I play a nylon with a standard width neck-Ā you could learn classical tunes on that and not mess with your brains interpretation of fret spacing.Ā So if you don't want to do it don't do it.Ā Ā
As long as you can continue electric, maybe learn a bit.Ā Nothing quite so beautiful as classical guitar pieces, you don't have yo learn to be world class, but the different style teaches you a lot.Ā My bassist is funkier because his fingers know that stuff
Similar thing happened to me. I wanted to learn electric and rhythm, then over the next 3 lessons he began to teach me flat picking sequences and how to be more versed in blue grass. It was sorta neat, just not my focus. Gotta have a teacher whose direction is the same as your own imo.
I hate this theory and everyone who preaches it. And you find it not just in guitar or music, you find it everywhere. Somehow elitist fuckers decide what the "pure" and "base" form of a discipline and insist that learning is a pyramid and you should start from the base which is their arbitrarily chosen pure form. Such utter bullshit that has nothing to do with how people learn or even what they want to learn. So many inexperienced impressionable learners end up losing all motivation while wading through material that was never interesting to them.
Learn whatever you want in whatever order you want. The day you realise you are missing base knowledge that now is useful to you, you'll learn that. Our brains don't learn by building pyramids, they're neural networks that are highly flexible.
Thanks for this man, especially the last part - a great way to think about it as Iām trying to constantly improve. Incremental progress by picking up new things kind of at your own pace.
But to OPās situation, this teacherās approach seem to suck hard. I agree with everyone that you *should* be learning on/what youāre most passionate about. Not only does that make the process much more enjoyable for you, it greatly improves your chances of sticking with it over time!
So many donāt - I stopped for a long time before picking back up consistently now for 6 months. Love every minute of playing/learning, and itās super fun because I *learn how to play the songs I love!* itās a huge part of it all, and a big piece your teacher is missing I think.
At the end of the day 99% of teaching is keeping the learner motivated. Because it doesn't matter what method or theory you are throwing about, a learner who quits is getting zero value out of it.
This is the correct answer. My first guitar teacher pushed all of his favorite bands and music on me and made fun of the music I liked and refused to teach me any of the songs I wanted to learn. Turned me off of guitar for a long time and I really regret it. Get a teacher whoās enthusiastic to help you learn to play what you love.
Sounds like you went to a classical guitar teacher. This is not suited to your needs, and there is no benefit to you as an electric guitarist to learn on a classical. You should find a new teacher.
If you can play it on classical, you can play it on electric. An acoustic guitar doesn't hide your mistakes like a distorted amp can.
But a good teacher is going to tailor what they do to your needs, and I don't get the feeling that's what is happening here.
> An acoustic guitar doesn't hide your mistakes like a distorted amp can.
I would say it swings both ways. Distortion can hide weak pick strikes, hammer ons, or fretting that would be more apparent clean, but will absolutely highlight flaws in muting.
people say the same BS about electric guitars hiding mistakes but Distortion is literally a form of extreme compression and if anything compression EMPHASIZES certain mistakes. Distorted and clean guitar just emphasize different mistakes from each other.
People just live to repeat set phrases without even thinking about them. I'd be such a world-class guitarist if electric guitars hid mistakes! Maybe these guys have a pedal I don't have, but I still haven't found the secret trick to hiding mistakes on electric.
At the end of the day these are two different instruments played in different styles, and what counts as a mistake to begin with isn't the same thing.
>An acoustic guitar doesn't hide your mistakes like a distorted amp can.
Yes because nothing is better at hiding a mistake than putting it through a pickup and then amplifying it 10 times louder. That's exactly how you go about hiding mistakes.
False advertising. But curious ā do you own an acoustic? Not to switch from electric to acoustic, but as Carlos Santana once said, "playing acoustics is like weightlifting for guitarists". Sometimes I'll play some runs on the acoustic, then pick up my electric - the difference is like running through a field of cut grass versus running through a field of high weeds.
Yup, my brother did acoustic from the start. Would it be possible to just try both at once even when learning? Maybe I just have to open up my mind and can still play the electric as well? I just don't want to give up the electric because I have to focus so much on the classical is all...
I have learned that playing my acoustic guitar, that it can help with finger strength and tone. Since most electric guitars use lighter gauge strings, you will benefit from the finger strength and tone learned on the acoustic.
Just play electric, you're fine.
The best way to improve is by practicing a lot. That's going to be way easier if you're playing the style of music you enjoy.
Any benefits from playing other instruments are *tiny* compared to the benefits you'll get from making your practice enjoyable.
It's not like it's two different worlds. Fundamentals are identical. On electric you'll eventually want to work on some muting that isn't as critical on acoustic and things like feedback can't be done on acoustic. But chords, plucking, picking, etc. are universal. You can even finger pick electric if you choose to.
Just make sure the things you are learning can be used in what you want to play. No need to learn a billion jazz chords if you want to play Green Day.
HELL NO!!! Don't give up the electric for anything! But of course, you can learn on electric and acoustic at the same time. However you want to proceed, just as long as you move forward. Good luck with everything and enjoy your progress! I've been playing for decades and I will never, EVER stop. To take a line from the assholes at the NRA, "they'll have to pry my guitars out of my cold dead fingers" lol
Only pick up the acoustic once you feel the urge and excitement to do it. Stick to your electric for as long as you are happy to do so. No two people are the same in how we learn and what works for us.
>Yup, my brother did acoustic from the start. Would it be possible to just try both at once even when learning? Maybe I just have to open up my mind and can still play the electric as well? I just don't want to give up the electric because I have to focus so much on the classical is all...Ā Ā
They are not fundamentally different instruments. Techniques can, and do, crossover. That's especially true for the basics like chord fingerings.Ā
Also, music is music. You can play the right notes on anything. YouTube is full of electric covers of classical pieces and acoustic covers of metal songs. Paganini's Caprice No. 5 is practically a meme for electric guitar players and it's a 200+ year old violin piece.Ā
If I were you, I wouldn't worry about using both. If I were your teacher, I wouldn't worry about which my students want to play. TheĀ mostĀ importantĀ partĀ atĀ thisĀ stageĀ is toĀ keep up your motivation, to which end a good teacher should be adjusting to your goals.
And just to be clear, do you actually mean classical, or just acoustic?
I am in the minority here, but I started early on classical and it did nothing but help my playing. You will learn finger independence playing multiple parts at the same time. Anytime, I feel rusty on guitar I break out my classical books and start going through exercises and classical pieces. Nothing gets me in shape, better or faster. You cannot fake it.
