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acoustic to electric


iiholly
hmm
Joined: 07/29/02
Posts: 2,368
iiholly
hmm
Joined: 07/29/02
Posts: 2,368
08/30/2003 11:37 pm
I've been playing acoustic for basically 2 years now, and I just recently started playing electric. I need help on what a beginner persay in electric should start learning (songs, styles, ect). I don't know if you have any input I'd appreciate it.

# 1
TheElectricSnep
Registered User
Joined: 03/06/02
Posts: 317
TheElectricSnep
Registered User
Joined: 03/06/02
Posts: 317
08/31/2003 9:41 am
I started in a similar way. When I made the jump to electric from acoustic I started by practicing the chords I knew without and distortion and doing scales to get the feel of the different neck, strings and tighter picking-space.

It really depends where you want to go, if you're going to play with distortion and effects then be vigilant about how you contoll them right from the starts or your playing will sound messy and undisciplined. Think about palm-muting with your pick-hand and be careful about not knocking strings you don't want sound as this will swamp the chords/notes and sound out of key.


'There's no such thing as bad weather, there's only the wrong clothes...'
# 2
Dr_simon
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 07/06/02
Posts: 5,021
Dr_simon
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 07/06/02
Posts: 5,021
08/31/2003 1:00 pm
I think one of the biggest advantages to playing electrics is that they allow you to wander up the neck without hurting your arms too much.

This allows for:

1) Different chord voicing and leaving strings open to act as drones. Example: try playing an "A" shaped bar chords at the 7th fret (where you are actually playing the chord E) and whilst doing this try leaving the e sting open.

2) Experiment with things like inverted chords.

3) Playing pentatonic scales and blues scales. These will offer a quantum leap in your playing. The can be found all over this site and they are very cool !

You can also experiment with tone i.e. reverb and delay, different woods or pickups, amps (or emulators), different types of distortion, the list goes on and on !

Best of luck

My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 3
Lordathestrings
Gear Guru
Joined: 01/18/01
Posts: 6,242
Lordathestrings
Gear Guru
Joined: 01/18/01
Posts: 6,242
08/31/2003 4:29 pm
I think the biggest difference is in the 'touch' of the instrument. You can play anything on your electric that you used to play on your acoustic, but it must be played differently.

Unless your electric guitar has unusually heavy strings on it, you need much less pressure to fret the strings, and your picking action must be almost delicate compared to playing an acoustic.

The reward comes in the form of the expressiveness that results from the subtle response to variations in pick attack, and the lovely sustained tremolo you can achieve with your fretting hand. Enjoy! :)
Lordathestrings
Guitar Tricks Moderator

www.GuitarTricks.com - Home of Online Guitar Lessons
# 4

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