Hi please help me, its important

Welcome to the musical madhouse.

They are the same instrument, though you will vary your technique a bit on each at times. It really doesn't matter which you start out on -- your skills will transfer from one to the other. You could just as easily begin on electric (which in many ways is a bit easier to learn on) and move to acoustic later. That's up to you and your parents. I typically tell people to begin on the instrument -- acoustic or electric -- that they're most motivated to play. That motivation will go a long way to sustaining you in the frustrating moments of learning.

Whether you decide on acoustic or electric, you're about to discover a wonderful new hobby. Enjoy yourself!

thanks mate

Hi, welcome to GN.
First of all, music theory holds for all instruments. Chord and scale structures remain the same.
The real problem is whether to start out with an acoustic or an electric and the advice, that you've been receiving, seems more parental than objective.
One factor, here, is cost. Rupee for Rupee, you'll get as good an acoustic guitar as electric. However, the electric also needs an amp, which adds to the cost (so, for the total amount of the electric, you could have a better quality acoustic).
The negative side of an acoustic is that it is harder on the fingers than an electric. The action (height of the strings above the fretboard) is higher on an acoustic and, coupled with the thicker strings than are generally used on an electric, mean you need to apply more pressure to get notes to sound clearly. This can be a disappoinment for a beginner, that notes are "so hard" to get cleanly.
A well set-up electric is far easier to fret cleanly.
Another side is that I suspect that your parents are not convinced that you'll keep on playing after the initial enthusiasm has worn off and the real work begins. They may well think that an acoustic is easier to get rid of, if you do lose interest.
India is also very different to the world that most of our members know. both culturally and economically. The availability of guitars is somewhat more limited than in Europe or the USA and the prices are higher. You're surrounded by music, totally alien to Western Rock'n'Roll, that is embedded in the psyche of your parents.
If my options were totally open, I'd consider trying to please both camps by going for a semi-hollow, along the lines of an Epiphone Dot or an Ibanez AS73. You can play this sort of guitar with or without an amp, although it will have nowhere near the volume of an acoustic. It is also a style of guitar played by many famous RnR guitarists.

There are typical three types of guitars :
1 The nylon stringed classic acoustic guitar.
2 The steelstringed western type (dreadnought) acoustic.
3 The electric guitar.

The nylon stringed classic guitar has wider and shorter (12 frets) neck that gives good room for individual fingers when playing the fingerplaying style that is typical this type of guitar.
The nylon strings are fairly easy to press down and bend, but the wide neck could make chord playing i little bit difficult as it spreds out the fingers in chord.
I think that this type guitar is the most common beginners guitar.

The steelstringed "dreadnought" has a narrow and longer (14 frets) neck wich make chord playing easier. The steelstringed "dreadnought" is louder than nylon stringed guitar and has specific steelstringed sound when playing indivual strings. Its often used in acoustic rock and blues music. But the steelstrings can be very hard for a beginner to press down without buzzing. Takes a good deal of aking fingertips before you get used to play it.

The typical electric guitar has long and narrow neck and normally a very low string height wich make fast solo playing and chord playing all over fretboard easy.
And the low string height over the fretbord and thin strings you can use make them easy to play even for a beginner. But you need amplifier to use this type guitar !

Lots of good advice here.

I would suggest that you get a guitar which suits the kind of music you want to play. If you want to play classical, get a nylon string guitar; if you want to play anything else get an electric. I think you'll probably want to expand into the superb results you can get from a good accoustic guitar once you've got to grips with playing.

I don't know what the market's like in India - Rahul will be able to tell you more - but in Europe we can get guitar and amplifier packages at reasonable cost; and if you can get something like that where you are then you might find it a very good and inexpensive way of learning to play.

Let us know if you need any more information.

Best,

A :-)

i think that if you like rock music you should get an electric. it's true that it may be more money because of the amp, so that's a consideration. depending on how you play it may also be louder which may be what your parents are thinking.

i say get what YOU want. but if you wind up with an acoustic that's ok too. you'll still have a guitar to learn onand play and you can get an electric some other time.

An acoustic has the added benefit of being extremely portable I take mine pretty much everywhere with me.

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all the answers, you've helped me a lot. But If I start an acoustic first will it be easy to transfer to an electric later?
Are the playing of chords and frets the same for both types?

Another small one - Has anyone heard Blur- Woo Hoo also known as Song 2, if you have can you tell me what type of acoustic is used in the short intro?

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions. :roll: :oops:

An acoustic has the added benefit of being extremely portable I take mine pretty much everywhere with me.

If you're as lazy as I am, this makes all the difference. There's no setup time, no nothing. Just pick it up and play.
Also people mentioned that it's harder to fret the strings on an acoustic with steel strings compared to an electric. However this becomes less of a problem as you develop calluses on your fingers and your fingers gain enough strength through practice. A well set-up guitar (Acoustic or Electric) is crucial too.

oktay

You'll have no trouble moving to electric from acoustic. Sorry, but I don't know the song you mentioned.

Welcome from a guy from New Delhi.

I hope you enjoy GN's journey.Its one heck of a lifetime ride :)

Rahul

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all the answers, you've helped me a lot. But If I start an acoustic first will it be easy to transfer to an electric later?
Are the playing of chords and frets the same for both types?
I started on the acoustic and have just obtained my first electric after nine months. I can tell you now that many of the skills you learn on an acoustic will definitely transfer across.
Another small one - Has anyone heard Blur- Woo Hoo also known as Song 2, if you have can you tell me what type of acoustic is used in the short intro?
Take a look at the Three's a Crowd lesson by Paul Andrews. He has Blur's Song 2 in there. It is made up of powerchords and is played on an electric. That's not to say you can't play it on the acoustic ... God knows I tried. :P

Welcome aboard. I will throw my 2 cents as well.

Given you can afford an electric, get an electric.
I too was told that an acoustic will "prepare" me for electric. Total bollocks!

Also, as greybeard suggested, in the eyes of theory, acoustic or electric doesn't make any difference.

An "A" chord on an electric guitar is played the same on an acoustic, the A scale is played the same on both as well. Skills can be transversley applied from acoustic to electric. The only difference is that an electric can get very much louder because it can be plugged into an amp.

Also, like people said, playing on acoustic as a beginner can really hurt your fingers. I began on an electric and that even hurt. It's up to you, but an electric is really fun. But an acoustic is too. Once you get drawn into the music I think you will find respect for both electric and acoustic.