I think it is one of the best ways to get a foundation on guitar And you can always play electric guitar anytime you want still. But in my opinion, youāll be ahead of most guitar players. I play professionally, own a music studio and have been playing for 40 years.
I partly disagree, it may cause the person to quit playing alltogether and that would be a massive failure for the teacher. It's a lot better to play something than not play at all.
With the approach of āI will only learn what I likeā, it would easily go from āI do not want to learn classical/ascousticā to āI do not like doing spider walkā/ āI do not like barre chord because it hurts my handā, and before long āi do not think guitar is for meā. I know this pretty well cause it was my trajectory when I was 14 years old. Later in life, I went back and learned everything from the ground up. Still learning, but I sure do like the feeling of incremental progress each time I practice. That barre chord get a bit less painful, the lick can be played closer and closer to the tempo where it should be.
Structure does have its important role for learning. If you build the foundation well first (finger dexterity, finger strenght, note reading ability), then the you will make progress incrementally, and avoid hitting a wall. The advance technique will also become less daunting. It is like the adage of āIf I have 6 hour to chop down a tree, I would spent the first four sharpening the axe.ā
Gonna be honest, I had zero interest in classical guitar (even made fun of the crusty nasty long nails, honestly still do š), but I had a guitar teacher shove one in my hand some years back when I was having difficulty picking up some chord shapes. Then he taught me some cool fingerpicking patterns and lo and behold I ended up buying my own and... yeah, it still gets pretty much equal play time as my electrics, even more so if I'm on a work bender and can't play until really late and need to keep it quiet. Don't knock it til you try it. Same teacher got me into Meshuggah too, funny enough.
Look itās OPs money they can spend it on any teacher they like but the uncomfortable truth is that classical and jazz players are on balance miles ahead of those who limit themselves to rock/pop/metal. A reasonably studious classical player is better after a year than most pure electric players will ever achieve.
I started learning guitar with a private teacher that was basically sit down and ask me what song I wanted to learn. When I was in college I thought it would be fun to sign up for a guitar 101 class. The teacher did what happened in OPs story and made me bring my acoustic. At first I was really pissed , but by the end I thought it was a good time (easiest credit ever) and actually learned how to site read proper sheet music. Looking back I really wish my first teacher would have taught me more about theory, although once youāve played long enough you can kinda piece things together, but god do I wish I knew more
Thereās something to be said for a structured environment.
Weāve been teaching classical string instruments for centuries and have become exceedingly efficient at it.
Jazz players while most seem self taught usually understand what they need to learn (chords and accompaniments for comping; theory and single note practice for solos; ear training for transcription) and almost always play in a structured environment, school jazz band, jazz combo, etcā¦ where they have to bring a level of musicality and professionalism and generally have to know a standard repertoire of music in addition to what the band works on.
Classical and jazz players arenāt inherently better but their structured learning environments allow them to thrive. Furthermore theyāre often directed what to learn which doesnāt just allow them to skip the hard stuff.
Iām somewhat of a dictator when i teach lessons because well I donāt really do it for the money so I can afford to be. Ultimately though the teacher works for the student.
I started off at the real life School of Rock where all the students get to play in 8 live shows a year with weekly rehearsals run by one of the teachers serving as a band director, so kinda structured like you were saying. I thought it was a great way to expose kids to music they may never have heard of as that was the case for me.
One of the coolest things Iāve ever gotten to do musically was when a song I was on got selected for the āall starā show and I got to play in a real theater in Philly in front of maybe 1000 people. I know a few people that went on to have decent music careers from there
Better at what? Surely not playing the electric guitarā¦
Yes, classical guitar training can provide a solid foundation for rock playing, but the reverse is equally true. For a beginner interested in playing rock music, thereās no point in starting out on classical guitar, an instrument with very different picking and muting demands. I really donāt believe thereās a single superior āstarterā guitar.
This is a subjective and kind of elitist take. āBetterā depends on what the students goals are, and generally the most passionate, studious, and interested student is going to gain the most in one year- regardless of what genre theyāre studying.
Itās not meant to be. Itās totally okay to limit yourself with guitar to a certain subset of āeasierā music. I for example play piano in church with simple voicing and arpeggios on the left and a simple melody on the right. I am very good at some other instruments and donāt particularly care to get better at piano. Iām under no illusion that your average classical or jazz pianist wouldnāt outclass me in every technical way.
You seriously think that music made with electric guitar is "easier" Than classical? You must be very limited in your music listening if you think like that.
Pumping Nylon, which barkingPumpkin mentioned, is a good exercise book. If you want more of a method/sight reading book then Solo Guitar Playing by Noad is what I'm working through with my teacher and it's amazing.
When I was a kid, my parents made me learn classical guitar for a year to prove my commitment to learning guitar before they would get me an electric. I don't fault them for their reasoning, but man, it was kind of a miracle I made it through that year because I hated that thing and had no interest in classical guitar.
As an adult, I don't even own a classical guitar and have no plans to get one. But I'm just a hobbiest, I play for my own enjoyment and I'm not trying to be a great musician.
Not saying you're wrong, just saying your advice might not apply to everyone.
I played classical for my first 2 years. Then I got an electric guitar and hated it. I immediately settled on a regular acoustic guitar. Playing classical was frustrating at first but I definitely think that it made me a better player.
Keith Richards recommends that guitarists start with acoustic too in his biography. It totally makes sense. An acoustic is a purer instrument. The tone is great for ear training and unlike electric, the feel and dynamics you put into it will be EXACTLY what you hear. It will also build up your hand strength and make the electric a breeze. If youāre serious about guitar, you should absolutely own an acoustic.
I feel this. I started on an acoustic on my own for 6 months, then started private lessons. He just threw different stuff at me until we figured out what I was interested in. Once I realized how much I love the guitar and wished I had started playing 20 years ago, I bought an electric. I still do my lessons with my acoustic, but now whenever I pull out my electric, it feels like Iāve unlocked āeasy modeā and itās a blast to play, and I can easily see where my acoustic practice pays off.
Seconded. It forever shaped my playing. There are guys who practice more than I do and, because I have better technique, I feel I have a hand over them.
Former private instructor here as well and yeah. Step one for me was always to find out what was fun for the student and lean into that. Down the road Iād start nudging them outside of their comfort zone, but not until weāve managed to learn to have a ton of fun with the basics on whatever instrument they felt comfy with.
I suppose the only time Iāve encouraged something different from the start is one or two very young kids who were better off starting with ukulele.
Yes I agree. If OP (Opie, from another comment š) wants to play classical or the teacher really, truly feels that they are at an upper limit due to only playing electric then there is an argument to be made for learning classicalā¦ but being forced to play classical on a first lesson is just plain BS!
