Growing up on a farm, I used to play my acoustic in an empty grain bin. There’s a truly stunning reverb inside a giant metal cylinder. If you ever get the chance, that’s the spot. ✌️😌🎸
There`s a Civil War memorial thing in Vicksburg, Ms, and there was SO much echo inside the thing that I was afraid it might crack like a wine glass, but it would be awesome to play a campfire show near enough to it to add some of that sound in the background...especially back in my substance use days. Spooky place though because it was a horrific battlefield. All those wasted lives over lies and now few even know what the reality was about that pointless nightmare. But the same situation continues today...poor people caught in the middle of rich men`s bank accounts.
This is me, once I changed from electric to acoustic and sold my amps, pedals and electric guitar I got so much better at music, songwriting and stuff. Stopped geeking out about tones and pedals and started developing an understanding of the instrument.
The MTV unplugged treatments of my fave electric songs was a huge change for me (in particular, Nirvana). And being able play entire songs with just one instrument helped my playing enormously because it made me want to practice. Plus with an acoustic there is NOWHERE to hide your crappy technique. It reveals all.
From my teens, till around 35, i had very bad depression. I spent damn near every moment not working or sleeping, in the woods playing my 12 string. Little did i know, how much better it would make me on electric 6 string later. I experimented constantly with different picks, and finger picking, i got to the point all the things i "wished" i could do on guitar, i actually could do. I still play it because i love the sound of an acoustic 12, but when i got my depression under control, and got my life together, i got the electrics and amps and goodies that go with it, i found that i could rip the shit out of the fretboard on a nice guitar. When i play 12 now, i use the absolutely thinnest paper thin pick, and can strum or pick really hard like i would on an electric, but the thin pick lets it still sound gentle. It really works. Love the channel, bro👍
Your point on pick thickness is useful, I think. When playing a quick and fairly aggressive rhythm pattern with a thick one on acoustic, I find the pick gradually works it's way out sideways from between my thumb and forefinger. Not so great live when you're the only guitar. I settled for a .60. It stays with me.
I learned on an old yamaha 12 string with flat frets some how it still played pretty decent but I had the same experience when I finally got a good six string it was almost too easy to play
Quote from Al DiMeola: “Playing acoustic separates the men from the boys,”…”You can’t get away with a lot. With electric, there’s the volume and you can get away with being sloppy.” I agree with DiMeola 100%. Also, I feel that if a guitarist can’t play a song on an acoustic with a simple melody, accompaniment and bass line, then they are missing a big part of the experience, which I think is sad. There is a HUGE difference between being just a guitarist and a musician. Every good guitarist should be able to accompany someone singing and play some kind of organized harmony and melody acoustically and not just leads and root/5th power chords. It will bring you so much more fulfillment and joy in the journey. I know it did for me. Pay your dues on acoustic and it will make your electric playing all that much better. Great for your chops as well because of the higher action. Pretty sure other metal players like Yngwie, Zakk Wylde, Nuno, etc. would agree. Just my $0.02.
As a life long metalhead and bass player I dove into acoustic when covid hit and my business was wrecked. It is by far my favorite instrument to play. Entirely organic, the emotion conveyed is pure. Up there with a piano for natural beauty.
I first picked up acoustic when I went away to college and realized I couldn't have my full electric rigs in my room. what an awesome discovery that was for my playing.
I felt that way for years, I played acoustic for so long that my style and technique just didn't translate to electric. That's changed, but jamming with friends on acoustic will always be fun as hell.
@@SamBrockmann I can’t even find a tone that doesn’t sound horrible. I am used to full chords strong strumming. Nothing ever sounds musical or pleasing for me on electric. It’s all so unfamiliar.
I played for a year on acoustic before getting my first electric. A few keys... Starting on acoustic CAN result in your left-hand technique being more heavy-handed than desired on an electric, which can slow down your speed or cause intonation problems. Higher string tension may also make picking techniques more heavy handed than needed / desiredd on electric, requiring some un-learning / re-learning. The combination of differences in string tension and sustain make acoustic and electric almost completely distinct instruments in how you approach them. The NOTES are in the same places but acoustic is a more percussive, rythmic instrument while electric is more general purpose. The thing I like most about acoustic oriented material is it cuts through to the essence of the song and the performer. If a song passes the kitchen table test -- if you can play it on acoustic at the kitchen table with no amps/effects and just your vocal to accompany it and hold your own interest or that of a listener -- you have a good song and you are on your way to being a performer.
I like playing acoustic because it reminds me to work on techniques that i forget to work on when im playing my electrics. And when you work on these techniques then carry them over to the electrics it really opens your tool box in awsome ways that you don't expect. Also there is a certain no nonsense back to basics thing. When you keep your basics sharp, your more advanced side will sound more confident and experienced!
Acoutic guitars have a beautiful sound whether nylon or steel. I have a Martin DM. It always seems to get better. When I play it in the bathroom or corridor outside of my flat the acoustics are so great, the deep qualities of the acoustics are amplified and resonant, in these places I'm immersed in the sound.
My father left me his Gibson Southern Jumbo. It was made back in 1944. When I was a kid. I remember how huge it was when I held it. It still sounds beautiful. He always brought that guitar camping. He took that guitar down the Colorado River on a raft trip thru Grand Canyon. It's dad's "campfire guitar" and it still gets played everyday. The finish is heavily checked. The neck has no finish at all. It needs a refret ( I won't do) and the brazilian rosewood fingerboard has heavy wear. The spruce top is cracked the rosewood sides too...the pick guard is lifting and one brace is loose inside...So much of my dad's mojo is there. I will never change a thing on it.
I've always loved my acoustic. Neil Young, Eagles etc. But I get away from it from time to time. I find myself playing acoustic songs on my electric!!! Just a funny thing. You're the best Robert, keep up the great work!!👍🎸
My go to is my mid 80s Japanese Aria acoustic dreadnought. The bridge lifted 15 years ago, so I glued it back on & bought a brace to keep pressure off the bridge. Changed / brightened the tone immensely. I use d'addario super light phosphor bronze strings to boost brightness. Rings out like a bell. ❤
I have been playing guitar since I was 13 and am now 68. I started with electric but changed to acoustic as I had to travel a lot for my work as a seagoing engineer. I soon realized that bashing chords out on an acoustic guitar was OK, but I wanted to be able to play the tune as well as the chords - that is very difficult to do with a plectrum - so I binned the pick and learned to fingerpick - from simple arpeggio rolls to full on travis picking and THAT made the biggest difference. I see so many players with acoustics and plectrums and they all do the same D chord strum, add the C pedal, change to G chord , back to D - if they are adventurous, they drop the low E to D. I am now retired and in a gigging covers band - I play my Strat the same way I play my acoustic - with fingers and thumb. The nails on the first three fingers are acrylic (the wife's nail tech does them - 10 eur for 3 ) and that gives me three plectrums and the ability to add bass notes and hit chords while I am soloing - it really is a different way of playing. I keep a pick jammed under the pick guard and use it only for pick scrapes and danga-danga Status Quo chug beats. Watch how some of the great fingerpickers like Tommy Emmanuel, Doyle Dykes and Mark Knopfler play. Bin the pick - give it a try - you might find a new sound.
I was the total opposite where I immediately clicked with acoustic guitar and loooved it, but felt overwhelmed and intimidated by all of the different gear that goes with electric guitars! But, I definitely understand the excitement you had with being able to quickly access so many different tones and sounds!
What made me fall in love with acoustics was finding the right body style. For years whenever I picked up a mate's acoustic or at a store it was the standard dreadnought size which I personally always found clunky. It wasn't until I tried a 000 and a parlor that acoustics felt so comfortable, inviting and fun to play. Nowadays I pretty much only play my acoustic.
Because of the heavier strings it is super important to get a great set up on an acoustic. Because it takes special tools its best to have an expert do it.
