Practicing on both Acoustic and Electric

Dear All, [br][br]I am a relatively new guitar player and I am currently working my way through the gutar fundamentals series and I am currently on guitar fundamentals 2. I feel that I am making good progress and I am really enjoying playing. However, I started out on acoustic guitar and have been extremely comfortable with the acoustic. I was recently gifted a squier affinity stratocaster with an amplifier and I have been practicing playing on that too. I found the jump to electric guitar quite strange due to the lighter string gauge etc and also it just feels very different. I just wanted to ask is it acceptable for me to practise on both acoustic and electric or should I just stick to one? Would practising on both hinder my playing in any way or is it a good thing to do? Apologies if this eems like a silly question. [br][br]If anyone could let me know what they thinK i would be very grateful. [br][br]Thanks

Tim

Originally Posted by: Sleepers Hill

I was recently gifted a squier affinity stratocaster with an amplifier and I have been practicing playing on that too.[/quote][p]Congrats on the new guitar! :)[br][quote=Sleepers Hill]I just wanted to ask is it acceptable for me to practise on both acoustic and electric or should I just stick to one? Would practising on both hinder my playing in any way or is it a good thing to do?

It's not going to harm or hinder your learning or playing skills. It can make a difference in the context of your goals. If you intend to play any music using an electric, then you should eventually start getting used to it. It's a different physical skill set & playing through an amp does require a different approach.

If you intend to mostly play acoustic, then it could be considered wasting time to work on electric. But any time you spend playing any guitar is going to help build your overall skill set.

My advice is to make time for both! :) The more you learn, the more options for music making you have available.

Hope that helps.

Dear Christopher, [br][br]Thanks for the swift reply. [br][br]That is extremely helpful, thank you! I will definitely make time for both. I also had one more question regarding my picking hand which in my case is my right hand. Ive found that when I am picking usually on an acoustic guitar I tend to rest the ball of my palm on the bridge of the guitar, but sometimes for faster picking my hand moves off from the bridge and my 'pinky' and 'ring' finger tend to anchor on the body of the guitar whilst I pick is this okay to do? Or should there be one set way to hold your picking hand? Or is it acceptable for the hand to move around as you play? I have particularly noticed that I tend to anchor more with my fingers when using my electric guitar and I anchor especially on both acoustic and electric when 'alternate picking'.[br][br]Thanks

Tim

You're welcome for the reply!

Originally Posted by: Sleepers Hill

Ive found that when I am picking usually on an acoustic guitar I tend to rest the ball of my palm on the bridge of the guitar, but sometimes for faster picking my hand moves off from the bridge and my 'pinky' and 'ring' finger tend to anchor on the body of the guitar whilst I pick is this okay to do?

That's fine. There are slight to vast differences in how every individual works out the physical techique of playing. Most of this comes down to experimentation, trial & error, refinement as you practice. You have to find what works for your hands, on your instruments, doing the musical things that you desire doing.

Because there are several different ways to anchor your hand & fingers, the guiding principle is to work toward using technique that helps you achieve the playing you want. Work toward making your physical motions as smooth, natural & efficient as possible. Look for motions & poistions that hinder your ability to play & remove or avoid them.

Notice that in some fingerpicking or classical technique it's just not realistic (or even possible!) to rest your palm on the bridge or fingers on the pickguard.

So, you might find a certain piece of music, song, lick that requires you you to re-learn or adjust what is normally comfortable. And that's okay, too. :) It's just another challenge in the ongoing process of learning guitar!

I encourage beginners to just try to make music anyway they can get it to happen. After a student builds basic technique, then it's time to refine & start working toward efficient motion. Once they get to intermediate levels it becomes more important to zero in on what really works for that specific individual. And then it becomes a process of playing as much music with your acquired skill set as possible, learning to adjust for exceptions.

Or sometimes learning whole new techniques for different genres!

Hope that helps!

Dear Christopher, [br][br]Thanks for the reply. That is really helpful, I am pleased to hear that how one plays can be so fluid. I will continue to hone my skills and will play in a way that is comfortable for me. Thanks for all the great advice, it is greatly appreciated. [br][br]Thanks Tim [br][br]

Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegel

You're welcome for the reply!

Originally Posted by: Sleepers Hill

Ive found that when I am picking usually on an acoustic guitar I tend to rest the ball of my palm on the bridge of the guitar, but sometimes for faster picking my hand moves off from the bridge and my 'pinky' and 'ring' finger tend to anchor on the body of the guitar whilst I pick is this okay to do?

That's fine. There are slight to vast differences in how every individual works out the physical techique of playing. Most of this comes down to experimentation, trial & error, refinement as you practice. You have to find what works for your hands, on your instruments, doing the musical things that you desire doing.

Because there are several different ways to anchor your hand & fingers, the guiding principle is to work toward using technique that helps you achieve the playing you want. Work toward making your physical motions as smooth, natural & efficient as possible. Look for motions & poistions that hinder your ability to play & remove or avoid them.

