Acoustic vs Electric Guitar for Solo Performing

[@AaronAJaeger]

My siblings and I recently hired a guy to play for our parents' 50th anniversary and I was surprised to see he was playing an electric. But he was very talented and had a massive rack of pedals which he used very skillfully. It was a fairly small venue but there were a lot of people and I was extremely impressed at how good he sounded (having an amazing voice never hurts also!). It definitely is more of an art form than a science to be able to pull that off, he clearly knew what he was doing.

[@seandaniel23]

Yeah especially when it comes to different pedals and stuff, there's an infinite amount of ways you can manipulate live sound

[@andrescolintv]

I was wondering why I kept getting new subscribers... then I saw you posted our collab! Haha fun times bro

[@seandaniel23]

Hopefully you get a bunch!

[@dheevesh16]

Both guitars can work really well for solo performances. An electric guitar just has to be played different. Basically, play it clean when singing along and avoid open chords. Going for fewer strums and adding a chorus effect makes for a heavenly sound.

[@josefamekemeke2931]

Yes I do that

[@troutbreath]

These little chats are great. Appreciate that you share your gigging experiences.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for watching Michael!

[@thinkingape7655]

Very true; however, turn you amp around to face the back wall. That reflection helps substantially. 🤘

[@seandaniel23]

#protip

[@stevedouglas7375]

Being an older cat (still kitten frisky at times), I can relate to what Greg Allman said about why he plays acoustic, over electric. He said, "Electric guitar is like grabbing a dragon by the tail." I can relate to that. I play a little jazz on my electric Ibanez, but it's runs about 98 to 2 acoustic over electric. I've long been impressed with how someone can make a living with just their voice, a wooden box and some wire. Awesome.

[@seandaniel23]

Right on Steve!

[@stevedouglas7375]

Cool...

[@MrJsinwrld]

Finally I got that the electric guitar can be strummed like acoustic and it can sound like that as well... But amplification is needed...

[@remyQuillmeister]

Look at you with your multiple camera angles looking all professional. Ahh. They grow up so fast don't they?

[@seandaniel23]

Haha, strictly an Andres addition.

[@andrescolintv]

Sean Daniel I knew you’d say that haha

[@rowdythecat4696]

9:37, 10:22 haha Sean, your uh's were out in full force in this video.

[@seandaniel23]

Peak Sean.

[@hewhocannotbenamed]

It's such a cool trait. I'm hyper aware of it now it's been pointed out.

[@chiparooo]

Hmm... Had never given it any thought. Makes sense. Very interesting!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for watching!

[@londonuk70]

Let's put it this way: Sean is good in electric guitar, but Andres is a master in acoustic guitar, that's why they both complement each other.

[@DanSZiegler]

Great video! I’ve not seen this topic covers anywhere else - great advice! Would love to see more like this - gigging tips. Thanks guys!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks Dan, we'll try and think of more!

[@thebluhatter721]

Hey Sean, what chords are you playing at 3:13? Is that from one of your songs?

[@seandaniel23]

I think I was just randomly playing E to G.

[@jackbandel]

What about the Fender Acoustasonic?

[@Peaceful_Days]

I have an electro-acoustic guitar with a piezo pickup and a neck single coil.

[@davidjodell5223]

So I have an Ibanez af75g hollow body that i would like to use at small solo gigs. i would like to run it into my pa. what would i need to do that.

[@dong4176]

playing an electric guitar solo at a gig takes a very high level of mastery on the instrument like a Ted Greene.....acoustic guitar is more friendly in the sense that people don't expect a virtuoso ...they just want some camp fire stuff ...I've never seen an acoustic guitar player at a gig do some James Taylor or some Jim Croce..it's usually everyday pop stuff

[@seandaniel23]

Then you'll have to come to our gigs!

[@dong4176]

@@seandaniel23 where you guys play at?

[@ghfdt368]

For me i like both electric and acoustic for different sounds they produce. To me its like a pen vs a pencil, what do you want to use or need to use for whatever it is you want to write? both are great depending on the venue, the sound you want in your song or cover, or sometimes as silly as it sounds what you have with you at the time. Sometimes i just randomly pick up whichever of my 2 guitars are near me and play them (I own a Gibson SG faded, and a Fender CP-60 which is a small body bluesy kind of guitar). However there are times you need either an electric or acoustic to get a certain sound you want. For Fleetwood mac stuff i always pick up my acoustic or if i want to play some old school blues songs. For everything else its usually electric.