I learned on acoustic and didn’t have an electric for the first 8-9 years. I love electric and finding new tones and the overall playability but there is a sense of “going home” when I play my acoustic. I don’t pick up my electrics to de-stress, I pick up my acoustic. I think it’s a sentimental thing but I also love the simplicity and rawness of wood and strings with no electricity
I learned how to play on an acoustic when I was 8 years old. I love both electric and acoustics. My favorite right now is my 1922 Gibson L3 archtop. What a sound.
I've been playing guitar for over 50 years. I'm a singer songwriter, and I think the acoustic is the essential tool. Over time, you can learn to project all kinds of different feelings very powerfully. Quiet finger picking, melodic strumming, power, anger, love, joy, humor...acoustics can do it all. I have a vintage 6 string dreadnaught, an all mahogany 000, a jumbo 12 string, a nylon string...along with a good assortment of electrics. Because, yes...pedals and amps are fun! One note... a few years ago I discovered Dava picks, which have a rubber coating on the grippy part, and very controllable stiffness. I now use them on ALL my guitars. You should give them a try!
I use plastic spoon picks. Cut the handle off a plastic spoon ' heat and bend the tip flat. My thumb fits into the dished out part of the spoon making it nearly impossible to slip or drop and I can frame away on my ukulele that I have strung up with bass strings. Been thinking about making one out of a metal spoon.
I started playing on an acoustic guitar when I was 15. I took it to college and instead of studying, I would play my guitar in the stairwell of the dorm room with 9 floors. The reverb was awesome.
I started my first 2-3 years on acoustic before I touched an electric guitar and I'm happy I did, because my hands and fingers were in good shape. It seemed so easy to play barre chords and stretching strings was a breeze. I still play an acoustic probably 90% of the time cuz its easy, just grab it and play, no warming up tube amps, plugging in, etc. etc. Acoustics rule!
I started on acoustic so I tend to play my electric with a more acoustic dig to it. I’ve known a few really good electric guitar players who can’t play acoustic very well. I’ve played jazz, classical, hard rock, prog, and an assortment of music. I usually return back to playing acoustic and writing songs with it.
And acoustic guitars teach you pne very important thing that is also beneficial for electric guitar playing. It's the dynamic. Because you don't have any effects, knobs and controls. So you have to add that dynamic with your strumming or picking, how hard you do it, where you do it. And it's fantastic when you learn it.
I used to be primarily an electric player, played almost exclusively on electric for my first 3 years of learning the instrument but a few years back I started listening to and playing a lot more folk and fingerpicking material and getting really into acoustic, which has become my main instrument now. I think what makes me prefer acoustic is in part the fact that you don't have to worry about all the electronics that come with electrics (I don't have to deal with the classic "where is that noise coming from ???"). Plus I do tend to get too focused on pedals and tone while I'm playing the electric and tbh I've noticed my playing has improved drastically since switching mainly to acoustic (when you can't change your tone you just have to get good ahah).
So much truth to this. I've tried the acoustic in every room in the house and found my foyer is quite pleasant. Different picks will also produce so many different tones, it's so awesome.
I have been thinking playing guitar for over 11 years and I can play all three types of guitar, electric acoustic, and classical. I started on acoustic but quickly learned that there is immense value in learning electric and classical too. To play classical you learn to read music which is a useful skill for music outside of guitar. But it’s important to recognize that these instruments are unique in their own way, in which there really is no better or worse.
I snagged one of those Dunlop pick variety packs just a couple of months ago. The gray, textured .88 mm pick you used in the video has become my favorite pick for playing my Strat. Changing up picks, depending on which guitar I'm playing (and what string guages they have), has made my life a lot easier and my sound a lot better.
The Dunlop Nylons are the best picks ever. Tried everything from Acetate to Ziricote wood picks and I always return to the Dunlop. Mostly the .88, too. But the .80 is good,too and even the .23 is amazing on an airy 12 string rhythm.
I had access to an acoustic for many years, and while I enjoyed picking simple stuff on it (I played other instruments) I never really learned to play it. Eventually I tried an electric guitar, and that really caught my attention. I remember playing the beginning of Summer of '69 with a grin on my face because (to me) it sounded like the recording (it didn't lol). I took a pretty deep dive, and it has been very rewarding. Jamming, writing, lessons, etc. I started taking down some of my favorite solos and playing things that I had thought were beyond me. Eventually I brought the acoustic back out, and slowly fell in love with it. Some time and a lot of money later, I find I play acoustic most of the time. The good ones have such an organic, complex sound that I can play individual notes or exercises and find joy in the tone. It helps that I listen to a lot of bluegrass, folk, and country music lol. Playing acoustic has pushed my writing, and pushed me to work on my voice. It has also taught me a lot more about how to work different tones out of a guitar, since the primary way to get new tones is through your technique. I still play my electrics quite a bit, and enjoy them. I've noticed that my tastes have more towards low gain and clean tones, but that can vary day to day.
I use my little Gretch Jim Dandy I acquired way before the pandemic. It helps with my strumming and chord changes for sure. I've been learning "Call me a Dog" on it. Great song, but it has a lot of chird changes to help me keep them in practice in a fun way.
I use to be a shredder in my years of electric,but now I'm really into acoustics ,the trick that's hard is finger style,bass and melody,is awesome,and takes time to perfect. It's a different world.
the first time when i was a teen moving out young on my own, was oginally when i was playing my acoustic and for first time the rooms were fully empty, and man the reverb,, it got me that stength to get to my next step in life at the time.
Try Fender large thin triangle picks - they are surprisingly versatile for both electric and acoustic. Sweeps, delicate strumming, and reach picking are all easier due to the shape and size. And you can bend them as you hold them to increase their stiffness when you want to chug out some power chords. That Martin in that bright room is sounding really sweet.
I used to use ONLY those! I loved 'em. The only thing was that they would sometimes spin around in my hand when I got sweaty. I also kept dropping them, but I think that was because I held it too tight, lol. Nowadays I use a 5hin, red Delrin pick (" Fred Kelly"), and found it to be more versatile than anything else. It also has texture for better grip, but now I hold it extremely loose!
My father played acoustic when I was a child it rang thru the halls and nowadays it’s my favorite sound. He bought me a Martin D16 before he passed. I love it RiP dad
I'm in ❤..just got a Yamaha FSC Trans Acoustic built in reverb & chorus & already had to replace the batteries ..it's a beautiful guitar got it in the sexy Tobacco Sunburst...you don't have to look for the perfect room just turn on reverb...✌🏽♥️🎸
True, I love the orange Tortex .60 for acoustic strumming, I have blue chips, and others, but if you wanna strum like your a 90’s rock star you gotta have .60-.71
@@dividedbytimestudios I call anything thicker than 1mm an "icepick" because they have all the flexibility of one and the sound is cold, as far as acoustics go.
@@TribalGuitars if you can play soft and precise 1.00 mm is cool, but if you get into the performance and get little aggressive that thick pick acts like a hammer 🔨 and you get a lot of cling and clatter
Awe man, so late to the acoustic party, but better late than never. The funnest part is that you have to squeeze every ounce of sound from the acoustic with your hands and technique. Plus, tons and. tons of open and alternate tunings. Plus, you have to create all kinds of different voicings . What is more pure than your hand, strings, and some wood? I love my electrics too, but it all must start on acoustic. Great vid my man.
I get the meaning of the video - but for me, as an electric guitar player, I was also a singer/songwriter touring in an acoustic duo. I put together a pedalboard to allow me to mesh my electric guitar style and acoustic rhythm. Using a TC Electronic Nova system for my effect and compression, and adding a Boss overdrive pedal, but with a volume pedal to control the ever present feedback. (Plus adding a TC vocal looper, but on my acoustic). Having the Boss OD and using the volume pedal allowed me to solo with the sustain I needed to be melodic. It worked for me for over a decade of touring. Even though I still consider myself an electric player, that pedalboard allowed me to do both with great success. I dunno. That’s my 2¢
You really love them when you lose power for a while during a storm. it's amazing the difference the pick makes. years ago on my electrics I was using thin brass picks.
