If I learn Acoustic Can I Play Electric? Tips To Move From Acoustic to Electric

[@Revansstuntdouble]

I'm 22 months into playing now. I've had an electric for over a year. I just don't play it very much. I enjoy acoustic quite a bit more. Absolutely love my Seagull.

[@MidlifeGuitar]

I love them both but I am going through a heavy electric phase at the moment 🤘

[@JStormy]

+1 for the seagull

[@jobgonzaga8269]

Me i have been playing since i was 11 but still im stuck with intermediate abilities

[@IvanRx76]

I'm too much into electric, I gig with it. But, I'd love to be an only acoustic guitar kind of player...

[@sösschen]

i've been playing acoustic guitar for almost 9 years (fingerstyle) and i finally want to add electric guitar so thank you for this video :)

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Electric Guitar is easier for beginners as you can play with precision. However to make your Acoustic Guitar play like an Electric Guitar you'll have to use the lightest gauge of strings and lower the action. I also had to cut down the sides in height to make the body thinner

[@RogerThat902]

Very good video. I, like you, started on acoustic. I could not believe how bad I was at electric because the pickup "picks up" a lot more flaws on an electric. As you said, string muting is crucial on electric. I do think it's generally better to start on acoustic if there isn't a preference, but playing both will help propel your playing forward. Also, it can get a little boring sometimes to play just one. It's great to be able to switch between acoustic and electric to keep things fresh.

[@MidlifeGuitar]

I agree with starting on an acoustic, if you have no preference. There are just too many things to learn on both but right now I play way more electric than acoustic. I go through phases of interest in particular music and as you say it is great to be able to swap between the two.

[@RogerThat902]

@@MidlifeGuitar I find that I'm a little rusty going from electric to acoustic, so I pretty much force myself to switch every other day. That being said, I pretty much am a clean player so it's pretty easy to transition from one instrument to the next since I don't use anything more than reverb. I'd imagine that would be a lot harder to do if you're into metal or working on techniques that just aren't used in acoustics. Have you gotten a tube amp yet (or will you)? I think you said you have the spark and the katana.

[@bbz10]

@@RogerThat902 just asking, when you bought your first elec guitar, what was the price and what was it? I'm 15 and im quite good at acoustic, im ready to move on but idk what to "waste" my money on.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@RogerThat902 You can make your Acoustic play like an Electric just by putting thinner strings on it

[@cthncthn7405]

From acoustic to electric is brutal for me. I mostly play acoustic and am very expressive with it, which means I have learned to wrestle it to get finesse. Then when I pick up an electric searching for that same finesse I hurt its’ feelings.

[@AdityaKumar-qi5yy]

You'll get there mann. them hard calluses come in handy for sliding thru the frets on an electric

[@patricew.4010]

🤣🤣🤣🤣👀👀😭😭😭😭👀👀🤣🤣🤣

[@TXprimeFishing13]

I’m an intermediate level player on Acoustic and I just recently got an Electric Guitar and it’s a huge difference. After practicing a couple of days on my new Electric I’m really enjoying it. It’s helping me learn different ways/techniques/styles of playing songs. Palm muting is a must and adds so much character to the song on both but really stands out on the Electric and helps in controlling the sound since I’m learning to play cleaner chords. Again, I’m an intermediate level player and now a new player on Electric so if your on a budget and still want a great sounding Electric then I recommend the Squire Boxed Package by Fender. Great feel and sound for the money. Happy New Year!!!

[@Nirvana_Lovebuzz]

I’m currently in the process of learning the acoustic guitar, I was planning on just immediately playing the electric since that’s been one of my dreams, but my parents told me I should start with acoustic and then switch to electric. Let me just say, I’m so glad I listened because if I just went ahead and bought an electric I feel like I would regret it because I would have no past experience. My goal is to build up some experience on the acoustic guitar, then by the end of the year I’ll switch to electric. I’ll remember these tips when I get my electric guitar!