[@seandaniel23]

Definitely two great choices.

[@Bluescat13]

Thanks for the tips. Useful. I use a Godin LGX-SA for my solo gigs. 2 humbuckers and a bridge piezo. Acoustic and electric in one guitar. :-)

[@seandaniel23]

Definitely the best of both worlds there!

[@andrescolintv]

Christian Desarmes I’d love to try that one out!!

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

In a band I’ll play my Taylor T5…solo I’ll play my 324ce. The Roland AC90 is my secret weapon, tho. It fills out the acoustic with wonderful sustain with a nice chorus and anti-feedback that works. Still love my Tele.

[@thebikehippie6562]

I get better at guitar every time I watch your videos..

[@johnnybx3254]

Andres Great for you share your knowledge! Thanks 👍

[@seandaniel23]

Andres is the man!

[@thebikehippie6562]

So,I first watched this 4 months ago, I still have not decided which guitar I should use live.. I had my set list down on electric and then I watched this and switched whole set to acoustic.. Now I'm playing live in a small-ish room soon and I still don't know what guitar to bring.. I sing with a mic when electric but no mic acoustic because my acoustic is not electric.. Blah blah blah, anyway.. Does playing non electric acoustic and singing with a mic work better in small room over playing electric guitar?

[@allengoodwin7043]

Gig with what you practice most on. Or is it, practice most on what you gig with? Something like that. Just make your show sound and look as good as you can.

[@nishchalchandrajwar4885]

Best video on acoustic vs electric for beginners

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for watching!

[@trveg0th380]

Billy Bragg is probably the best example of using an electric guitar for solo gigs. He uses an acoustic sometimes but mostly he just sues an tele through an amp with lots of spring reverb

[@leebraly3904]

Good information.Thanks for sharing.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks Lee!

[@deeman524]

Even when I had a collection of acoustic guitars,I played everything even solo playing on my Electric until I met the Ukulele, now I am back to enjoying acoustic sounds again

[@svyat3181]

did you try classical guitar (with nylon strings)?

[@deeman524]

@@svyat3181 yeah still hate the feel of regular sized guitars, I'm about to purchase a baritone guitalele. But I I've bern having the most fun with just 4 strings

[@dwoebebuffay]

Have a listen to Jeff Buckley live at Sin E. A great example of how someone can sound using just an amp and a telecaster...

[@brendangray]

Yeah, but he is a rare talent. He could prob sound good with a tree branch.

[@josefamekemeke2931]

I play a lot of reggae and funk and it suits mostly the electric guitar rather than an acoustic guitar

[@jodyd5899]

I'm a little confused. If you played an electric solo with a great sounding 40 watt or more tube amp, and no PA or sound guy, just the amp cranked up, wouldn't that cut through any crowd in a bar?

[@seandaniel23]

It would definitely be loud enough. I think it's surprising by how much the low end of an electric guitar will get eaten up by a lot of people in a small room. So it can definitely be done, but usually acoustic guitars handle the situation a little better (when done by itself). But a bass player and an electric player will always rock it out!

[@AngelLuhrs]

I gig with with a semi-hollow. Definitely difficult to control. The looper pedal, acoustic amp with simulation and slow chorus that I use liven things up a little bit. I've been thinking about trying hybrid or full acoustic, but I became too dependent on OD. Greetings from Mexico

[@fernandomartinsolarz6992]

Hey Sean, I just got an electroacoustic after playing classical nylon string guitar for a long time. What amps do you recommend for acoustic? Also do pedals work or is that just for electric?

[@seandaniel23]

Yup, any pedal will still work fine! I actually would look into plugging into a PA system for acoustic. You get to use it as an amp plus it doubles great as something to run live sound, vocals, etc through.