I came from electric to acoustic like you. What I learned is that the variations that pedals and effects give you on electric is the equivalent of what you've discovered on acoustic: different picks, different strings, different gauges (will create different tension on the top which will affect tone), where you strum in relation to the bridge and soundhole, both your left and right hand techniques, etc. You can get a myriad of different sounds out of the same acoustic by varying any one (or multiple) of those things. And then let's not even venture into the whole different body sizes, bracing types, tonewoods, etc. It's a deep, dark, and expensive rabbit hole lol
I started playing acoustic when I was 11. My senior year of high school I had sold off my electric guitars and just had a Yamaha 6 string and Ovation 12 string acoustic. I played acoustic exclusively for the next four years. I grew more as a player and songwriter than ever before. Just stripping down to basics helped me a lot. Not to mention my hands got really strong playing 12 string all the time.
I took one of my dreadnoughts and set it up to match my strat - and then put ball-end classical strings on it - it plays like a dream - and having that big resonant body with nylon strings gives a beautiful soft tone. It's my go-to guitar nowdays and I play mainly blues and jazz on it - with a small side of old pop music and country! As for the picks though - I either use a .38 Jim Dunlop for strumming - and my own handmade wooden picks for soloing; they don't have that plastic click you get from a synthetic plectrum!
The little wooden room at Guitar Center makes just about every guitar sound awesome. The room changes the entire experience. Also, yes...PICKS MATTER! I've found that Ultex pics are the brightest; Tortex the darkest. Tortex are great for high-gain heavy distortion...while Ultex (and even Nylon) are best on acoustic and clean electric. And yes...strumming sounds (and feels) like trash when using a darker-sounding (Tortex) or thick pick (.8mm++) on an acoustic. Too thin of a pick will give a very scratchy sound with just about all transients and no body. Thanks for the video; many others have mentioned that the pick changes the sound...but I've not seen anyone demonstrate it the way you have.
Why is an acoustic guitar so much harder to fret? Compared to an electric. Even with same gauge strings and a pro setup,it's still hard to get a clean chord. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT ?
Good points. I’m an electric player but to enjoy the pluck and acoustic now and then. I use and LOVE the Ultex picks. I use the sharp shape. I also prefer thin picks in acoustic for that brighter tone
I use the same picks for electric and acoustic Works for me. I vary how hard or soft I pick, the angle I pick, and my grip I find light & medium picks too flappy With a heavy pick I have more control
Can you show the beginning to Motley raise your hands to rock? Can't seem to find it anywhere. And I suck at trying to figure it out on my own. Thanks.
1. All of the chord strumming was done at one spot on the guitar. Move up the neck to get a rounder sound. Move down go get a clicky brittle sound. When playing one sound, you can change the sound of your solos by using different locations. 2. Artificial harmonics. I was just listening an acoustic “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones where they use harmonics on the acoustic guitar. You can also play an entire melody using all artificial harmonics. With your fingers holding down a string, look 12 frets up to find the fret where you can play an artificial harmonic. I hold the pick between my thumb and third finger, then touch the fretted string 12 frets up with my index finger lightly to play an artificial harmonic. I can play the melody to “Edelweiss” from the Sound of Music in G with all artificial harmonics. 3. Your acoustic guitar can act as a drum. My friend does this very effectively. He always has fingerpicks on, and he can lightly click the fingerpicks on the guitar to make a high-pitched clicking drum sound. He will strum and click to get a really unique accompaniment sound. He does this frequently, with no damage so far.
Great perspective. I’m writing to counter those comments that have said you need a Martin HD-28 to enjoy an acoustic. Yes, those are great. Yet … there are so many amazing guitars from other manufacturers to choose for a fraction the cost. Check out Fender, Alvarez, Eastman, as well as the budget minded Martins and Taylors. A fantastic deal may be found in the Inspired by Gibson line from Epiphone (owned by Gibson). But … for whatever acoustic you acquire, find a luthier to set up your action to your liking and change the nut and saddle to bone or Tusq if it only comes with plastic ones.
My highest hang up with acoustics was how much more challenging they are to me. Large and/or wider bodies, large necks, much higher action, considerably heavier strings. I have an acoustisonic now and love playing it acoustically instead of plugged in. It’s not as loud, but it’s comfortable to play for me.
the three biggest tone factors for acoustic guitar are.... Strings Pick material and thickness And proper humidification....you wouldnt think it would but a properly humidified guitar is more full and a dry guitar is more thin sounding These three things make a HUGE difference in tone for acoustic guitars
I started on acoustic and really enjoyed playing it but got more into electric and it is a totally different playing experience. Then I hurt my elbow on my strumming arm and the thick body of an acoustic was just painful to play. If I stayed away from the acoustic it would get better but as soon as I picked it up, the pain quickly returned. Finally played just teles and strats for about 6 months and cut back quite a bit and let the injury heal and looked for a thin body acoustic that didn't sound terrible unplugged. Found the Ibanez talman acoustic and it is the most comfortable acoustic I've ever played. Still a little thin sounding unplugged but through an amp it is great.
I love hearing how different the acoustic makes you play. You can tell the lighter touch on electric with your creating hand needs to be stiffened up, so you don’t accidentally mute notes. Electric - you want to control the quiet. Acoustic, you want to share the ring of the string.
You should look in to the Yamaha transacoustics they have built in reverb and chorus. Killer acoustic I’ve had a few and ever since I’ve gotten that one it’s been my go to acoustic, I’ve barely played the others for almost 3 years.
Electric guitars are easier to play then acoustic guitars. But what I like about playing acoustic guitars is, they are good to play when your in a laundromat killing time washing clothes. Or on a nice sunny day, it sounds good to play your acoustic guitar in a park. Just find yourself a park bench and start playing.
I was given a Yamaha acoustic and I played it my first 2 YEARS before I got an electric! I was playing electric songs, learning scales and now and then I'd play someone's electric. By the time I got an electric I didn't know about muting because it wasn't necessary (as much) and it was sort of like going from a manual typewriter to a computer keyboard. Sooo much easier to finger stuff (right out of tune 🤣 ) and my fingers were super strong. I like both but, I just own 1 and it's electric!
Playing electric, you can get wrapped up in the effects, etc. and not feel the song. With acoustic, it's just you, the guitar, and the song. So it's a more intimate relationship. Acoustic is also where you learn that your sound is in your *fingers,* not the guitar. To illustrate, I was never a big fan of 80's pop/rock. But recently, I've been listening to 80's songs covered on acoustic here on YT. And I realized that the songs were actually every bit as strong as the music that I'd grown up listening to in the 70's, it's just that I didn't really care for the New Wave production. I quit playing a few years ago, but now I'm looking at going back to get to know a decade of music that I'd previously discounted. And I'll be doing it on my old Alvarez-Yairi that's been patiently waiting all these years.
I started on a horrible acoustic, and that impression lasted with me for years after I got into electric. Now I own 3 acoustic guitars, and my main guitar I play is a Seagull 12 string. I enjoy it because the acoustic guitar is a very dynamic instrument. Learning songs and performing in a duo situation really lets you explore the dynamics of the acoustic. I am mainly a rock player, so I tend to bash things out most of the time. But when you add those dynamics into your playing it really adds to the performance. I have several electric guitars as well, but every time I go to play, I find myself grabbing an acoustic first. Playing in an are where you get naturally occurring reverb or echo is great, but when when you don’t have that, the Tonewood amp can be lots of fun as well.