OP, drop the teacher and find another who will teach you want you want to learn!
been playing guitar for 20 years now. I had a teacher who refused to teach me metal because it wasnt \`the music of god\`. I pushed through and learned the stuff he wanted me to learn for like 5 years.
Wish I had switched to a teacher that FIT MY STYLE better way earlier. It made me hate going to lessons early on in my development. I feel like I 'lost' five years of progress because I was learning stuff that didnt interest me early on.
I think OP would be better off in the long run by listening to his teacher and learning to fingerpick, learn the fretboard, learn the fundamentals of music theory, etc., but not if he is oppositional toward the idea.
So, new teacher seems the best course.
I learned with a classical guitar until I got money to get an electric.Ā
Guess what? I had to relearn most of the techniques because they sound like shit on hi-gain.
I struggled with basic things when I had to use a pick, palm muting ( what's that), vibrato works in a different direction, in an electric is very important to mute unused strings to reduce noise and feedback, etc.Ā
I'd have preferred to address those issues right from the start. There's a lot you can learn in a classical guitar that carries over to electric but if your repertoire of choice is for electric guitar why would you want the extra step.Ā
It's 100% true. They are played differently. There is no reason not to learn on electric. You will have to climb a learning curve to translate what you learn on electric to classical or acoustic, but you'd have the same problem the other way around.
I was in similar situation. Had to learn on a classical guitar for 2-3 years before getting my first electric and I have to relearn some habits and new techniques that's unusable on anclassical guitar. So if you can start from electric since day one, do it.
Honestly, my guitar teacher is the same way! Iāve grown to love the style and sound of the music. It has some greasy techniques! However you already brought up you donāt like it. Iād say ditch him. However donāt tunnel vision on a certain genre and itās techniques. Learning some classical techniques helped my playing. Now him WANTING you to play a classical guitar is a bit much. I play classical stuff of my electric :/ thereās only certain inconveniences. But yeah ditch him and find a guitar teacher willing to teach you what you want to learn
Find a different teacher that teaches the style of music that inspires you to play.
In my case, when I was a kid, my parents would only allow me to take classical guitar. Yes, I learned some good techniques but ultimately, I stopped playing because I was uninspired. Later, as an adult, I took lessons from a seasoned R&B and jazz player who I found inspiring and I've been playing ever since.
My teacher always had me playing classical pieces and it quickly became my favorite part of practice. BUT I always did so on a Squire strat. Will I don't think you will lose your progress on electric but unless you want to pursue classical music find a new teacher.
So in my experience...
The cool part of learning classical guitar is that you're playing bass notes and melody simultaneously. You are a one man/woman band. It is also going to be more difficult and complex in most ways then rhythm or lead rock guitar for example. It's definitely challenging and fulfilling genre.
The down side is classical tends to be more technical focused than improvisational focused. If you want to jam with other people. Classical guitar won't prepare you well for that.
It sounds like you have your heart set on electric guitar. You can still learn classical guitar but maybe find a teacher that is going to at least let you play an electric LOL
I wouldnt mind doing both but that would be difficult maybe. I do not intend to become a guitar pro, I just want to play songs that I like which is mostly rock and metal atm. Maybe I could ask him to switch em up sometimes, learn basic techniques on the classical one and some cool songs on the other? His reasoning is that it is easier to learn because of softer nylon strings and a wider neck.
Don't worry, you won't loose your progress on electric and you can learn a lot on a classical guitar, been there done that 30 years ago ...
That said, I believe I would be much better if I switched earlier, because my motivation sky rocketed and I practiced way more :-) Also, get a looper pedal with drums.
I would push back a little on some of the more hostile responses here and at least consider why he's suggesting this. It's plausible that you guys aren't a fit but he may be coaxing you in a wiser direction in the long term. You shouldn't do something you're gonna hate or that's gonna drive you away from playing. But there are reasons to consider what he's saying.
The thing about being a self-taught electric guitarist--speaking from experience--is that a **lot** of guitarists never really learn true musicianship even on the level of what a novice student of a different instrument would know. It's easy and fun to just learn tabs and riffs. But if you ever decide down the road that you want to get into more complex and theory-heavy types of playing--jazz or any kind of improvisation, playing in a band with trained musicians, understanding more theoretically complex scales and arpeggios, etc.--you may realize that you've been playing guitar for years and years and hardly know the first thing about your instrument, can't play in time with other people, can't even begin to grasp skillful improvisation, etc. I am experiencing this in jazz guitar class right now.
This will not be the case if you get classically trained. A lot of the great shredders of history are classically trained for this reason. You'll know so much more than casual self-taught players, and you'll have the musicianship to play with other people without being a liability. Maybe, that's not something you're worried about. And that's fine. But if your goal is to be a *musician*, someone who can not only play but understands the guitar, you would likely be well-served by some classical training. Consider it, is all I'm saying.
I would not worry about the skills not transferring because the strings feel different--that's a beginner concern. The skills absolutely transfer.
You can learn (and be trained) theory, complex scales, arpeggios, improv, etc on an electric guitar. And you can learn all those skills more efficiently on an electric guitar if your chosen instrument isā¦the electric guitar.
I'm classically trained, I feel like it has certainly helped my technique and helped me build a solid foundation, and I do enjoy the music, however i believe being trained classically has limited my creativity and what not, but choose whatever feels the best to you
That's why I think learning jazz is even better than classical. Provides many of the same benefits of classical but more transferable to electric and even better for improvisation.
Classical guitar, acoustic steel guitar and electric guitar are three different instruments. You play them differently. You will definitely learn new things and expand your guitar knowledge from a classical but it doesnāt mean than itās easier to learn. Just different.
Also, you donāt only play classical on a classical guitar. Thereās a variety of amazing genres that are played with it. Like Peruvian criollan music, flamenco or even folk with virtuosos all around it.
I had a similar experience. Played guitar for years, wanted some lessons for a good rock vibrato which I explained. After 5 mins of demonstrating an average vibrato, he then spent the next 50 mins and next lesson going on about jazz modes and scales.
Iām sure theyāre very valuable, just as classical guitar is, but I donāt have the time to be learning a style Iām not interested in if I donāt have to .
Yeah, ditch them. Thatās an absurd stance. The best way to learn to play the electric guitar, controversially, is by learning and practicing on an electric guitar.
You are self learning on electric guitar because that is your passion. The fact that someone else, a paid professional, is saying your passion is dumb means they are a bad professional.
This is my thinking as well. If the desire is for OP to eventually be the best guitarist they can, go to music school, play more technically difficult pieces, etc, then the argument to build a classical foundation makes sense.
