Is it easier for kids to start with an electric or acoustic guitar?
If your child is interested in playing the guitar, you may wonder which is better: electric or acoustic guitar? That’s a great question! The answer is this: “Well, it depends.” That’s because both acoustic and electric guitars have pros and cons. Let’s get started with the electric guitar.
Get your child started learning to play the electric guitar.
Electric or acoustic guitar: pros for electric guitar
Is it any wonder many kids find themselves drawn to the electric guitar? After all, the electric guitar captures synonymous with rock music. That makes the electric guitar the choice for kids who want to rock! Here’s a list of some of the other great benefits of learning the electric guitar:
- Easy-to-play: The action on electric guitars is generally lower, which makes the electric guitar easier to play.
- Loads of cool effects: From flanger to the chorus, overdrive to delay, the electric guitar can handle many cool effects, which is one of the reasons it’s so versatile.
- Great for rock, blues, metal, and everything else: The electric guitar can reach high volumes, which means it cuts through the band, making it a perfect instrument for rock, blues, metal, and everything else.
- The cool factor: Does it get any cooler than the electric guitar? I don’t think so, but I am the Rock Dojo founder, so I may be slightly biased.
- Played by legendary players like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Eddie Van Halen: Those are just a few legendary artists who used the electric guitar as their tool for rocking out!
Electric or acoustic guitar: cons of electric guitar
While the electric guitar is incredible, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any drawbacks. Here are some of the cons of learning electric guitar for kids:
- Requires amps, cable, and power supply: While this may sound obvious, you might be surprised by the number of parents who forget to purchase amps, cables, and power supplies for their children.
- Some amps are too heavy for kids to carry: While some fantastic portable amps are out there, some may be too heavy for small children to lug around.
- More gear costs more money: This is simple math. More equipment equals more money. A great amp may cost just as much as a great kids’ guitar.
Electric or acoustic guitar: pros of learning on an acoustic guitar for kids
The acoustic guitar is synonymous with the singer-songwriter. That makes the acoustic guitar an excellent choice for children who want to sing and strum the guitar. Below, you’ll find some other great benefits of learning an acoustic guitar for kids:
- Portability: The acoustic guitar is the ultimate portable instrument, so it’s popular around the campfire.
- No Extra gear: All you need is a guitar, a pick, or your fingers, and you are ready to make sweet music.
- Versatile: The acoustic guitar is typical in all music types, from rock to jazz, folk to pop.
- Along with the piano, the acoustic guitar is the most popular musical instrument on the planet: The acoustic guitar is the second most popular instrument, preceded only by the piano. For that reason, your child will always have a tribe of musicians to connect with throughout their musical lives if they choose the acoustic guitar.
- Legendary players include Tommy Emmanuel, Robert Johnson, and Jimmy Page: These are just a few legendary musicians who have used the acoustic guitar as their music-making tool.
Get your child started playing the acoustic guitar!
The cons of learning acoustic guitar for kids
- Tougher on fingers: If you choose a steel-string acoustic guitar, the acoustic guitar is harder on tiny fingers. Therefore, I recommend opting for a nylon-string acoustic guitar to get started.
- Harder to play: Because the action is higher on acoustic guitars, they are more challenging for beginners to play than the electric guitar.
- Not suitable for rock guitar solos: While Eric Clapton may have shredded some great solos on his unplugged album, the acoustic guitar has much higher action. Therefore, bending strings, executing string vibrato, and other excellent lead guitar techniques are more difficult.
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Brian “The Guitar Sensei” Parham
Brian Parham co-founded and created the Rock Dojo, an award-winning guitar program for kids. He’s also the author of three guitar method books for kids, the 2021 Steve Vai Scholarship Winner for Academic Excellence at Berklee College of Music, the 2018 Teacher of the Year by Lessons.com, and the 2018 Rising Star of Oregon, the U.S. Small Business Administration. When he’s not rocking the guitar, Brian enjoys reading comic books, binge-watching Cobra Kai, and spending time with his wife.