I’ve always enjoyed acoustic guitar from the get go. I started out learning with an acoustic. Bought an electric cuz my guitar teacher said so so he could teach me lead playing. That was ok but I always navigated to my acoustic cuz I missed and loved the organic sound of strings on wood. My guitar teacher changed jobs and his schedule changed so I dropped lessons and went back to acoustic and never looked back. The acoustic guitar can be a very dynamic and percussive instrument. Just UTube Tommy Emmanuel or the late Michael Hedges. There are no limits on an acoustic.
I started my guitar journey on a classical guitar. Man I hated that thing but it gave me strength and dexterity. When I got my first electric guitar I was never going back until I played an Ovation. The radius neck, the string tension all felt good almost like an electric. Pick choices for me are Ultex, and Tortex.
Guitar pick variety pack - so fun! I got a Dunlop pack and found that a few of the picks actually sound better than others of the same shape and thickness. I asked my teacher about and he showed me a handful of brown slightly translucent picks of various styles - a couple of those also clearly sounded better.
I have 7 acoustic guitars, in addition to 30 electrics and 3 bass. On a nice sunny afternoon I'll go to a local small park, we have 5-6 dotted along the NYS Barge canal in my area. I'll just sit on a picnic table and play acoustic, maybe sing a bit for practice. Almost always I get a small audience. LOL I've even had people grab the case that I tucked under the end, open it and put $$ in it!! The first time that happened I thought they were taking the case! Glad I'm the calm type and just waited to see what happened. Now I just leave it out and closed, some folks still open and deposit $$ though. LOL It's fun and makes people happy, that's the important thing. I get people to sing along, that makes me happy. 8) Peace --gary
Ah, man! I needed this! My acoustic has been just sitting around and not getting played for all the reasons mentioned here....going to get it and sit out on the back porch now...Thanks, Robert!
I'm your counterpart. I started and stuck to acoustic for a long time before playing electric. Electric was alchemy. I determined that they are two completely different instruments. It took me a couple decades to embrace electric, but one thing stuck out, touch. No two players sound the same on the same instrument, acoustic or elecrric. The odd thing making the electric to acoustic transition is the energy one puts into an acoustic. Like a bicycle won't go without work, an acoustic needs effort, applied in just the right way, to sound good, and be fun. As a mainly axoustic player, I try to keep things simple with electric. I have 3 effects, always on, and a volume pedal... I use the guitar's volume as a gain control... and don't get beyond edge-of-breakup... I am considering other effects... will see.
Definitely different instruments. I mainly play acoustic and generally use a 73mm pick made of Tortex/Delrin. Sometimes as thin as 60mm. I hit the strings differently too, because its you the player, that creates the volume or the light & shade.
I have a love affair with acoustics.... A fun variation is the Yamaha FG TA or LL TA onboard effects reverb and chorus so you don't need to to hunt the perfect acoustics location.... Great fun and great guitar to play.. You can plug into an amp if you want but for my home use I don't need to.
Robert, try Tusq picks on acoustic. Same company as Tusq nuts. I like a .68 Tusq. Seriously, try a variety pack. It's different that any other pick type a gets a different tone from every guitar.
I have used Fender mediums on all of my guitars...Telecasters, Les Pauls, and my Gibson Southern Jumbo. but when I got an Epi Hummingbird 12 string it just didn't resonate or have the 12 string jangle...but all I needed to do was go to lighter picks. never never considered the pick as a tool that affects the sound.
I like a hard pick for electric but for acoustic I always likes a floppier pick. Play electric guitars everyday but I also pick up one of my acoustics a lot. When I am trying learn something that ties my finger in knots I found my classical nylon string guitar is best for that. Plenty of room to get your fingers into the fretboard and when you can play what you are working on smoothly on a nylon string guitar, it makes it much easier to play it on any other guitar. For those without an acoustic in their arsenal, they are just missing out on a ton of fun playing.
I really like picks between 1.0-2.0 on acoustics if they’re beveled. Not as much of the swishy flicky noise as thinner picks, not as much outer string emphasis as non-beveled picks. Dunlop Primetone picks are great on the cheaper end of beveled picks, and so are Wegen for a little more. Blue Chip makes great picks too, but are a bit pricey as far as picks go.
Biggest issue with acoustics is the setup. Virtually all my acoustics had the action way higher that I have now as well as a high nut. This meant they were much harder to play than my electric. If only acoustics had low action from the factory and an adjustable bridge then a lot of new players would not give up on acoustic.
Your timing on this is perfect. I've always had a couple of acoustics and played them occasionally but lately they've really become my "go to" for just casual pick-it-up and play. No fiddling around with other stuff....amps, pedals etc (which I love doing) but it's so easy to just pick it up and play and try some new things. Downside is it really has me GASsing for a 12 string acoustic!
I use the nylon .73 and the heavier one I think .82? Pics. I ran out, can’t find it right now and the capo I use a shub. That’s the name of it. Keep jamin’ on.👍
My Epiphone was being used to kill someone and was liberated from the bad guy and given to me. True story awesome relic. It's a 73 Texan, I'm a 58. Friend took his Washburn camping with some frat boy pals. They left early but not before relieving themselves in his guitar while he slept. Acoustic Guitar Drama!
There's a distinct difference in the characters of the coming off acoustics at an early age the touch of electric gauge took some getting use to adjusting practice time to an equal amount broadened the skill and proficiency at both that always kept it fun for me oh and playing the acoustic in a medium sized bathroom 😆 door closed the volume is massive😂😂😂👍✌
i only seem to have interest in my acoustic. I bought a pickup for it a fishman the cheaper humbucker sounds pretty amazing through a reg amp gain low and volume mid with some effects delay , phaser , flanger and sometimes reverb , limit the wet , very prog rock like but at a volume equal with the guitar fairly low for a home setup its quite nice.
My go to picks for acoustic and electric are Dunlop Jazz III, either their Primetone or Ultex/Eric Johnson ones. To my ears they sound better than regular Jazz III's. More volume, more tone.
I easily recommend giving a listen to the Alan Parsons Project album *Ammonia Avenue* for some first-rate examples of electric and acoustic guitars being used to play the same arpeggiated rhythm parts. In a couple of those instances, it’s difficult to tell which is which. That album was definitely an inspiration and a guide for me on a few of my solo cuts.
Growing up on a farm, I used to play my acoustic in an empty grain bin. There’s a truly stunning reverb inside a giant metal cylinder. If you ever get the chance, that’s the spot. ✌️😌🎸
Tipwise, thanks a lot, that does sound like a good spot for music
Nice!!
The lies
I need that Grain Bin reverb pedal JHS
There`s a Civil War memorial thing in Vicksburg, Ms, and there was SO much echo inside the thing that I was afraid it might crack like a wine glass, but it would be awesome to play a campfire show near enough to it to add some of that sound in the background...especially back in my substance use days. Spooky place though because it was a horrific battlefield. All those wasted lives over lies and now few even know what the reality was about that pointless nightmare. But the same situation continues today...poor people caught in the middle of rich men`s bank accounts.
The thing I love about my acoustic is that I can just play and not be constantly obsessed with pedals, effects etc. It's just you and the instrument.
This is me, once I changed from electric to acoustic and sold my amps, pedals and electric guitar I got so much better at music, songwriting and stuff. Stopped geeking out about tones and pedals and started developing an understanding of the instrument.
The MTV unplugged treatments of my fave electric songs was a huge change for me (in particular, Nirvana). And being able play entire songs with just one instrument helped my playing enormously because it made me want to practice. Plus with an acoustic there is NOWHERE to hide your crappy technique. It reveals all.
From my teens, till around 35, i had very bad depression. I spent damn near every moment not working or sleeping, in the woods playing my 12 string. Little did i know, how much better it would make me on electric 6 string later. I experimented constantly with different picks, and finger picking, i got to the point all the things i "wished" i could do on guitar, i actually could do. I still play it because i love the sound of an acoustic 12, but when i got my depression under control, and got my life together, i got the electrics and amps and goodies that go with it, i found that i could rip the shit out of the fretboard on a nice guitar. When i play 12 now, i use the absolutely thinnest paper thin pick, and can strum or pick really hard like i would on an electric, but the thin pick lets it still sound gentle. It really works.