[@GitarmanBob]

Fercho, I’ve performed since Dec 2016 using a Fishman SA330 and love that amp. Before that, I used Fishman Loudbox performers. Last Saturday, I just played straight into the mixer and through the PA. Good with all those choices. If I was buying a brand new amp today, the new lr baggs amp would definitely be in the running. Have performed with both the Bose L1 and the JBL EON. They sound Ok but are far more limited in options to interact with other gear - a “closed ecosystem”. I would never purchase. I have an acoustic-specific pedalboard, with a handful of pedals, my tuner, and a DI. So yes, tasteful effects can work in an acoustic setting.

[@paulcadwallader3000]

By any chance is that a Tokai 335 in your guitar rack?

[@seandaniel23]

It's actually a Gibson 333.

[@justinhayes5351]

I’m planning on playing for open mic night and it’s in 2 days. And I’m going to be playing alone with my Telecaster and my Distortion and Overdrive pedal. And I don’t have my acoustic with me at the moment because of a needed restrung. What should I do in terms of playing it regardless or just not performing at all?

[@slingerace]

It's open mic. Nobody cares. :-)

[@seandaniel23]

Definitely do your thing man! This was more or less just to answer the question of why people mostly gig solo with acoustics over electrics. You can still make it work so go rock on!

[@justinhayes5351]

Sean Daniel Thanks man👌🏾

[@syedijlalofficial]

dnt use distortion or overdrive ... use EQ instead.... 🤓

[@justinhayes5351]

Syed Ijlal I was planning on using the distortion and overdrive pedal for a song I was going to play.

[@BodyMachineShop]

Aces thanks so much!!

[@seandaniel23]

Happy to help!

[@blink70]

With a little work with the electric you can get an all around solid sound, but I think it has alot to do with gear. This whole video doesn't even fight for a reason to use an electric.

[@AdmirK1]

Thank you for this video.⭐ I play acoustic guitar with an E Guitar Amp in my Band and it kinda works. Really want to play acoustic guitar in the bands but the only amps are for e guitar, what do you say about that? Thanks Admir Does this really work in your opinion?

[@cameronwalshguitar]

Admir Plug into PA or an amp specifically for an Acoustic. Playing an Acoustic through a Electric guitar amp sounds pretty bad if you’re a rhythm guitarist in the band

[@seandaniel23]

Yup, Cameron is right on. PA systems are great for that, plus you get the added benefit of being able to run anything else through them.

[@AdmirK1]

Hmmm allright i guess i have no other option, thanks 🎶🎶🎶

[@toblue7451]

S E A N ? How come more A/C ARCHTOP Guitars are Not Used More ? Aqre they to Expensive ? ol west

[@seandaniel23]

Archtops are kind of a great compromise between the two.

[@paolocaridi5356]

I completely agree with u....but is nice to have an electric too...😀😀😀...How r u my friend?

[@seandaniel23]

Pretty good my man! Everything good with you?

[@paolocaridi5356]

@@seandaniel23 yeah dont complain...Im in Italy at the moment 😀

[@atharvraj960]

would you ever like to compete with John Mayer...??

[@seandaniel23]

I hereby challenge you John Mayer!!

[@atharvraj960]

that's my man, thanks a lot

[@atharvraj960]

and would you like to compete and challenge Sungha Jung and Naudord...?? ( sorry to ask you these but these two are last two I wanna know,, hope you answer ).

[@syedijlalofficial]

agree ! 👍

[@seandaniel23]

You know it!

[@GMec78]

JM also has several thousands dollars worth of pedals. He is known for a bleep ton of talent and a bleep ton of gear

[@salomon1473]

Just beginning guitar, im on chord 2, former drummer and piano. "Specialized" and "Are you in a band?" are the 2 focal points of this. To me, if you are in a band, that's where an electric sounds amazing out of this world. On that note, two players two acoustics amp'd up is also just as good for some genres styles. But the point is, an electric is highly specialized, it's meant as a group-instrument, outside of showing off solos and 'sounds' like harmonics and pedals and whatever. Acoustic does not say "where's my bass player!" as badly as an electric does (and a mic). Now, these acoustic parlor guitars and such do scream for a bass / middle body, i think they aren't even guitars. I'm talking about actual acoustics like a dread or so not a money-grabber mini-guitar. The two reason's an acoustic sounds better solo are 1. Electric is specialized, it needs a bass guitar, acoustic also needs a bass guitar badly too, but the acoustic can get away without having one better than an electric does. And 2. An acoustic cover of a non-acoustic song sounds "different' than what we are so used to, so the acoustic is more 'entertaining' to listen to for that reason. It makes up for not having a band somewhat. Whereas an apples-to-apples electric cover of electric is like screaming "where is my bass player!! Where is my drummer (sort of)". So If you aren't in a band, don't go electric. That's how I see it.