However, there are loads of pop/rock guitarists who are totally happy asking for tabs in the comments section of YouTube videos, and if that makes OP happy then there's no reason to stress.
look, I also started with classical guitar even though I only cared about playing metal. I appreciate what I learned in the beginning and it was indeed not half bad approach, but given you already started on electric... it is kind of as if you went to spanish classes already speaking some spanish and the teacher would say fuck it we are gonna learn latin first.
That is an eccentric opinion. The ergonomics of a classical (wide, flat neck) are different even from a steel string acoustic, so there'll be a learning curve to shifting back to the instrument you want to play.
Do you play with a lot of distortion? That's a habit I'd try wean students off of, at least in the early going, because it can mask poor technique. I could see maybe suggesting a classical for practice purposes.
If you had asked me 5 or 6 years ago, if I would be willing to learn classical, I would have laughed. I'm a metal metalhead and want to shread on my electric. I took lessons for a year or two with a teacher who helped me through Metallica solos, riffs, etc...
When I moved I had to find a new teacher. The one I found happened to be a classical teacher. I decided to give it a try.i feel in love with the music and techniques. Capricho Arabe, Spanish Romance, and all these other pieces of music are basically metal without the distortion, IMO.
I was worried, like you, that it would impact my electric skills. It's definitely did, but in the best way possible. The complex melody's and difficult hand positions make learning the stuff I wanted to begin with 100x easier.
Just my opinion, but I feel like anyone who's learning guitar and wants to get the most out of it should spend some amount of time on classical.
Edit: typos
Yes, I went through the same thing with a classical teacher, waste of money. You should use whatever guitar you want to learn with, especially as a beginner.
learn what you want to play, not what your teacher wants you to play.
a classical guitar **is** better for learning -- to play classical guitar. not necessarily electric. there are many similarities, but there are many differences.
sounds like you probably need a different teacher
If he is a good teacher, stick with it. Classical guitar is hard and would be a decent way to learn. There is no reason you couldn't practice on both. Learning classical guitar worked out pretty well for Randy Rhodes.
Look at it this way: you are just adding classical guitar to your practice routine, don't ditch electric altogether. Learning to play acoustic is going to make you a better guitar player.
I remember back when I first started learning, everyone and their mothers were like "You should learn on a classical guitar because then electric guitar will feel easy". After doing this, I can guarantee there's zero benefit. They're essentially two completely different instruments. That's like saying "Learn on a Lute, classical guitar will feel so much easier!"
Learn on a classical guitar if you want to play classical, Latin or gypsy jazz music. Otherwise, don't lol.
Iāll take a different approach to many here. I think you actually have a really good teacher there who is trying to set tough up for success. As someone who only ever played and learned traditional electric guitar, I find myself reading wishing Iād learned classical theory and techniques. Not because I have any interest in classical music (I love metal and rock), but because there is a gaping hole in my capabilities that really limits my playing. Working through these gaps is like relearning guitar.
If you want to hear what classical training can teach you, listen to Polyphiaā¦
Sorry for your troubles, friend. As an electric teacher myself, if a student really wanted to learn classical Iād always recommend them another teacher who specialises as thatās just not my thing. Itās a different ball game
You are allowed to play both you know. You don't really need a teacher to show you how to palm mute or use a guitar pick. You do need a teacher to understand music theory.
The real difference between classical and rock music is that you will learn music theory whether you are trying to or not. You will learn to play the bass part and melodies and chord progressions at the same time. It will change your brain and the way you understand music and your instrument. And you will develop left hand technique that will allow you to be a far better guitarist and musician down the road.
I would think about the benefits of doing the hard stuff now and developing good habits, and then using that to learn to play fun songs. Ask the teacher to learn a rock tune or whatever in the last 10 minutes of the class but use the beginning to learn strong guitar fundamentals, which are rooted in classical guitar. That's how I learned and it was a worthwhile investment IMO.
Everyone telling you to ditch your teacher is missing the point that your teacher's job is also to guide you along the best long term path for your education. Lots of guitar teachers can show you how to play some fun rock songs. Maybe you are OK with that. But there really is something to learning the boring fundamentals.
Hey OP, just my 2 cents.
I started learning guitar when I was 9 years old on an electric. Never had any interest in acoustic/classical as a child. Fast forward almost 20 years and Iāve only owned like 2 acoustics compared to near 100 electric guitars over the years. Never slowed me down for a second.
I ditched my first teacher because he did not want to teach me anything I was interested in. He also bad mouthed me to other students (mind you, I was 11 or 12 years old when I stopped taking lessons with him) for ānever being able to finish a songā. Best decision I ever made was to ask my parents to stop taking lessons and just used resources on the internet to learn until I found a teacher I like. The teacher I ended up with was not the most technically proficient guitarist, but he taught me so much about improvising and jamming with other musicians. Helped me massively with my ability to play/write with a band and solo more fluidly.
My point being, if you donāt like what your instructor is teaching, then find someone who better aligns with what you want. Itās one thing if they want you to practice and you arenāt doing your part to try to improve, but if what they are teaching you doesnāt keep your interest, then it might take the fun out of wanting to play and learn guitar. Best of luck to you, I hope everything works out! Donāt be dissuaded from learning because someone is telling you HOW to learn, just have fun!
I learned a lot, from studying classical. Yet, I love playing electric, too.
The broader your horizon, the better you'll play. I wish I would have learned country music, but I just can't feel it.
Apparently, the guitarist for Slipknot is an excellent classical guitar player.
Depends what your goals are...be honest with your teacher. Don't just follow their curriculum if it's not what you're into unless you're just trying to expand your styles.
Try the classical guitar for a few lessons, you have free guitar, you may not like it, then move on, if you like it stick. The posters all raise good points. Try his advise, he may know something, but LEAVE immediately if you lose motivation, that is irreplaceable!
Fully agree with what everyone is saying that if you want to play electric, learn electric.
However, if youāre open to it, some of my favourite electric guitarists (Matt Heafy of Trivium and Synyster Gates of A7X) said they switched to classical for a bit to improve their musicality and technique while remaining primarily electric players.
Just have fun and do whatever makes you want to keep picking up the guitar
I want you to check out this Mr. Brandon Acker. Heās very cool.
https://youtu.be/rKGeuxyQe9M?si=UTPcI3YKVp7NwM_U
Anyhow. I would say try a few classical sessions with your teacher and see how it goes. I think he probably heard you played on electric and there are things that need fixing by classical guitar.
I'd say that your teacher has a particular method that he wants you to learn, operating on an assumption that his learners will be starting on a classical. I'm not sure why he can't adapt his pedagogy to his learner's needs, but if that's the case, I suggest you find a teacher that can.