Love the channel, bro👍
Your point on pick thickness is useful, I think. When playing a quick and fairly aggressive rhythm pattern with a thick one on acoustic, I find the pick gradually works it's way out sideways from between my thumb and forefinger. Not so great live when you're the only guitar. I settled for a .60. It stays with me.
Try tuning your guitar to 432 hz it is incredible. Because 432 is the frequency we and the universe vibrate at.
@@pistoltips5270Same with me, I’m using Dunlop 73’s and pretty good handling, control and sound for this longtime beginner
I learned on an old yamaha 12 string with flat frets some how it still played pretty decent but I had the same experience when I finally got a good six string it was almost too easy to play
Quote from Al DiMeola: “Playing acoustic separates the men from the boys,”…”You can’t get away with a lot. With electric, there’s the volume and you can get away with being sloppy.”
I agree with DiMeola 100%. Also, I feel that if a guitarist can’t play a song on an acoustic with a simple melody, accompaniment and bass line, then they are missing a big part of the experience, which I think is sad. There is a HUGE difference between being just a guitarist and a musician. Every good guitarist should be able to accompany someone singing and play some kind of organized harmony and melody acoustically and not just leads and root/5th power chords. It will bring you so much more fulfillment and joy in the journey. I know it did for me. Pay your dues on acoustic and it will make your electric playing all that much better. Great for your chops as well because of the higher action. Pretty sure other metal players like Yngwie, Zakk Wylde, Nuno, etc. would agree. Just my $0.02.
As a life long metalhead and bass player I dove into acoustic when covid hit and my business was wrecked. It is by far my favorite instrument to play. Entirely organic, the emotion conveyed is pure. Up there with a piano for natural beauty.
I first picked up acoustic when I went away to college and realized I couldn't have my full electric rigs in my room. what an awesome discovery that was for my playing.
Sometimes restrictions are blessings.
Add the violin and you've got the perfect acoustic trio!
what is this `bass` you speak of- robert baker
Weird I feel completely the opposite. I just don’t understand how to play an electric guitar.
I felt that way for years, I played acoustic for so long that my style and technique just didn't translate to electric. That's changed, but jamming with friends on acoustic will always be fun as hell.
Same
Me too 😂
Why not?
@@SamBrockmann I can’t even find a tone that doesn’t sound horrible. I am used to full chords strong strumming. Nothing ever sounds musical or pleasing for me on electric. It’s all so unfamiliar.
I played for a year on acoustic before getting my first electric. A few keys... Starting on acoustic CAN result in your left-hand technique being more heavy-handed than desired on an electric, which can slow down your speed or cause intonation problems. Higher string tension may also make picking techniques more heavy handed than needed / desiredd on electric, requiring some un-learning / re-learning. The combination of differences in string tension and sustain make acoustic and electric almost completely distinct instruments in how you approach them. The NOTES are in the same places but acoustic is a more percussive, rythmic instrument while electric is more general purpose. The thing I like most about acoustic oriented material is it cuts through to the essence of the song and the performer. If a song passes the kitchen table test -- if you can play it on acoustic at the kitchen table with no amps/effects and just your vocal to accompany it and hold your own interest or that of a listener -- you have a good song and you are on your way to being a performer.
The problem I have with acoustics is it’s hard to put it down once I pick it up.
Me too😅me playing wonderwall again and again until my mom comes with a knife. 😅
I like playing acoustic because it reminds me to work on techniques that i forget to work on when im playing my electrics. And when you work on these techniques then carry them over to the electrics it really opens your tool box in awsome ways that you don't expect. Also there is a certain no nonsense back to basics thing. When you keep your basics sharp, your more advanced side will sound more confident and experienced!
Acoutic guitars have a beautiful sound whether nylon or steel. I have a Martin DM. It always seems to get better. When I play it in the bathroom or corridor outside of my flat the acoustics are so great, the deep qualities of the acoustics are amplified and resonant, in these places I'm immersed in the sound.
My father left me his Gibson Southern Jumbo. It was made back in 1944. When I was a kid. I remember how huge it was when I held it. It still sounds beautiful.
He always brought that guitar camping. He took that guitar down the Colorado River on a raft trip thru Grand Canyon. It's dad's "campfire guitar" and it still gets played everyday.
The finish is heavily checked. The neck has no finish at all. It needs a refret ( I won't do) and the brazilian rosewood fingerboard has heavy wear. The spruce top is cracked the rosewood sides too...the pick guard is lifting and one brace is loose inside...So much of my dad's mojo is there. I will never change a thing on it.
Picking closer to the fretboard will add more of a warm tone with a touch of compression. Picking closer to the bridge is more of a treble sound.
I've always loved my acoustic. Neil Young, Eagles etc. But I get away from it from time to time. I find myself playing acoustic songs on my electric!!! Just a funny thing. You're the best Robert, keep up the great work!!👍🎸
My go to is my mid 80s Japanese Aria acoustic dreadnought. The bridge lifted 15 years ago, so I glued it back on & bought a brace to keep pressure off the bridge. Changed / brightened the tone immensely. I use d'addario super light phosphor bronze strings to boost brightness. Rings out like a bell. ❤
I have been playing guitar since I was 13 and am now 68. I started with electric but changed to acoustic as I had to travel a lot for my work as a seagoing engineer. I soon realized that bashing chords out on an acoustic guitar was OK, but I wanted to be able to play the tune as well as the chords - that is very difficult to do with a plectrum - so I binned the pick and learned to fingerpick - from simple arpeggio rolls to full on travis picking and THAT made the biggest difference. I see so many players with acoustics and plectrums and they all do the same D chord strum, add the C pedal, change to G chord , back to D - if they are adventurous, they drop the low E to D. I am now retired and in a gigging covers band - I play my Strat the same way I play my acoustic - with fingers and thumb. The nails on the first three fingers are acrylic (the wife's nail tech does them - 10 eur for 3 ) and that gives me three plectrums and the ability to add bass notes and hit chords while I am soloing - it really is a different way of playing. I keep a pick jammed under the pick guard and use it only for pick scrapes and danga-danga Status Quo chug beats.
Watch how some of the great fingerpickers like Tommy Emmanuel, Doyle Dykes and Mark Knopfler play. Bin the pick - give it a try - you might find a new sound.
I was the total opposite where I immediately clicked with acoustic guitar and loooved it, but felt overwhelmed and intimidated by all of the different gear that goes with electric guitars! But, I definitely understand the excitement you had with being able to quickly access so many different tones and sounds!
What made me fall in love with acoustics was finding the right body style. For years whenever I picked up a mate's acoustic or at a store it was the standard dreadnought size which I personally always found clunky. It wasn't until I tried a 000 and a parlor that acoustics felt so comfortable, inviting and fun to play. Nowadays I pretty much only play my acoustic.
Because of the heavier strings it is super important to get a great set up on an acoustic. Because it takes special tools its best to have an expert do it.
I learned on acoustic and didn’t have an electric for the first 8-9 years. I love electric and finding new tones and the overall playability but there is a sense of “going home” when I play my acoustic. I don’t pick up my electrics to de-stress, I pick up my acoustic. I think it’s a sentimental thing but I also love the simplicity and rawness of wood and strings with no electricity
Buying a $3400 Martin would be a good step toward liking them.
I learned how to play on an acoustic when I was 8 years old. I love both electric and acoustics. My favorite right now is my 1922 Gibson L3 archtop. What a sound.
