Guitarists FAQ's – Practice Makes Perfect

There are so many options when it comes to guitars that often the simple questions get overlooked. Here are some we get asked the most.

1) Am I better off learning to play acoustic or electric guitar?
To decide what sort of guitar you would like to learn to play you need to ask yourself the following questions: what is your budget? What style of music do you like? Who is it for- yourself or a child?
Budget: Acoustic guitars are generally much cheaper than electric guitars and can be bought alone, whereas an electric guitar needs cables and amplifiers. However, you can get some bargain bundles online and instore at Musicroom. Whatever you decide to play you have to be committed to learning and then it pays for itself with the rewards of learning an instrument.
Style: If you love the rock Gods then you might want to play a rock style on an electric guitar, whereas if you love the mellow acoustic tunes then you may want to re-enact these at home strumming on an acoustic guitar. Think about what you LOVE to listen to and you’ll be more inclined to want to keep up the practice.
Who it’s for: If you’re buying for yourself then also take into consideration how quickly you want to see results- electric guitars generally have smaller bodies and the strings are easier to press down on so they can be easier to learn the ‘basics’ on. However, the extra knobs and buttons can sometimes complicate things more than an acoustic guitar. If buying for a child then consider their learning style and goals too.

2) What advanced styles can I play?
You can learn to play like your heroes by copying their styles and songs, learn a whole new style such as jazz, blues, rock, folk or try a new technique like fingerpicking or slide guitar. You can find tuition books and DVDs on all of these techniques in the Practice Makes Perfect area of the website.
3) I’d like to form a band or start playing in an existing one. Where do I start?
A good place to start is to ask around your local area and see if there are any spaces for newbies in already formed bands. Try asking within music lessons at school, friends at clubs and societies or even go online and use a site like Join my band. If you don’t find what you’re looking for why not think about forming your own band of like minded musicians?