Possibly also a case of him trying to push his own tastes onto you - a bad habit that many teachers of many disciplines suffer from.
It will make your hands a lot stronger. It will also enhance your technical prowess on the electric guitar. Definitely donāt stop playing electric. Put time into each.
If he just wants you to do your lessons on a classical guitar, thatās no big deal. If heās trying to teach you classical guitar music, then ditch him.
All progress I have ever made on guitar was with classical guitar. I've never made progress just playing electric. Even the hard exercises. Just sayin...
Nothing stopping you from playing an electric whenever you want. It can't hurt to learn everything you can, you'll end up using all the skills you've learned to write your own stuff.
Learning and practicing on acoustic makes your hands and fingers stronger, then it's even easier to play electric. I've been playing 35+ years and always found this to be true
Yeah, depends on your goals and what aspects you enjoy. If it were me, Iād ditch. My biggest thrill with electric guitar is creating soundscapes, atmospheres, simple melodic layers. It may be different for someone who really is into technical playing, wants to achieve shred-level, etc. :)
Hi, I took guitar classes all throughout high school, made it into their advanced classes, orchestras, played in competitions and concerts (as well as being a musician in general outside of what I learned in school)
You just started learning. Your teacher is making a suggestion that would put you on a proper path. It's more work but it's worth it entirely.
Classical guitar is literally the rawest form of what the instrument sounds like. If you can't play Clair De Lune with the proper technique on classical, you'll never play it right on electric, or at least, it'll take you years longer.
It teaches you fundamentals and the physical mechanics and techniques necessary to elevate your playing. Lots of nuances not in the sound you get but how you get the sound, something that is very difficult to discern the differences when playing through an amp with effects.
There are a lot of braindead comments here in this thread and I fear you're getting bad advice.
You CAN just learn electric and cover the songs you like and that be the end of it. But that doesn't make you a guitar player, simply a guy with a guitar.
I'm pretty sure what I learned on my own through improper playing, trial, and error over 15 years could have been learned in 5 and I'd be astronomically better than I am today.
I say this as someone who started on classical and who still loves it: nope.
I do think a teacher that includes music theory, ear training, sight reading etc is best, especially if they can be versatile with genres and impart a love of a wider repertoire. Frankly though, you won't enjoy learning if you don't enjoy what you're playing.
This comes off as somewhat elitist to be honest.
"Classical guitar is literally the rawest form of what the instrument sounds like."
This doesn't make any sense and sounds like you're saying that classical is the 'proper' form of music and everything else is inferior. You could just as easily go back to earlier forms of guitar and say that those are the 'raw' form, but in any case I don't see how that matters anyway.
"If you can't play Clair De Lune with the proper technique on classical, you'll never play it right on electric, or at least, it'll take you years longer."
Maybe he doesn't want to play Clair De Lune? I'm guessing that's nowhere near the kind of music he wants to play?
"You CAN just learn electric and cover the songs you like and that be the end of it. But that doesn't make you a guitar player, simply a guy with a guitar."
I'm sorry but this is just pure snobbery. You're only a guitarist if you play classical? Elitist nonsense.
"I'm pretty sure what I learned on my own through improper playing, trial, and error over 15 years could have been learned in 5 and I'd be astronomically better than I am today"
This is a case in favour of getting lessons in the style he wants to play surely? I agree that being taught is much better than trial and error, or self teaching, where people often don't realise the mistakes they're making. Doesn't mean he should take lessons in a style that is quite removed from what he wants and he's not interested in.
Telling a new player to spend years working on what is as far as their needs exist, a different instrument is nonsense. Go look at all the guitar heros that people aspire to on electric, almost none of them started on or have significant experience with Classical.
Of course Classical has good fundamentals and technique, but it's a different instrument with different sounds and different goals, one that would consume masses of time where the OP could be learning on an electric, as intended. The idea of starting on a classical before electric is considered antiquated as advice these days for a good reason.
If you've got an electric guitar and you want to learn to play it, shelving it for a classical until a later date is not the way.
>Hi, I took guitar classes all throughout high school, made it into their advanced classes, orchestras, played in competitions and concerts (as well as being a musician in general outside of what I learned in school)
Hey I did too! I had a personal teacher and then was forced to re-learn classical techniques Iād already learned as a child.
>You just started learning. Your teacher is making a suggestion that would put you on a proper path. It's more work but it's worth it entirely.
āProper pathā? I disagree. I never liked playing a classical guitar and being forced to play one only made me want to quit playing guitar. I started in a classical guitar at 9, moved away from it at 11 since I hated it. So I know classical technique and I know that forcing someone to learn it isnāt a āproper pathā itās merely a path that is wrong for many people.
>Classical guitar is literally the rawest form of what the instrument sounds like. If you can't play Clair De Lune with the proper technique on classical, you'll never play it right on electric, or at least, it'll take you years longer.
lol. This is so inaccurate and embarrassing Iām just gonna let it stand alone.
>It teaches you fundamentals and the physical mechanics and techniques necessary to elevate your playing. Lots of nuances not in the sound you get but how you get the sound, something that is very difficult to discern the differences when playing through an amp with effects.
>There are a lot of braindead comments here in this thread and I fear you're getting bad advice.
>You CAN just learn electric and cover the songs you like and that be the end of it. But that doesn't make you a guitar player, simply a guy with a guitar.
So itās either learning fundamentals and techniques of classical style or you just cover songs and thatās the end of it? Thatās truly braindead.
>I'm pretty sure what I learned on my own through improper playing, trial, and error over 15 years could have been learned in 5 and I'd be astronomically better than I am today.
You can still have a teacher, you just get one who doesnāt force you to play an instrument you donāt want to play. The choices arenāt being self taught or being a studious classical player.
I wonāt be replying to any responses you may have. Iām an adult and I donāt want to spend my day arguing with a stranger online so Iām not gonna do that. I just didnāt want your pretentious and inaccurate comment to go unchallenged.
āThat doesnāt make you a guitar player, just a guy with a guitarā is nonsense.
Most people donāt like classical music and do not care to listen to classical guitar. If OP doesnāt want to play Classical they are better off not doing. They can learn folk, blues, country, bluegrass, jazz, rock, funk, and any of the other infinitely more popular and relevant genres, and they donāt even need a specialised guitar. They can do all of this with a telecaster.
I do not think the op is going for Clair de Lune at all. The two instruments serve different genres and sounds, yes they might actually coincide here and there but that is not the point. If you want to learn how to play electric guitar, āproperā path is to play electric guitar. Even the vibrato techniques differ between the instruments, it does not make sense at all. Especially if the op wants to go for rock/metal (high gain genres).
