Acoustic guitars are the most accessible way to learn to play the guitar, since they require no external equipment to be used. While the electric guitar does not produce a loud enough sound by itself, with the acoustic guitar you can do your own party without any cables.
Differences Between Acoustic and Electric Guitars
The main difference between playing electric and acoustic guitars, however, is not just in the use of cables. There is definitely a particular way of playing chords and notes in an acoustic guitar that is different from how you play the standard electric guitar.
One example of this happens in the classic guitar. Classic guitars are instruments that have been carefully designed to play more traditional and classic sounding music styles. The repertoire of classical consisted mainly of classical composers such as Bach and Handel, but it has expanded greatly in the last century.
Acoustic Guitar Strings
In the beginning, classical guitars had strings made from animal intestines. They were fragile and had a delicate sound that could be used for the songs of that era. Modern classical guitars can also have a delicate sound, but the strings are made from plastic materials, such as nylon, or steel-based composites. This makes it possible to imitate the original sound while using stronger materials that will last longer.
The result is an instrument that has some differences in playing technique. Classic guitar players take advantage of these differences to create a more distinctive sound, that also may be more complicated to play than what we are used with electric guitars.
Modern Acoustic Guitars
The classical guitar is still very important, but other styles of acoustic guitars have been created in the last decades. Modern styles like rock’n roll and blues have required acoustic guitars with brighter and louder sound. So, nowadays we have acoustic guitars with steel strings, with loud sounds that can be used in folk music.
These more recent acoustic guitars still have the advantages of the classical guitar, but can also be used for a distinctive sound. Several guitar makers have specialized in creating models for folk guitars in this style.
Learning the Acoustic Guitar
Despite the differences, learning to play the acoustic guitar is a very rewarding process. First, you don’t need to worry about the complications of the electrical equipment. No need for amplifiers or recording software, since the sound is directly generated.
I usually recommend guitar players to start with an acoustic guitar if possible. When they learn the basics, it is usually easy to transfer that knowledge to the electric guitar and have fun with their acoustic sound.