[@ryanseanmusicandlove]

Love the videi lots of good points but im getting an alto uber fx 100w to perform/busk with and will probably also buy a 335 semi holow body and try make it work. You know compressor graghic eq pre amp digital modeling what ever will help. Acoustic is well rounded but i love the idea of being different. Fingers crossed i can find "the tone" lol

[@6stringsGT]

El Mejicano, play some mariachi! arriba arriba!

[@lukasobel]

Interesting talk, man

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@doncaviness7961]

Please do a strumming vid with nails

[@seandaniel23]

Definitely hit him up on his channel for that. He's a beast.

[@offgridas]

Ive learnt alot from you and enjoy your videos. But I really dont agree. If you cant play electric guitar confidently in public you should maybe consider not playing in public. Go watch some tom misch

[@seandaniel23]

Love Tom Misch, but usually he plays with somebody else from what I've seen. Solo electric can definitely work in controlled situations, but I've learned from a lot of experience that an acoustic guitar will almost always sound better in any kind of solo performance/gig where you're playing in a room full of people and running your own sound.

[@offgridas]

Each to there own, id have to say from my experience each has their own place. But at the end of the day its down to the musician and how they go about expressing themselfs, the best instrument is the one you've got. Look at jack white as an example of someone who goes out of his way to find the roughest electric guitars in the poorest shape possible and the sound he can make with them, solo. Then theres the obvious jimmy hendix, ewan dobson's rare solo electric performances changed my life. Solo electric is by far my favourite aspect of guitar.ive played over ten years myself and spent alot of time in the underground community, I play any genre, mainly jazz at this stage. Tom misch does a bit of solo stuff, its beautuful

[@seandaniel23]

Well said!

[@offgridas]

Heavily appreciate your ability to respect my opinion. Keep doing what your doing man, ive really learnt a hell of alot from you in a very short time. And for that im hugely grateful. Solo electric being my main flavour I had to object haha.

[@seandaniel23]

Right on my man! Keep rocking!

[@Araye]

Like for the Godin

[@AlphaAchilles]

Anyone else notice that the guy on the rights voice does something weird at the very end of sentences where his voice goes really high for a split second sometimes. Am I the only one that notices stuff like that?

[@tobyzxcd]

jeff buckley anybody

[@abracaroguearcane1484]

Tamino

[@allengoodwin7043]

Its two things. 1, it's the aesthetic and tradition. Everyone expects it, and has been told that's how it should be. The look puts you into the same group as everyone who's ever done it. 2. Simplicity. You have to try to screw up the acoustic sound enough to matter. Any idiot can get a decent sound with an acoustic. An electric has so many options that you can screw up your sound in about a million ways. So, in short, you're supposed to use acoustic because that's what's always been done. There's no good reason, its entirely perception. It has nothing to do with the sound, the instrument being better or worse, or any technical issues. The only benefit is keeping your own stupid self away from the many options and the versatility that an electric offers. With great options and versatility comes the responsibility to actually learn how to use them in a way that sounds good.

[@fleisbester612]

"Any idiot can get a decent sound with an acoustic" That's completely false...

[@allengoodwin7043]

@@fleisbester612 "Any idiot can get a decent sound with an acoustic" that's completely true...

[@NishantBagoria]

Are you gonna just talk, or play something

[@slingerace]

My wife and I watch a lot of live music. If we walk into a place and see someone playing solo using an electric guitar, we will move on to somewhere else.

[@seandaniel23]

There's the proof.

[@slingerace]

Different strokes for different folks.

[@DocTravis87]

Why? I know some solo compositions that sound wonderful on electric guitar. Do you try and hear the music first or do you just see an electric guitar and you cover your ears and walk away?

[@slingerace]

@@jwinners407 Not my cup of tea, but you apparently don't have the maturity necessary to be able to accept as legitimate points of view that differ from yours. Alas.

[@johncoker13]

BS