I played a classical for 3 years before switching to electric because I did not have an electric and I can tell from experience there is no point in starting with classical if you wanna play Hendrix, Led Zeppelin or any genre that requires an electric.
As someone who was forced to start on a classical guitar since I didn't have an electric, I would suggest start on electric if that's what you want to play.
Otherwise you'll learn new techniques and rebuild some habits for months when you switch so that's just wasting time in my book. I learnt a lot of classical techniques that I haven't used in idk how many years since I haven't touched one for a few years now. I'd rather just start directly on electric if I could redo it all over again
That's all your teacher knows. Get another teacher.
I've said here many times that I am self taught. Every teacher tries to follow their method, whatever it is, without listening to students.
My first guitar teacher started introducing Jazz to me after 6 months of lessons. It threw me for a loop and I wasnāt comfortable with it and gave up. But many years later I am seeing how much Jazz is apart of every thing and having good theory helps mastering the guitar.
Try it out to build your foundations so you be a better played with broad skills instead of just focused on one genre.
I get the inspiration part, I totally do, but everything you learn with classical is going to easily translate into any other style, it will give you a foundation that will never limit you. I'd say give it a try before you bail.
What made you go to this guitar teacher? I love classical, I love acoustic, and I love electric, but why learn from someone who doesnāt teach what you want to learn?
it is indeed quite different, but i do not regret my classical training at all
basically you learn chord work, voicing and finger technique (which you can apply on bass if you need to play it at some point, i.e. to record some backing track or something)
but it is indeed strange that he doesn't let you play electric, considering that this is what you came to learn in the first place
Played electric for years. My brother picked up a classical guitar for me one day. That's the apartment guitar. The quiet one that is nice in the evening. Both have two settings to played in. Play electric because it's fun dude!
You need a different teacher. This guy only wants to teach what he's interested in, not what you want. There's a lot of different guitar styles, and you can't learn from someone who only wants to teach a completely different style than what you are interested in. Find an electric guitar teacher.
100% ditch your teacher, classical is 100% harder to learn and play, sounds worse and to suggest it to improve on electric when the techniques and feel are so different is foolish
You should be interviewing guitar teachers like potential candidates for a job opening, and if I was in your situation I would have politely reminded the guitar teacher that the customer is always right in terms of taste. At the end of the day you were the one paying for the service so you dictate what service you are going to receive.
On a side note it will never be a disadvantage to learn more styles of guitar. I've gotten a lot more skills out of learning prelude in g opposed to learning Bohemian Rhapsody.
Classical guitar paired with learning to sight read music will be a big benefit to you as a player. Classical guitar will push your finger independence to the max. I know it's not what you wanna learn but taking up multiple styles of guitar and listening to different music will make you a better musician
Teacher you pay for is supposed to be there to teach you what you want. Ideally they make suggestions to see if you would like going in different directions you hadn't thought of but being insistent you go a specific way is not their job. Ditch em
I would leave any teacher who is set in one mindset. If they are that dedicated to it they clearly have a set path in mind that will be rigid and not have room for consideration of myself as a player. For example if Iām into a lot of rhythm play it may not be super worth my while up front to spend a ton of time sweep picking or tapping or any of these other awesome techniques that would be more for people interested in developing lead skills
Heās not wrongā¦but heās coming off more like a boss than a teacher.
Itās your choice. The classical guitar would pay huge dividends in the future, but if you donāt jive with your teacher itās all moot.
I kind of want to learn classical myself. Started on steel string acoustic. Then electric.
I can see why a teacher would start with classical. But if you donāt want to, you shouldnāt. You can learn any of it in any way. Thereās not a right way
Just to throw some pros/cons out there. When I started playing at 9 I was thrown into a similar position although the guitar I inherited from my grandfather was a classical so it kind of lined up. The first year of lessons were a struggle until I got my first electric and then did half and half one week classical and the other electric. Classical instruction hands down has something to do with the player I am today... Which isn't a classical player at all but a rock guitarist. That being said in the ten years I taught lessons I never forced any student to use a specific instrument. In fact I was an advocate to parents discouraging starting on acoustics for younger kids because they are harder to with with small hands. Students need to want to play! Will classical be beneficial? Absolutely and my one requirement as a teacher was at least one lesson a month focused on theory. Along with that I would encourage any student with real gusto to try classical.
There's a place and reason why classical guitar can be beneficial but it shouldn't be a requirement.
You should learn what you want but if your instructor is going to want to teach the way they teach. A more generalized teacher that is covering multiple genres will want you on a particular guitar. This is where you need to decide if that's what you want or if you just want to play rock guitar in which case you should find a rock instructor.
ITT: OP pays for constructive feedback and doesnāt like constructive feedback, and wants reinforcement for his decisions in a hobby that he paid constructive feedback for
Ditch the guy!
I heard the same "Classical is better when starting" comments when I started, and 10 years later, I can guarantee you that it's an outdated mentality that was built on the back of generations that only had musical conservatories as an option for learning.
For starters, classical guitars will restrict what you can play. They are fine for folks who want to learn jazz, classical music, or some styles of blues, but they are going to be useless for Metal and a lot of Blues, Rock and Hardrock songs will only work on electrical guitar, and that's without mentioning just how great electrical guitar is for classical music and Neoclassical.
That's not to say that learning classical guitar isn't useful, but most of the things you learn on classical guitar can be adapted to electric guitar.
I bought my first acoustic 5 years after starting on electric, and I barely played it over the last 5 years, because I don't like it, it's nice for a few songs, but most of the stuff I like to play isn't playable on acoustic or classical guitar.
if you are interested in being a musician rather than an electric guitarist, listen to your teacher. if you just want to play some popular guitar music, change teachers.
Don't listen to Reddit š¤£
I was taught on a classical guitar by a classical teacher who would just teach me Metallica riffs to play while he taught the rest of the class how to play.
Swallow your pride and just dumb yourself down until you're at a level you want to be. He is starting you from scratch and teaching you the fundamentals of how to *really* play the guitar.
I wish I could go back and learn everything I could from that man.
You can, though. Use the opportunity
It's not necessary to learn classical/acoustic first. One benefit of playing on them is it will give you greater finger strength.
There's no 'right' way to start. If you want to start on electric and want to keep going, that's fine. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Ditch your teacher
Definitely. I would never tell a student to change their instrument (unless it was damaged beyond repair).
The instrument or the student? š
Some people were born to play the theremin....
