com/learn-to-play-the-guitar/] for more cool guitar info.
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