I've been playing guitar for over 50 years. I'm a singer songwriter, and I think the acoustic is the essential tool. Over time, you can learn to project all kinds of different feelings very powerfully. Quiet finger picking, melodic strumming, power, anger, love, joy, humor...acoustics can do it all. I have a vintage 6 string dreadnaught, an all mahogany 000, a jumbo 12 string, a nylon string...along with a good assortment of electrics. Because, yes...pedals and amps are fun! One note... a few years ago I discovered Dava picks, which have a rubber coating on the grippy part, and very controllable stiffness. I now use them on ALL my guitars. You should give them a try!
I use plastic spoon picks.
Cut the handle off a plastic spoon ' heat and bend the tip flat. My thumb fits into the dished out part of the spoon making it nearly impossible to slip or drop and I can frame away on my ukulele that I have strung up with bass strings.
Been thinking about making one out of a metal spoon.
I started playing on an acoustic guitar when I was 15. I took it to college and instead of studying, I would play my guitar in the stairwell of the dorm room with 9 floors. The reverb was awesome.
I started my first 2-3 years on acoustic before I touched an electric guitar and I'm happy I did, because my hands and fingers were in good shape. It seemed so easy to play barre chords and stretching strings was a breeze. I still play an acoustic probably 90% of the time cuz its easy, just grab it and play, no warming up tube amps, plugging in, etc. etc. Acoustics rule!
I started on acoustic so I tend to play my electric with a more acoustic dig to it. I’ve known a few really good electric guitar players who can’t play acoustic very well. I’ve played jazz, classical, hard rock, prog, and an assortment of music. I usually return back to playing acoustic and writing songs with it.
And acoustic guitars teach you pne very important thing that is also beneficial for electric guitar playing. It's the dynamic. Because you don't have any effects, knobs and controls. So you have to add that dynamic with your strumming or picking, how hard you do it, where you do it. And it's fantastic when you learn it.
I used to be primarily an electric player, played almost exclusively on electric for my first 3 years of learning the instrument but a few years back I started listening to and playing a lot more folk and fingerpicking material and getting really into acoustic, which has become my main instrument now.
I think what makes me prefer acoustic is in part the fact that you don't have to worry about all the electronics that come with electrics (I don't have to deal with the classic "where is that noise coming from ???"). Plus I do tend to get too focused on pedals and tone while I'm playing the electric and tbh I've noticed my playing has improved drastically since switching mainly to acoustic (when you can't change your tone you just have to get good ahah).
So much truth to this. I've tried the acoustic in every room in the house and found my foyer is quite pleasant. Different picks will also produce so many different tones, it's so awesome.
I have been thinking playing guitar for over 11 years and I can play all three types of guitar, electric acoustic, and classical. I started on acoustic but quickly learned that there is immense value in learning electric and classical too. To play classical you learn to read music which is a useful skill for music outside of guitar. But it’s important to recognize that these instruments are unique in their own way, in which there really is no better or worse.
I snagged one of those Dunlop pick variety packs just a couple of months ago. The gray, textured .88 mm pick you used in the video has become my favorite pick for playing my Strat. Changing up picks, depending on which guitar I'm playing (and what string guages they have), has made my life a lot easier and my sound a lot better.
I hear you and agree 100% although I’ve been happy with Dunlop 73’s. I’ll have to try the 88’s.
The Dunlop Nylons are the best picks ever. Tried everything from Acetate to Ziricote wood picks and I always return to the Dunlop. Mostly the .88, too. But the .80 is good,too and even the .23 is amazing on an airy 12 string rhythm.
I had access to an acoustic for many years, and while I enjoyed picking simple stuff on it (I played other instruments) I never really learned to play it. Eventually I tried an electric guitar, and that really caught my attention. I remember playing the beginning of Summer of '69 with a grin on my face because (to me) it sounded like the recording (it didn't lol). I took a pretty deep dive, and it has been very rewarding. Jamming, writing, lessons, etc. I started taking down some of my favorite solos and playing things that I had thought were beyond me. Eventually I brought the acoustic back out, and slowly fell in love with it. Some time and a lot of money later, I find I play acoustic most of the time. The good ones have such an organic, complex sound that I can play individual notes or exercises and find joy in the tone. It helps that I listen to a lot of bluegrass, folk, and country music lol. Playing acoustic has pushed my writing, and pushed me to work on my voice. It has also taught me a lot more about how to work different tones out of a guitar, since the primary way to get new tones is through your technique. I still play my electrics quite a bit, and enjoy them. I've noticed that my tastes have more towards low gain and clean tones, but that can vary day to day.
You are an incredible guitarist. Love your ideas on the acoustic. As I get older, I appreciate the acoustic guitar more than ever now!!
I use my little Gretch Jim Dandy I acquired way before the pandemic. It helps with my strumming and chord changes for sure. I've been learning "Call me a Dog" on it. Great song, but it has a lot of chird changes to help me keep them in practice in a fun way.
I use to be a shredder in my years of electric,but now I'm really into acoustics ,the trick that's hard is finger style,bass and melody,is awesome,and takes time to perfect. It's a different world.
the first time when i was a teen moving out young on my own, was oginally when i was playing my acoustic and for first time the rooms were fully empty, and man the reverb,, it got me that stength to get to my next step in life at the time.
Try Fender large thin triangle picks - they are surprisingly versatile for both electric and acoustic. Sweeps, delicate strumming, and reach picking are all easier due to the shape and size. And you can bend them as you hold them to increase their stiffness when you want to chug out some power chords. That Martin in that bright room is sounding really sweet.
I used to use ONLY those! I loved 'em.
The only thing was that they would sometimes spin around in my hand when I got sweaty. I also kept dropping them, but I think that was because I held it too tight, lol.
Nowadays I use a 5hin, red Delrin pick (" Fred Kelly"), and found it to be more versatile than anything else. It also has texture for better grip, but now I hold it extremely loose!
I use them for bass, too. The older I get the less dexterity=y I have holding small things like pics or using those my mobile phone to text.
Acoustic. When the room becomes the effects pedal.
My father played acoustic when I was a child it rang thru the halls and nowadays it’s my favorite sound. He bought me a Martin D16 before he passed. I love it RiP dad
😢
I'm in ❤..just got a Yamaha FSC Trans Acoustic built in reverb & chorus & already had to replace the batteries ..it's a beautiful guitar got it in the sexy Tobacco Sunburst...you don't have to look for the perfect room just turn on reverb...✌🏽♥️🎸
If you use a thinner pick, especially for strumming, you get kind of compression effect, which can come in very handy in various situations.
True, I love the orange Tortex .60 for acoustic strumming, I have blue chips, and others, but if you wanna strum like your a 90’s rock star you gotta have .60-.71
@@dividedbytimestudios I call anything thicker than 1mm an "icepick" because they have all the flexibility of one and the sound is cold, as far as acoustics go.
@@TribalGuitars you lost me? You said over 1.0 mm has flexibility?
@@TribalGuitars if you can play soft and precise 1.00 mm is cool, but if you get into the performance and get little aggressive that thick pick acts like a hammer 🔨 and you get a lot of cling and clatter
Acoustic and electric are both groovy young man. What I liked about Zeppelin is they had a mixture of both on their records.
Awe man, so late to the acoustic party, but better late than never. The funnest part is that you have to squeeze every ounce of sound from the acoustic with your hands and technique. Plus, tons and. tons of open and alternate tunings. Plus, you have to create all kinds of different voicings . What is more pure than your hand, strings, and some wood? I love my electrics too, but it all must start on acoustic. Great vid my man.
I get the meaning of the video - but for me, as an electric guitar player, I was also a singer/songwriter touring in an acoustic duo. I put together a pedalboard to allow me to mesh my electric guitar style and acoustic rhythm. Using a TC Electronic Nova system for my effect and compression, and adding a Boss overdrive pedal, but with a volume pedal to control the ever present feedback. (Plus adding a TC vocal looper, but on my acoustic). Having the Boss OD and using the volume pedal allowed me to solo with the sustain I needed to be melodic. It worked for me for over a decade of touring. Even though I still consider myself an electric player, that pedalboard allowed me to do both with great success. I dunno. That’s my 2¢
You really love them when you lose power for a while during a storm. it's amazing the difference the pick makes. years ago on my electrics I was using thin brass picks.