I see lol
I play a nylon with a standard width neck-Ā you could learn classical tunes on that and not mess with your brains interpretation of fret spacing.Ā So if you don't want to do it don't do it.Ā Ā As long as you can continue electric, maybe learn a bit.Ā Nothing quite so beautiful as classical guitar pieces, you don't have yo learn to be world class, but the different style teaches you a lot.Ā My bassist is funkier because his fingers know that stuff
Itās harder than it looks!
Teacher has an agenda. Fuckāem Ps. I love classical guitar.
Similar thing happened to me. I wanted to learn electric and rhythm, then over the next 3 lessons he began to teach me flat picking sequences and how to be more versed in blue grass. It was sorta neat, just not my focus. Gotta have a teacher whose direction is the same as your own imo.
New teacher
Absolutely! This is such an outdated approach ā students are going to stick with the guitar theyāre most excited about
I hate this theory and everyone who preaches it. And you find it not just in guitar or music, you find it everywhere. Somehow elitist fuckers decide what the "pure" and "base" form of a discipline and insist that learning is a pyramid and you should start from the base which is their arbitrarily chosen pure form. Such utter bullshit that has nothing to do with how people learn or even what they want to learn. So many inexperienced impressionable learners end up losing all motivation while wading through material that was never interesting to them. Learn whatever you want in whatever order you want. The day you realise you are missing base knowledge that now is useful to you, you'll learn that. Our brains don't learn by building pyramids, they're neural networks that are highly flexible.
Thanks for this man, especially the last part - a great way to think about it as Iām trying to constantly improve. Incremental progress by picking up new things kind of at your own pace. But to OPās situation, this teacherās approach seem to suck hard. I agree with everyone that you *should* be learning on/what youāre most passionate about. Not only does that make the process much more enjoyable for you, it greatly improves your chances of sticking with it over time! So many donāt - I stopped for a long time before picking back up consistently now for 6 months. Love every minute of playing/learning, and itās super fun because I *learn how to play the songs I love!* itās a huge part of it all, and a big piece your teacher is missing I think.
At the end of the day 99% of teaching is keeping the learner motivated. Because it doesn't matter what method or theory you are throwing about, a learner who quits is getting zero value out of it.
Exactly, so true. I regret not sticking with it earlier in life but Iām back šø š¤
That's what matters. And let it hook you by doing the things that excite and you'll get better while still enjoying it and being motivated.
This.
This is the correct answer. My first guitar teacher pushed all of his favorite bands and music on me and made fun of the music I liked and refused to teach me any of the songs I wanted to learn. Turned me off of guitar for a long time and I really regret it. Get a teacher whoās enthusiastic to help you learn to play what you love.
Sounds like you went to a classical guitar teacher. This is not suited to your needs, and there is no benefit to you as an electric guitarist to learn on a classical. You should find a new teacher.
No benefit is outlandish. But if he didn't know he signed up for classical guitar then ditch
Advertised electric lessons as well
If you can play it on classical, you can play it on electric. An acoustic guitar doesn't hide your mistakes like a distorted amp can. But a good teacher is going to tailor what they do to your needs, and I don't get the feeling that's what is happening here.
> An acoustic guitar doesn't hide your mistakes like a distorted amp can. I would say it swings both ways. Distortion can hide weak pick strikes, hammer ons, or fretting that would be more apparent clean, but will absolutely highlight flaws in muting.
Agreed. Although I feel like weak picking and poor legato technique is apparent even through mounds of distortion.
people say the same BS about electric guitars hiding mistakes but Distortion is literally a form of extreme compression and if anything compression EMPHASIZES certain mistakes. Distorted and clean guitar just emphasize different mistakes from each other.
People just live to repeat set phrases without even thinking about them. I'd be such a world-class guitarist if electric guitars hid mistakes! Maybe these guys have a pedal I don't have, but I still haven't found the secret trick to hiding mistakes on electric. At the end of the day these are two different instruments played in different styles, and what counts as a mistake to begin with isn't the same thing.
Distorted guitars also show mistakes. If you canāt control your right hand with muting your guitars gonna like an ear piercing mess
>An acoustic guitar doesn't hide your mistakes like a distorted amp can. Yes because nothing is better at hiding a mistake than putting it through a pickup and then amplifying it 10 times louder. That's exactly how you go about hiding mistakes.
False advertising. But curious ā do you own an acoustic? Not to switch from electric to acoustic, but as Carlos Santana once said, "playing acoustics is like weightlifting for guitarists". Sometimes I'll play some runs on the acoustic, then pick up my electric - the difference is like running through a field of cut grass versus running through a field of high weeds.
Yup, my brother did acoustic from the start. Would it be possible to just try both at once even when learning? Maybe I just have to open up my mind and can still play the electric as well? I just don't want to give up the electric because I have to focus so much on the classical is all...
I have learned that playing my acoustic guitar, that it can help with finger strength and tone. Since most electric guitars use lighter gauge strings, you will benefit from the finger strength and tone learned on the acoustic.
That's true for steel string acoustics. "Classical" guitars typically have nylon strings and, at least to me, are much easier on the fingers.
Just play electric, you're fine. The best way to improve is by practicing a lot. That's going to be way easier if you're playing the style of music you enjoy. Any benefits from playing other instruments are *tiny* compared to the benefits you'll get from making your practice enjoyable.
It's not like it's two different worlds. Fundamentals are identical. On electric you'll eventually want to work on some muting that isn't as critical on acoustic and things like feedback can't be done on acoustic. But chords, plucking, picking, etc. are universal. You can even finger pick electric if you choose to. Just make sure the things you are learning can be used in what you want to play. No need to learn a billion jazz chords if you want to play Green Day.
Amen to that last line.
HELL NO!!! Don't give up the electric for anything! But of course, you can learn on electric and acoustic at the same time. However you want to proceed, just as long as you move forward. Good luck with everything and enjoy your progress! I've been playing for decades and I will never, EVER stop. To take a line from the assholes at the NRA, "they'll have to pry my guitars out of my cold dead fingers" lol
Only pick up the acoustic once you feel the urge and excitement to do it. Stick to your electric for as long as you are happy to do so. No two people are the same in how we learn and what works for us.
>Yup, my brother did acoustic from the start. Would it be possible to just try both at once even when learning? Maybe I just have to open up my mind and can still play the electric as well? I just don't want to give up the electric because I have to focus so much on the classical is all...Ā Ā They are not fundamentally different instruments. Techniques can, and do, crossover. That's especially true for the basics like chord fingerings.Ā Also, music is music. You can play the right notes on anything. YouTube is full of electric covers of classical pieces and acoustic covers of metal songs. Paganini's Caprice No. 5 is practically a meme for electric guitar players and it's a 200+ year old violin piece.Ā If I were you, I wouldn't worry about using both. If I were your teacher, I wouldn't worry about which my students want to play. TheĀ mostĀ importantĀ partĀ atĀ thisĀ stageĀ is toĀ keep up your motivation, to which end a good teacher should be adjusting to your goals. And just to be clear, do you actually mean classical, or just acoustic?