[@fifer3889]

Good advice on using the clean channel to get better feedback on how you're fretting, but nothing I like better at the end of practice than to crank up the distortion and bang something out so it sounds a bit better than I'm actually playing 😀 Current favourite track for that is REMs 'Let Me In'!

[@ab9957]

I teach guitar. The first thing i have new students do is tune down a half step to make the strings a bit floppier so don't have to exert as much force. Beginners should wait to take a lesson and play your instructors guitar before buying one, ...one off the rack at a music store may not be setup properly, have old strings. I had a young adult bring in his guitar complaining he wasn't making progress, to find that his strings were so high i could barely fret a chord myself.

[@WeAreBullets]

id like to get into electric more. i started with acoustic and played it for like 10 years until i tried to play electric. i managed to play some electric when i was in a little garage band and played at a few open mic nights with electric but it really is awkward for ppl used to playin acoustic so long

[@Brooklyn_Powers]

I just bought an Epiphone along with a Marshall amp because I want to get more into playing an electric, too. I've always been an acoustic player and my brother on the electric. You're right it's very awkward. It's like I'm a beginner again, which technically, I am. Good luck with your playing.

[@rachelcraig6686]

18 months of daily work on my acoustic and now the electric feels like a brand new instrument. My resistance to change is getting in the way. What felt natural and beautiful on the acoustic feels off now. I am considering lessons for the first time in my guitar process. Even the chords are different. 😢

[@brandonchen8313]

Honestly, my electric is alot easier to play acoustic. I taught myself on acoustic but fretting and bar chords are much easier for me on electric im a beginner too been playing for a year

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Agree, I find it easier too. The transition just took a little while for me.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MidlifeGuitar actually you can make your Acoustic play like an Electric there's some videos on that and they reccomend using the lightest gauge of strings

[@chadroggeman7012]

This was the only video pertaining to this subject that was actually useful. Thank you!

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Glad to hear it was helpful, thanks for watching.

[@daniel1nf]

i was very close to sell my strat / katana setup besides my road series, your video prevented it :-). i also can only recommend to experiment: i play now for 1year and what made me enjoy it way more again was a custom setup, i like a very low action and this in combination with a string change (medium->custom light) brought back the passion

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Glad you stuck with it, I love it. A setup is so important and the more we experience have under our fingers the more we learn what works for us 👍

[@sheebabiji4626]

Just like u said bro!! Its awkward that we can't armrest on electric guitar😄 Nice video bro keep it up👌👍

[@Rascalzzz]

I’ve been playing finger style for about 2 years and I’m pretty fast picking frets and ((some)) chords,do you think I’m ready to play electric?

[@Aslakkk_]

U are always «ready», the sooner u buy an electric guitar the faster u learn it

[@garysguitarworld7612]

Get a set up done on your electric. Makes a massive difference.

[@bliv2be826]

Ive been taking classical guitar classes for years, i just completed my course and i wanna move to eletric but i feel like i have 0 skills for it, i don't even know how to use a pick except for chords 😭

[@HybridTheGamer]

I've been playing acoustic mainly for 8 years I used to play electric a little bit but entirely stopped

[@tony59able]

Great advice, so glad I found your channel. Thanks very much.

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@royhajj2881]

I bought Squire and I hope the challenges are as smooth as they are interesting. I am eager to start. Thanks for the initial information. It gives a good push to start.

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Good luck!

[@georgejoseph6229]

how is it going bro

[@royhajj2881]

@@georgejoseph6229 Good to play on electric and it is easy on the fingers so far good I work on some songs simple songs , I use it most of the time in the blues, srv, freddie king ,clapton ,albert king ,BB king, hendrix licks,short licks, and keep it simple

[@joseantoniom.dalmacio9570]

I play on my acoustic like I'm playing an electric guitar lol. I use bends and such but, when I tried an electric guitar and bended the string, it was so light. I thought the whole acoustic bending being hard was just a funny joke but the strings felt so light. now I really want an electric guitar even though I have an electric bass lol

[@genekisayan6564]

I went from classical guitar (10 years of playing and I m still doing it) To electric (first one telecaster)

[@jangrunwald6881]

Thanks a lot. I was wondering about that many times. And now I have open mind. Have a nice day.JG.

