i dont want to ask a silly question but...

As long as you don't get some stress injury (like tendinitis) from the workout, I don't see a problem with switching between acoustic and electric.

yeah, just watch for over stress or sharp pain...otherwise there is no thing wrong with this.
kind of like a baseball player swinging a weighted bat for warm up. then taking the weight off for the real play.
only one thing could be a problem. the force you use on the high action acoustic could transfer into over bending and over pressure on the electric. so watch that.

So long as you spend a little more time warming up you should be fine.

A :-)

I can honestly say I don't notice a huge difference switching between acoustic and electric - just a little higher action on the acoustic is all. But my main guitars - acoustic and electric - both have a pretty low action anyway, and I put D'Addario 9's on them both.

The only time I DO notice the difference is when I haven't touched the acoustic for a while - then it doesn't feel quite as comfortable in my hands. Vice versa, when I haven't played the electric for a couple of days or so, it seems WAY easier and smoother than the acoustic.

So - I try and spend equal time on both, then I don't get too used to playing one or the other. And - even though I've got another electric and another acoustic, both tuned to open G, I still tend to play slide on the main guitars - because the actions are lower than the open-tuned guitars (both of which, again, are strung with D'Addario 9's) I tend to be more careful with the slide, which is good practise anyway.

:D :D :D

Vic

I don't know that practicing so heavily on your acoustic will actually help you in the long run. It brings to mind the image of a body builder going to crack an egg and obliterating it against the side of the frying pan.

I'm another one who loves to play both acoustic [mostly] and electric and I see them as similar, but distinctly different instruments. The attack is different, the range of timbres is different, certain elements of tone production are different, and, most obviously, the effort required to execute passages is different. How different partially depends on string gauge, action, guitar models, and the such.

Now I know most of the above paragraph falls into the "Well duh!" category but let me try to use it to make a couple of solid points:

1) If your goal is to be an accomplished electric guitarist then play electric guitar. There is no reason to do more than tinker on acoustic unless you see acoustic as a mainstay of your musical expression and performance. Even then, bring your action down fairly low and use lighter strings [except maybe the high E because of tone issues].

2) If you practice on a difficult-to-play acoustic and then go out gigging with your electric you are likely to find yourself using excessive pressure when fretting the strings. You may also find that your bending technique suffers in accuracy. I had a period of working out the solo to "Highway Star" [which contains copious bends] and I found that, in readjusting between playing it on acoustic from electric or acoustic from electric, my bends were always off.

3) Tone production is different between a nylon string acoustic and a Les Paul. VERY DIFFERENT. What you practice and make sound amazing on your acoustic may not transfer as well as you thought it would.

I love playing both types of guitars but I learned a long time ago that I would have to set my acoustics up more like electrics and use heavier strings on my electrics [which is cool because I like to play jazz anyway] to make the transition both of sound and technique work for me. That said, I'm an acoustic player and it shows. That's the sound I love the most so I tend to stay with my Taylor unless it's goof-off shredder time at the oasis.

Hope that helps. Happy holidays.

Regards,

Dylan Schwartz [Guitar Teacher in Chicago]

blog.stillstrings.com
http://www.stillstrings.com
http://www.myspace.com/buddhajones

This is almost always a YMMV situation. Once a player is reasonably competent on one guitar, I view practicing on a variety of guitars as a way to increase ones versatility, as well as expand stylistically. A particular type of guitar does not demand to be played in a certain way, but usually will push one in certain directions. And that "push" will often get a player to try what (s)he never would have considered. Taking a person outside of the comfort zone is an excellent way to grow in skills. That's a basic principle in teaching that often is overlooked. We tend to focus on the practice-until-proficient part. But at the same time one is becoming proficient at one skill, new skills are introduced to continue progress. Otherwise, one hits that dreaded plateau. One of the main functions of a teacher is to keep moving the student past the point of comfort by presenting new challenges. Learning to play different types and variations of guitars can offer similar developmental impetus.