I came from electric to acoustic like you. What I learned is that the variations that pedals and effects give you on electric is the equivalent of what you've discovered on acoustic: different picks, different strings, different gauges (will create different tension on the top which will affect tone), where you strum in relation to the bridge and soundhole, both your left and right hand techniques, etc. You can get a myriad of different sounds out of the same acoustic by varying any one (or multiple) of those things. And then let's not even venture into the whole different body sizes, bracing types, tonewoods, etc. It's a deep, dark, and expensive rabbit hole lol
I started playing acoustic when I was 11. My senior year of high school I had sold off my electric guitars and just had a Yamaha 6 string and Ovation 12 string acoustic. I played acoustic exclusively for the next four years. I grew more as a player and songwriter than ever before. Just stripping down to basics helped me a lot. Not to mention my hands got really strong playing 12 string all the time.
I took one of my dreadnoughts and set it up to match my strat - and then put ball-end classical strings on it - it plays like a dream - and having that big resonant body with nylon strings gives a beautiful soft tone. It's my go-to guitar nowdays and I play mainly blues and jazz on it - with a small side of old pop music and country! As for the picks though - I either use a .38 Jim Dunlop for strumming - and my own handmade wooden picks for soloing; they don't have that plastic click you get from a synthetic plectrum!
I find that I tend to write most of my original material on an acoustic for some reason. I think I find the sound of it inspiring.
The little wooden room at Guitar Center makes just about every guitar sound awesome. The room changes the entire experience.
Also, yes...PICKS MATTER! I've found that Ultex pics are the brightest; Tortex the darkest. Tortex are great for high-gain heavy distortion...while Ultex (and even Nylon) are best on acoustic and clean electric. And yes...strumming sounds (and feels) like trash when using a darker-sounding (Tortex) or thick pick (.8mm++) on an acoustic. Too thin of a pick will give a very scratchy sound with just about all transients and no body. Thanks for the video; many others have mentioned that the pick changes the sound...but I've not seen anyone demonstrate it the way you have.
Why is an acoustic guitar so much harder to fret?
Compared to an electric.
Even with same gauge strings and a pro setup,it's still hard to get a clean chord.
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT ?
Good points. I’m an electric player but to enjoy the pluck and acoustic now and then. I use and LOVE the Ultex picks. I use the sharp shape. I also prefer thin picks in acoustic for that brighter tone
I use the same picks for electric and acoustic
Works for me.
I vary how hard or soft I pick, the angle I pick, and my grip
I find light & medium picks too flappy
With a heavy pick I have more control
Can you show the beginning to Motley raise your hands to rock? Can't seem to find it anywhere. And I suck at trying to figure it out on my own. Thanks.
1. All of the chord strumming was done at one spot on the guitar. Move up the neck to get a rounder sound. Move down go get a clicky brittle sound. When playing one sound, you can change the sound of your solos by using different locations.
2. Artificial harmonics. I was just listening an acoustic “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones where they use harmonics on the acoustic guitar. You can also play an entire melody using all artificial harmonics. With your fingers holding down a string, look 12 frets up to find the fret where you can play an artificial harmonic. I hold the pick between my thumb and third finger, then touch the fretted string 12 frets up with my index finger lightly to play an artificial harmonic. I can play the melody to “Edelweiss” from the Sound of Music in G with all artificial harmonics.
3. Your acoustic guitar can act as a drum. My friend does this very effectively. He always has fingerpicks on, and he can lightly click the fingerpicks on the guitar to make a high-pitched clicking drum sound. He will strum and click to get a really unique accompaniment sound. He does this frequently, with no damage so far.
Kramer made acoustics fun back in the 80’s when it put an electric neck on a hollow body and built the Ferrington. I still have one.
Great perspective. I’m writing to counter those comments that have said you need a Martin HD-28 to enjoy an acoustic. Yes, those are great. Yet … there are so many amazing guitars from other manufacturers to choose for a fraction the cost. Check out Fender, Alvarez, Eastman, as well as the budget minded Martins and Taylors. A fantastic deal may be found in the Inspired by Gibson line from Epiphone (owned by Gibson). But … for whatever acoustic you acquire, find a luthier to set up your action to your liking and change the nut and saddle to bone or Tusq if it only comes with plastic ones.
My highest hang up with acoustics was how much more challenging they are to me. Large and/or wider bodies, large necks, much higher action, considerably heavier strings. I have an acoustisonic now and love playing it acoustically instead of plugged in. It’s not as loud, but it’s comfortable to play for me.
the three biggest tone factors for acoustic guitar are....
Strings
Pick material and thickness
And proper humidification....you wouldnt think it would but a properly humidified guitar is more full and a dry guitar is more thin sounding
These three things make a HUGE difference in tone for acoustic guitars
I started on acoustic and really enjoyed playing it but got more into electric and it is a totally different playing experience. Then I hurt my elbow on my strumming arm and the thick body of an acoustic was just painful to play. If I stayed away from the acoustic it would get better but as soon as I picked it up, the pain quickly returned. Finally played just teles and strats for about 6 months and cut back quite a bit and let the injury heal and looked for a thin body acoustic that didn't sound terrible unplugged. Found the Ibanez talman acoustic and it is the most comfortable acoustic I've ever played. Still a little thin sounding unplugged but through an amp it is great.
my favorite acoustics are 00015 00018 & d28 martins
I love hearing how different the acoustic makes you play. You can tell the lighter touch on electric with your creating hand needs to be stiffened up, so you don’t accidentally mute notes. Electric - you want to control the quiet. Acoustic, you want to share the ring of the string.
You should look in to the Yamaha transacoustics they have built in reverb and chorus. Killer acoustic I’ve had a few and ever since I’ve gotten that one it’s been my go to acoustic, I’ve barely played the others for almost 3 years.
I did the same thing with that Dunlop sample and settled on a Nylon 88 as my go-to for acoustic
Where is your favorite place to play an acoustic?
On my front porch 👍 Thanks for the acoustic video! I have a cousin to your Martin, a 00028 and I have a D18 on order. You have a lovely home BTW 👍
riverside during baptisms
Anywhere my strymon blue sky....will plug in....lol
In front of smiling eyes and
lighters in the sky.
Electric guitars are easier to play then acoustic guitars. But what I like about playing acoustic guitars is, they are good to play when your in a laundromat killing time washing clothes. Or on a nice sunny day, it sounds good to play your acoustic guitar in a park. Just find yourself a park bench and start playing.
I love my Takamine. It's just raw beautiful sound. When I'm not in the mood to plug everything in.
This so true! Our kitchen has a circular bow window. The acoustics are amazing!
I was given a Yamaha acoustic and I played it my first 2 YEARS before I got an electric! I was playing electric songs, learning scales and now and then I'd play someone's electric. By the time I got an electric I didn't know about muting because it wasn't necessary (as much) and it was sort of like going from a manual typewriter to a computer keyboard. Sooo much easier to finger stuff (right out of tune 🤣 ) and my fingers were super strong. I like both but, I just own 1 and it's electric!
Bluechip picks. Thick and hand beveled. Such a clean and loud tone. You won’t be disappointed once you spend the money.
Playing electric, you can get wrapped up in the effects, etc. and not feel the song. With acoustic, it's just you, the guitar, and the song. So it's a more intimate relationship. Acoustic is also where you learn that your sound is in your *fingers,* not the guitar. To illustrate, I was never a big fan of 80's pop/rock. But recently, I've been listening to 80's songs covered on acoustic here on YT. And I realized that the songs were actually every bit as strong as the music that I'd grown up listening to in the 70's, it's just that I didn't really care for the New Wave production. I quit playing a few years ago, but now I'm looking at going back to get to know a decade of music that I'd previously discounted. And I'll be doing it on my old Alvarez-Yairi that's been patiently waiting all these years.