Notice that in some fingerpicking or classical technique it's just not realistic (or even possible!) to rest your palm on the bridge or fingers on the pickguard.

So, you might find a certain piece of music, song, lick that requires you you to re-learn or adjust what is normally comfortable. And that's okay, too. :) It's just another challenge in the ongoing process of learning guitar!

I encourage beginners to just try to make music anyway they can get it to happen. After a student builds basic technique, then it's time to refine & start working toward efficient motion. Once they get to intermediate levels it becomes more important to zero in on what really works for that specific individual. And then it becomes a process of playing as much music with your acquired skill set as possible, learning to adjust for exceptions.

Or sometimes learning whole new techniques for different genres!

Hope that helps!

I'm just starting out too and these are some great tips -- thanks, ChristopherSchlegel

Originally Posted by: jimcroisannt

I'm just starting out too and these are some great tips -- thanks, ChristopherSchlegel

You're welcome! Best of success with your guitar!

"Cleanmaster"

Dude, why are you posting a hyperlink? Especially with the name "cleanmaster".

tsuhanov.a23 is a signature spambot William MG.

Note the join date, number of posts (= 1), it's nonsensical irrelevance and characteristic (new) "Registered User" status.

I found that playing an acoustic and an electric are two different things. And if you then compare a Fender with a vintage 7.25 fretboard radius with a Jackson's 16" radius, you open a can of worms.

Personally, I think getting used to playing acoustic and electric is beneficial.

Originally Posted by: manXcat

tsuhanov.a23 is a signature spambot William MG.

Note the join date, number of posts (= 1), it's nonsensical irrelevance and characteristic (new) "Registered User" status.

'Tis true. GT Admin will remove such but I find they have to be tipped off to the spam presence most of the time. Once that happens, they are very quick to get rid of the crap and ban the new 'member.'

On top of the 'first post', another characteristic I've noted is the frequent posting of the garbage to old, sometimes very old, threads. Still, a spammer will sometimes start his/her own thread with their garbage. One like that was deleted just yesterday.

In the past year I believe GT implemented steps to prevent the junk. It's very much reduced but I see one or two slip through most weeks. In any case, it doesn't take much effort to email Guitar Tricks Admin and ask them to take down the miscreants' posts. I've tipped off dozens (hundreds if you count the massive Vietnamese-language dump some months ago) but I missed the one above. Everybody should join the fun!

My thought is thorough and fast deletion of the spam will deter future attempts. "Put trash in it's place."

john

Originally Posted by: Sleepers Hill

...

However, I started out on acoustic guitar and have been extremely comfortable with the acoustic.

...

Tim

Tim, this certainly won't help you and I'm not even sure how relevant it is. If it is, it is in an opposite way.

I decided to pick up guitar thanks to Santana. And if there was anytime that I listened to anything other than Santana music it was Clapton or SRV.

So when I started to try and learn it was, of course, with an electric. And. predictably, when my GAS set in it was all electric. And it was all the usual suspects. Strat, Les Paul, 335, etc. And I did say Santana so there are a couple nice PRS's in the stable. But no acoustics.

Before I found Guitar Tricks I was studying with a course and one of the sessions in that course was on Fingerstyle. I have no interest in Fingerstyle but was trying be diligent working the course, and reasoned that this would be part of a solid foundation so purchased an acoustic to complete that session. I didn't get a nice Martin or Tayor but a relatively nice Seagull and I did finish that session. I then put the Seagull in its case and it hasn't been opened since. Until now.

I meet with a couple friends every Wednesday night and we jam. One of the songs we played a month or so ago was Wild Horses by the Stones. I was working the course here with Mike Olekshy and for some reason thought about how it would sound with an acoustic. Out it came. And for the last couple months all I have wanted to pick up has been my acoustic. It is really wierd! One of my PRS guitars has always been what I reach for first.

A few days ago I went in my local guitar store and was looking at Martin guitars. I am really close on a 000 Standard. Of course there can be nothing wrong with having a nice acoustic in my guitar stand. But sheez, I just don't understand the sudden passion for acoustic.

I'm still largely listening to electric blues. My wife and I go to our local blues society blues concerts. But I just really like picking up the acoustic.

Just wierd!

Years ago, I decided I didn't want to be known as a blues player, rock player, country player, etc., I wanted to be known as a guitarist. I play all types of guitars and genres. It all depends on your goals. When you're just starting to learn guitar, a good instructor is going to start with the basics, how to hold the pick, where to place your palm while picking and strumming, and so forth. There are no set rules on where to place your palm while strumming, there  is no wrong or right way, as you become more comfortable you'll find what works for you.

I love SRV and Clapton as well. They are both known for their electric strat, but both are also excellent acoustic players. Check out Stevie Ray on MTV unplugged.