Flip side: You may want to try cross over techniques from one type of guitar and/or genre (somewhat linked to guitar type) to another. Every once in a while, this produces interesting and usable results. (And if you happen to get really good and known for thrash metal on a nylon classical, think of all the young thrashers you will send to music stores to buy that gottahavit first classical. :wink: )

It can be argued either way : Practicing on an acoustic simply because it requires more strength and endurance may or may not directly help ones electric technique. I will go pro for the reasons above, and also because it will teach the player to operate over a wider range of touch.

Setting up all of ones guitars to play the same may limits the player in another sense. How many times will a player be asked to play something on another player's different or "foreign" feeling guitar? Do you really want to be the guy who stumbles through something while saying "This isn't set up the way I play it." * Most people will want to hear you play - they don't care about the guitar. An excuse isn't playing.

* Only lefties given a righty guitar (and other way 'round) and one armed players should use this excuse.but then again, think of the opportunity to try some crazy sxxx ....

Hmmm... don't know what I can add to this one, except that I started on electric, then switched to acoustic exclusively for quite a few years, then went back to electric. But I was kinda different, I always played an acoustic like an electric, Blues style especially, lots of string bending. I will say this, if you learn to bend on an acoustic, when you go to electric the strings will feel like rubber bands. So it is a way of increasing strength.

By the way, I want to say Welcome to Dylan, that was an excellent post you made. I also would set my acoustic up like an electric, very low action....

Greg, I kinda disagree with you about learning to play on a guitar set up differently. I have had to use another player's guitar on occasion, and there have been times when I've loaned my guitar to others. I don't know of anybody who likes playing with another player's setup. I went to see a co-worker's band awhile back and he invited me to come up and play a song with the band. He loaned me his beautiful PRS. I like my action low, but his action was super low. Plus his strap was longer than I am used to, the guitar was down below my waist. I got through the song OK, but I was having trouble finding the strings. I really don't like playing someone else's guitar even if it is set up perfectly. If I would have had a chance to play three or four songs I might have got accustomed to it, but I really didn't want to play another song with his setup. I don't think it reflects on your ability whatsoever if you have trouble with another player's setup. Playing guitar involves feel, and it is difficult to play on an instrument set up very differently from what you are used to.

Yep -- we disagree.

well thanks for all the interesting input guys.

i have to say that i do notice a significant increase in finger strength after nearly 3 straight weeks on my acoustic, especially with pull offs using my pinky on the thick e string - (i broke this finger in a karate competition years ago and always had trouble with it since).

However, we have our first band practice for a while tomorrow so i broke out my electric again today full off optimism about my new left hand, but i was awfull. after only finger picking for 3 weeks my plectrum use and syncronisity with my left hand was terrible. i always thought guitar was about the left hand and the plectrum took care of itself - boy was i wrong.

think i will continue to practice daily on my acoustic for a few months yet, but i will never leave my electric alone for so long again. :D

At the very worste this experiment has shown me a way to increase finger strenth, and at the best it has given me a real interest in finger picking chord melody i never had.

I am working on a version of Mr brightside which will debut on Hear here as soon as i can find a camera to film it on :lol:

thanks again for the help. Al

I don't know about the acoustic helping electric and vice versa although it sounds logical it may not be reality.

gnease I do find your logic a bit flawed that if somehow using someone's else guitar that has not been setup the way you like it somehow makes you grow as a musician..(I may be paraphrasing incorrectly)

But that's like saying why don't you try running with shoes two sizes to big/small it'll make you a better runner, or play with golf clubs that aren't fitted properly for you, you'll really be able to hit the ball farther when you get some "real" clubs in your hands.

To me I'd be more apt to beleive that using someone else's guitar that isn't set up the way you ike it will do more damage than good. You will start making adjustments in your technique to be able to play the thing and these changes made be of the negative variety.

It sounds logical that if you could play a guitar that isn't setup the way you like then you can play any guitar and that may or may not be true but how that is going to make you better in the long run I think is something that couldn't be proven.

personally I beleive the best way to improve is to use the best equipment you can and concentrate on that a nd that alone. ie if you want to be a good electric guitar player play an electric guitar if you want to be a good acoustic player then play an acoustic. Painting houses doesn't make you a better portrait painter now matter how big the brushes are!