I started on a horrible acoustic, and that impression lasted with me for years after I got into electric. Now I own 3 acoustic guitars, and my main guitar I play is a Seagull 12 string. I enjoy it because the acoustic guitar is a very dynamic instrument. Learning songs and performing in a duo situation really lets you explore the dynamics of the acoustic. I am mainly a rock player, so I tend to bash things out most of the time. But when you add those dynamics into your playing it really adds to the performance. I have several electric guitars as well, but every time I go to play, I find myself grabbing an acoustic first. Playing in an are where you get naturally occurring reverb or echo is great, but when when you don’t have that, the Tonewood amp can be lots of fun as well.
I’ve always enjoyed acoustic guitar from the get go. I started out learning with an acoustic. Bought an electric cuz my guitar teacher said so so he could teach me lead playing. That was ok but I always navigated to my acoustic cuz I missed and loved the organic sound of strings on wood. My guitar teacher changed jobs and his schedule changed so I dropped lessons and went back to acoustic and never looked back.
The acoustic guitar can be a very dynamic and percussive instrument. Just UTube Tommy Emmanuel or the late Michael Hedges. There are no limits on an acoustic.
I started my guitar journey on a classical guitar. Man I hated that thing but it gave me strength and dexterity. When I got my first electric guitar I was never going back until I played an Ovation. The radius neck, the string tension all felt good almost like an electric. Pick choices for me are Ultex, and Tortex.
Guitar pick variety pack - so fun! I got a Dunlop pack and found that a few of the picks actually sound better than others of the same shape and thickness. I asked my teacher about and he showed me a handful of brown slightly translucent picks of various styles - a couple of those also clearly sounded better.
Have you tried a Yamaha Transacoustic (LL-TA, LS-TA)?
I have 7 acoustic guitars, in addition to 30 electrics and 3 bass. On a nice sunny afternoon I'll go to a local small park, we have 5-6 dotted along the NYS Barge canal in my area. I'll just sit on a picnic table and play acoustic, maybe sing a bit for practice. Almost always I get a small audience. LOL I've even had people grab the case that I tucked under the end, open it and put $$ in it!! The first time that happened I thought they were taking the case! Glad I'm the calm type and just waited to see what happened. Now I just leave it out and closed, some folks still open and deposit $$ though. LOL It's fun and makes people happy, that's the important thing. I get people to sing along, that makes me happy. 8) Peace --gary
Ah, man! I needed this! My acoustic has been just sitting around and not getting played for all the reasons mentioned here....going to get it and sit out on the back porch now...Thanks, Robert!
I'm your counterpart. I started and stuck to acoustic for a long time before playing electric.
Electric was alchemy. I determined that they are two completely different instruments.
It took me a couple decades to embrace electric, but one thing stuck out, touch. No two players sound the same on the same instrument, acoustic or elecrric.
The odd thing making the electric to acoustic transition is the energy one puts into an acoustic. Like a bicycle won't go without work, an acoustic needs effort, applied in just the right way, to sound good, and be fun.
As a mainly axoustic player, I try to keep things simple with electric. I have 3 effects, always on, and a volume pedal... I use the guitar's volume as a gain control... and don't get beyond edge-of-breakup...
I am considering other effects... will see.
Definitely different instruments.
I mainly play acoustic and generally use a 73mm pick made of Tortex/Delrin. Sometimes as thin as 60mm.
I hit the strings differently too, because its you the player, that creates the volume or the light & shade.
I have a love affair with acoustics.... A fun variation is the Yamaha FG TA or LL TA onboard effects reverb and chorus so you don't need to to hunt the perfect acoustics location.... Great fun and great guitar to play.. You can plug into an amp if you want but for my home use I don't need to.
Billy strings makes the acoustic guitar very exciting!
Robert, try Tusq picks on acoustic. Same company as Tusq nuts. I like a .68 Tusq. Seriously, try a variety pack. It's different that any other pick type a gets a different tone from every guitar.
I have used Fender mediums on all of my guitars...Telecasters, Les Pauls, and my Gibson Southern Jumbo. but when I got an Epi Hummingbird 12 string it just didn't resonate or have the 12 string jangle...but all I needed to do was go to lighter picks. never never considered the pick as a tool that affects the sound.
I like a hard pick for electric but for acoustic I always likes a floppier pick. Play electric guitars everyday but I also pick up one of my acoustics a lot. When I am trying learn something that ties my finger in knots I found my classical nylon string guitar is best for that. Plenty of room to get your fingers into the fretboard and when you can play what you are working on smoothly on a nylon string guitar, it makes it much easier to play it on any other guitar. For those without an acoustic in their arsenal, they are just missing out on a ton of fun playing.
I really like picks between 1.0-2.0 on acoustics if they’re beveled. Not as much of the swishy flicky noise as thinner picks, not as much outer string emphasis as non-beveled picks.
Dunlop Primetone picks are great on the cheaper end of beveled picks, and so are Wegen for a little more. Blue Chip makes great picks too, but are a bit pricey as far as picks go.
Biggest issue with acoustics is the setup. Virtually all my acoustics had the action way higher that I have now as well as a high nut. This meant they were much harder to play than my electric.
If only acoustics had low action from the factory and an adjustable bridge then a lot of new players would not give up on acoustic.
THANK YOU for doing acoustics. I'm a Robert Baker fan, but I'm also an acoustic guy. LOVE it.
I had the opposite experience. Immediately felt at home on acoustic. Took forever to enjoy electric but now has become my primary.
Your timing on this is perfect. I've always had a couple of acoustics and played them occasionally but lately they've really become my "go to" for just casual pick-it-up and play. No fiddling around with other stuff....amps, pedals etc (which I love doing) but it's so easy to just pick it up and play and try some new things. Downside is it really has me GASsing for a 12 string acoustic!
I use the nylon .73 and the heavier one I think .82? Pics. I ran out, can’t find it right now and the capo I use a shub. That’s the name of it. Keep jamin’ on.👍
My Epiphone was being used to kill someone and was liberated from the bad guy and given to me. True story awesome relic. It's a 73 Texan, I'm a 58. Friend took his Washburn camping with some frat boy pals. They left early but not before relieving themselves in his guitar while he slept. Acoustic Guitar Drama!
There's a distinct difference in the characters of the coming off acoustics at an early age the touch of electric gauge took some getting use to adjusting practice time to an equal amount broadened the skill and proficiency at both that always kept it fun for me oh and playing the acoustic in a medium sized bathroom 😆 door closed the volume is massive😂😂😂👍✌
i only seem to have interest in my acoustic. I bought a pickup for it a fishman the cheaper humbucker sounds pretty amazing through a reg amp gain low and volume mid with some effects delay , phaser , flanger and sometimes reverb , limit the wet , very prog rock like but at a volume equal with the guitar fairly low for a home setup its quite nice.
I played acoustic, for around 6 yrs, before I ever touched Electric...and I'm happy I did.
My go to picks for acoustic and electric are Dunlop Jazz III, either their Primetone or Ultex/Eric Johnson ones. To my ears they sound better than regular Jazz III's. More volume, more tone.
I easily recommend giving a listen to the Alan Parsons Project album *Ammonia Avenue* for some first-rate examples of electric and acoustic guitars being used to play the same arpeggiated rhythm parts. In a couple of those instances, it’s difficult to tell which is which. That album was definitely an inspiration and a guide for me on a few of my solo cuts.
I love playing in a buildings stairwell the acoustics are amazing! Full sounds and echo
Great video. And there are some songs that can only be played with an acoustic guitar. Songs like Love of my life and More Than Words.