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Glad to help!

[@eric_t123]

2:23 this is spot on

[@in.themeantime.]

thanks

[@NIKKY_TheWorPlayer]

I played 5 years on the acoustic guitar, you know like chords and fingerstyle alot. I NEVER used pick soo i have problems to play the right string using a pick 😅 but i think ti will be better soon

[@tatsamraipure2712]

I have been playing acoustic for years and tried a Les Paul guitar today. Damn it is a lot lot different. If only it was a Stratocaster guitar then maybe I would be able to play better but since it was a Les Paul it didn't sound good with my acoustic skills. If I ever get an electric guitar, I will make sure to get a Stratocaster guitar.

[@ryannoel8978]

20 years on acoustic now too electric it’s a weird change

[@Funkfreed]

Went to the mall today. Tried a les paul. My fingers are too cramped. I can't play any clean sound. The body is also so small. It felt awkward. I was so excited to buy but now I'm having second thoughts. Is a strat an easier transition?

[@adkent9]

When going back and forth between acoustic and electric, do you feel that different scale lengths hurt your learning, in particular where your fretting hand goes? Asking because I want a new electric guitar and wondering if I should only consider models with 24.75" scale length to match my acoustic. Thanks for the video.

[@Grid21]

It's funny I should find this video. I started on an acoustic guitar because my sisters boyfriend said I should. But the very bad part was, after moving to electric guitar, I NEVER unlearned how to NOT grip the electric guitar fret board and I am so use to putting so much pressure on an acoustic that my left hand literally can hurt a lot from playing an electric because of the sub-concous learning from an acoustic. I have NEVER figured out a way to unlearn it, and I don't even think about it when I am playing. This is a bad habit I need help dropping.

[@danluther1741]

I only half suck on Acoustic. I totally suck on an electric! Just can't seem to make the transition!

[@daveholder3050]

I'm 6 weeks into playing guitar. How far had you come along in 6 weeks my progress seems slow. I can play songbird. Dirty old town. And godfather theme tune.

[@dd7aa]

From what I see on forums etc 6 weeks in is nothing. Slow progress seems to be the norm, I think.

[@livingroompickersclub6358]

Some electric guitars are better suited for switching from acoustic to Electric.. That's what I was looking for, my search continues.

[@HaveHope141]

Great video🔥👍🏼

[@tabs9655]

Great channel. I’m like you I have hit 40 and want to learn to play. Would you say get an acoustic or a man electric to learn on? Thanks

[@KylaElliott]

Great video!

[@nishadrajmalwar1061]

Very informative, thanks for that! Your electric seems to be very expensive, can you make a video on electric guitar for beginners?

[@RogerThat902]

Actually, I think it's cheaper to buy a good electric than an acoustic IMO. You can find really good electrics used that are just fine. Acoustics are finicky creatures...you need to try them out, and some of them don't have the magic sauce. Also, amps can be a little intimidating, but if you have a computer you can use an interface to plug in and try a bunch of different amp sounds through software, many free. In fact, I'd recommend doing that before buying an amp. Certain amps are great for certain styles etc. Acoustic is definitely cheaper on the lower end, but you can spend a few hundred used on an electric and have a great you never even need to think about upgrading. Harder on acoustic. Fender owned Squires are so good now you have some professionals that play them. The cool thing about electrics too is you can mod them. Don't like one thing, a lot of them are easy to swap parts out, etc.

[@nishadrajmalwar1061]

@@RogerThat902 thanks, that was really informative. Fender squiers are quite affordable, need to try them out. Do second hand electrics have any common problems that I should be aware of before buying?

