Guitar Lessons Nottingham

Guitar picks come in all shapes, sizes, brands and colours. The choice of picks is vast and this can be overwhelming for anyone new to learning the guitar.

So which one should you choose?

For general all round use a pick at .50mm would be a good place to start because the guitar pick is not too stiff but also not too flimsy.

As for shapes and sizes generally go for a normal looking pick as anything else might be difficult to use and may promote bad posture.

Try a few different “gauge” picks out between .50mm and .70mm (approx).

Test the pick out and have a touch to make sure it feels comfortable to hold. Some picks have a matt finish and these are generally better than the highly glossed picks as they tend to grip well. Better still if the pick has a grip embossed into it this would be the best choice to avoid losing the pick during guitar practice.

Choosing your first guitar can be a daunting experience. With the immense amount of information on the internet giving conflicting information – where should you start?

This is the precise reason for this tutorial and further tutorials to come. As a guitar teacher I come across this question frequently.

Choosing your Guitar

Acoustic or electric guitar? This is not an easy choice to make so I will sum up the advantages each has to offer to help you choose your beginners guitar.

Acoustic Guitar

• No leads or amplifiers required – just the guitar
• Usually cheaper than an electric guitar. A decent one with an amplifier is approximately double the price of the acoustic guitar
• A lot of beginner guitar lessons are based around the acoustic guitar
• Lighter than the electric guitar
• Bigger distance between the strings which is useful for large handed people when learning the guitar
• The sound is unmatched due to its build and acoustic properties
• No need to spend extra on equipment – unlike the electric guitar which requires an amplifier and lead not to mention guitar pedals
• Generally less things to go wrong mechanically

Electric Guitar

• Easier to play for several reasons (1) the strings are generally lighter (2) the strings are usually closer to the fretboard of the guitar (3) the body is thinner (4) the neck of the guitar is usually thinner and strings closer together (less of a stretch and allows a better grip)
• The amplifier can be quite powerful so the player does not need to press down quite as hard
• Access to higher frets usually due to the way the body is cut away from the neck
• Certain equipment can emulate an acoustic guitar using an electric guitar but not vice versa
• Despite being heavier electric guitars are easier to carry because they are not as bulky
• More choice of sound with the vast array of effects on modern amplifiers and guitar pedals
• Headphones can be plugged into some amplifiers for midnight practice sessions!

Conclusion

Electric guitars are considerably easier to play than acoustics and it is often a misconception that the acoustic guitar is the guitar designed for beginners and the electric guitar is one to upgrade to. In most cases it would be wise to start on the electric guitar for the beginning and then get an acoustic when you have covered the basics.

In my experience as a guitar teacher, adults with large hands tend to excel quicker on the acoustic guitar due to the larger scale of the neck.

Be careful as a lot of sales assistants may be more interested in the commission than helping you choose the right guitar. It is best to bring along an experienced guitarist or ask your guitar teacher for a recommendation.

Happy purchasing!