[@RogerThat902]

@@nishadrajmalwar1061 Of course everyone's idea of affordable is different, but don't be afraid to look at some used Fenders either. You can find some good deals out there. Hmm, good question, I'm actually not aware of anything obvious. Gibsons are known for their headstock breaks because they break easily. A lot of people will sell them without disclosing that the headstock is broken for example--which limits the value on resale. Fenders are bolt on necks, so you don't really have that problem. They are pretty durable. I'm a strat guy, but teles are known for their durability. So I would just say just make sure the pickups work. Look at the frets to see if there is any obvious wear where it is so deep it causes problems with the strings. Fret wear is probably the big one. I'd also say, I personally wouldn't be afraid to buy one with a chip taken out of it. I got a great deal on one because the seller damaged it moving and a chip was missing from the type of shell they use on the newer stuff. Doesn't affect the playability of the instrument one bit, but I got a great deal on it because of it. There is such a big trend in reliced guitars, that it actually can make it look better IMO. Happy hunting. Hope you buy one. I started on acoustic and had no interest in electric. I tried an electric and I was hooked. Still love acoustics, but there is something so fun with an electric!

[@nishadrajmalwar1061]

@@RogerThat902 thanks a lot. Got a totally new perspective today! 😃

[@tuomas2611]

@@nishadrajmalwar1061 I have jackson js11 dinky... its really good for 160€

[@AdityaKumar-qi5yy]

I'm more of a finger picker on acoustic haven't been very good with a pick.. so tensed abt what I'll do with an electric

[@NightOwlGames]

is it a bad idea to just go straight for a Fender strat?

[@unlimitedkejra]

Great video. Thanks a lot!

[@MidlifeGuitar]

Glad it helped.

[@1Moggi]

@@MidlifeGuitar Luke, where have you disappeared to? 😮

[@swackymusic]

I have a nylon guitar apart from the acoustic…so does an electric feel like a nylon guitar?

[@kneD-e]

I have been playing acoustic guitar for almost 2 years and I have never ever tried electric guitar I can play many bar chords perfectly or any other chords just perfectly with strumming on acoustic however I am not good at tabs, would you recommend me to buy a electric guitar to practice tabs on

[@RedSkyViews]

THANKS.whats a cheap recommendation

[@artemisg.8057]

Hi! thanks for the video! I want to buy an electric guitar since day one I started playing the acoustic guitar (about a year ago)!What do you think about squier affinity telecaster??is it a good guitar at all?

[@firbolg]

Interesting. I've played classic guitar in my teens and took about 4 years of lessons and after a 20 year hiatus, I've been re-learning to play the electric bass guitar since last year. Now I ordered a beginner electric guitar (harley benton R-456FR) and I'm curious to know how to transition.

[@lordofmemes6535]

that's a long ass hiatus but I'm glad you took the guitar again

[@firbolg]

@@lordofmemes6535 It is! And I thought my fingers were calloused by the bass but those first three strings on the guitar are a pain. But it's all worth it! I'm glad I took it too!

[@nixternal]

As you know, I started with electric for 2 reasons. 1) Justin said so, and 2) nobody could hear me fumbling around. After a couple of months and I started doing the ear training stuff in the beginner course, I really needed an acoustic because on the electric I couldn't tell the difference between a D and a D7 at all, even plugged in. Once I got the acoustic, I seriously didn't pick the electric up until recently, almost a year actually. With that, wow is it different going from acoustic to electric. Going electric to acoustic wasn't so bad. I got really good with muting strings when doing scales & improvising on the acoustic. Going back to electric I was horrible again at that, so much noise, but now I'm mixing up my practice sessions & using both the acoustic & electric. If I had to start all over, I would have gone with an acoustic. My dad got my sister & nephew the Epiphone Pro-1 which is a freakin' awesome beginner guitar out of the box. 9-47 strings, super light, sounds great & is electric guitar simple to play on. Of course if you have a higher budget get something better, but if you only have $140 to spend, that Epi Pro-1 is great, or one of the Orangewood guitars. So, if I knew I would stick with guitar 15 months ago when I started, I would have started my budget in the $400 to $500 range & got a decent acoustic. I got lucky with my Masterbilt, but I was almost going to pull the trigger on a Breedlove, which for their prices, they are some of the best sounding budget guitars I've played.

[@Revansstuntdouble]

Cough*...Seagulls are the best budget friendly guitars. Check out the S6 or Entourage. I've owned a few Seagulls now and cannot speak highly enough about them. Their upper range guitars are nice too.

[@nixternal]

@@Revansstuntdouble yeah, Seagulls were the first ones I looked at because the small shop that I use sells them, already professionally setup which is nice. They are nice, but not Breedlove nice for the money. Breedloves are freakin' impressive. I'll put their $400 concertina against any sub $1000 Martin/Taylor. I liked the head stock on the gulls, that's why I looked at them first, but I went with electric that day instead because I wanted to be cheap in case I didn't keep at it.

[@BatPoolz]

My Breedlove Pursuit Concert is nicer than most other guitars I've played sub $1,000.

[@nixternal]

@@BatPoolz definitely is, and heck I felt the same with the Discovery Concert & the Discovery Dreadnought as I was so impressed with the way they felt (professionally setup) and the way they sounded. Just gorgeous!

[@charlesbranch4120]

During Pandemic Pause 2020, I figured it was time to start learning guitar, so I started with the Taylor Academy 12 and 12e, then a blowout price appeared on a couple of Breedlove Pursuit Exotic Concert guitars (so I picked a nice grain Koa back & sides). 7 months later, wound up adding a sweet Ibanez semi-hollow electric. They're all $400-500 guitars and will last the rest of my life and beyond. Add a wood hard shell case and humidifier + hygrometer for good maintenance measure, and I think we're golden! A Taylor Guitars Primetime fan, live at 6 pm Pacific Tuesdays, nerding out on guitars for an hour+ has been great camaraderie during the past year, enjoyable & loving sidebar chat! Amp: Vox Mini3 G2 is a nice 3-watt modeling amp that sounds more like a 10-watt, and it has a "Line" setting on the amp models switch for plugging in the active electronics of an acoustic or keyboard. A used Acoustic AG15 amp that looks nice is waiting in a corner (Reverb $60 inc. shipping). I'm satisfied with this 'guitarsenal.'

[@RingsOfSolace]

This is a godsend. I'm thinking about getting an electric, I'm mostly a fingerpicker on acoustic. I'm probably gonna borrow one of my dad's or brother's electrics to practice for a while lol but this has definitely helped me with what to expect.

[@balascalaraujo]

I play the acoustic since I was 9 and today I just plugged in my new electric. I'm not sure why but the same techniques that I already mastered on the acoustic sound like shit

[@barrylyons8102]

Should I get an acoustic or electric as my first guitar

[@MidlifeGuitar]

It all comes down to what music interests you the most right now. The early stages are all about motivation so pick the one that matches with your interest.

[@barrylyons8102]

Midlife Guitar do you have any recommendations for electric guitars or a bundle under €300 because I really don’t know what im looking for.

[@akarshshekhar5233]

If you were inspired to pick up the guitar because you like rock/metal, DO NOT start with an acoustic guitar. It's very important to play what you love when you start learning an instrument. Look for guitars such as the Ibanez Gio series, Jackson Dinky series, the Fender Squier series and the Yamaha Pacifica. You can combine that with a Fender Champion amp for less than 300 Euros. Come back to acoustic and learn the acoustic specific techniques later. Start with an acoustic IF AND ONLY IF acoustic music is what inspired you to pick up a guitar. Buying a decent acoustic guitar as a beginner who wants to learn to play riffs, leads and solos, is a total waste of money.

[@KingGrio]

Didn't know Dan Castellaneta played guitar.

[@Projectdarkhalo]

Ive been play electric for a couple years and just watching this cause im just curious

[@HappyCabaPajamas]

Bruh i thought my whole ducking life acoustic was like level 1 and when you learn enough you could go to a electric guitar 💀 now im learning is that id basically be wasting my time when i could go straight to electric and learn 😭 (IM ONLY NEW TO THIS so im only saying this cus of the comments and the video)

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

Acoustic or electric, both are great, but just don't play the classical guitar -- classical guitar with its antiquated design is literally a torture device! :)