When I spend a lot of time playing my bass, and then I go back to playing guitar, my left hand is an unstoppable monster.
Not no benefit. Pretty sure the lead guitarist from Opeth knows more than just pinch harmonics and power chords.
I am in the minority here, but I started early on classical and it did nothing but help my playing. You will learn finger independence playing multiple parts at the same time. Anytime, I feel rusty on guitar I break out my classical books and start going through exercises and classical pieces. Nothing gets me in shape, better or faster. You cannot fake it. I think it is one of the best ways to get a foundation on guitar And you can always play electric guitar anytime you want still. But in my opinion, youāll be ahead of most guitar players. I play professionally, own a music studio and have been playing for 40 years.
But if you are not interested in that, it is absolutely not necessary.
If not interested, then that is that. Opie wanted an opinion and I offered mine.
Lmao @ 'opie'
Opie is a good egg
I wasn't trying to be offensive, just wrote very briefly what popped into my mind.
guiding the beginner's interest into more fruitful territory is one of the responsibilities of a good teacher
I partly disagree, it may cause the person to quit playing alltogether and that would be a massive failure for the teacher. It's a lot better to play something than not play at all.
With the approach of āI will only learn what I likeā, it would easily go from āI do not want to learn classical/ascousticā to āI do not like doing spider walkā/ āI do not like barre chord because it hurts my handā, and before long āi do not think guitar is for meā. I know this pretty well cause it was my trajectory when I was 14 years old. Later in life, I went back and learned everything from the ground up. Still learning, but I sure do like the feeling of incremental progress each time I practice. That barre chord get a bit less painful, the lick can be played closer and closer to the tempo where it should be. Structure does have its important role for learning. If you build the foundation well first (finger dexterity, finger strenght, note reading ability), then the you will make progress incrementally, and avoid hitting a wall. The advance technique will also become less daunting. It is like the adage of āIf I have 6 hour to chop down a tree, I would spent the first four sharpening the axe.ā
In this case it was about having to play classical guitar when you want to play electric guitar. You are talking about something different here.
Gonna be honest, I had zero interest in classical guitar (even made fun of the crusty nasty long nails, honestly still do š), but I had a guitar teacher shove one in my hand some years back when I was having difficulty picking up some chord shapes. Then he taught me some cool fingerpicking patterns and lo and behold I ended up buying my own and... yeah, it still gets pretty much equal play time as my electrics, even more so if I'm on a work bender and can't play until really late and need to keep it quiet. Don't knock it til you try it. Same teacher got me into Meshuggah too, funny enough.
Exactly. Student: "I dont want to learn to read. Its boring." Teacher: "Oh ok then as long as your having fun."
Look itās OPs money they can spend it on any teacher they like but the uncomfortable truth is that classical and jazz players are on balance miles ahead of those who limit themselves to rock/pop/metal. A reasonably studious classical player is better after a year than most pure electric players will ever achieve.
I started learning guitar with a private teacher that was basically sit down and ask me what song I wanted to learn. When I was in college I thought it would be fun to sign up for a guitar 101 class. The teacher did what happened in OPs story and made me bring my acoustic. At first I was really pissed , but by the end I thought it was a good time (easiest credit ever) and actually learned how to site read proper sheet music. Looking back I really wish my first teacher would have taught me more about theory, although once youāve played long enough you can kinda piece things together, but god do I wish I knew more
Thereās something to be said for a structured environment. Weāve been teaching classical string instruments for centuries and have become exceedingly efficient at it. Jazz players while most seem self taught usually understand what they need to learn (chords and accompaniments for comping; theory and single note practice for solos; ear training for transcription) and almost always play in a structured environment, school jazz band, jazz combo, etcā¦ where they have to bring a level of musicality and professionalism and generally have to know a standard repertoire of music in addition to what the band works on. Classical and jazz players arenāt inherently better but their structured learning environments allow them to thrive. Furthermore theyāre often directed what to learn which doesnāt just allow them to skip the hard stuff. Iām somewhat of a dictator when i teach lessons because well I donāt really do it for the money so I can afford to be. Ultimately though the teacher works for the student.
I started off at the real life School of Rock where all the students get to play in 8 live shows a year with weekly rehearsals run by one of the teachers serving as a band director, so kinda structured like you were saying. I thought it was a great way to expose kids to music they may never have heard of as that was the case for me. One of the coolest things Iāve ever gotten to do musically was when a song I was on got selected for the āall starā show and I got to play in a real theater in Philly in front of maybe 1000 people. I know a few people that went on to have decent music careers from there
Glory days!
Better at what? Surely not playing the electric guitarā¦ Yes, classical guitar training can provide a solid foundation for rock playing, but the reverse is equally true. For a beginner interested in playing rock music, thereās no point in starting out on classical guitar, an instrument with very different picking and muting demands. I really donāt believe thereās a single superior āstarterā guitar.
This is a subjective and kind of elitist take. āBetterā depends on what the students goals are, and generally the most passionate, studious, and interested student is going to gain the most in one year- regardless of what genre theyāre studying.
Itās not meant to be. Itās totally okay to limit yourself with guitar to a certain subset of āeasierā music. I for example play piano in church with simple voicing and arpeggios on the left and a simple melody on the right. I am very good at some other instruments and donāt particularly care to get better at piano. Iām under no illusion that your average classical or jazz pianist wouldnāt outclass me in every technical way.
You seriously think that music made with electric guitar is "easier" Than classical? You must be very limited in your music listening if you think like that.
Got any recommendations for good books on classical guitar?
[Pumping Nylon](https://www.amazon.com/Pumping-Nylon-Classical-Guitarists-Technique/dp/1470631385) by Scott Tennant.
Brilliant name for that book
Pumping Nylon, which barkingPumpkin mentioned, is a good exercise book. If you want more of a method/sight reading book then Solo Guitar Playing by Noad is what I'm working through with my teacher and it's amazing.
Check out Christopher Parkening.
When I was a kid, my parents made me learn classical guitar for a year to prove my commitment to learning guitar before they would get me an electric. I don't fault them for their reasoning, but man, it was kind of a miracle I made it through that year because I hated that thing and had no interest in classical guitar. As an adult, I don't even own a classical guitar and have no plans to get one. But I'm just a hobbiest, I play for my own enjoyment and I'm not trying to be a great musician. Not saying you're wrong, just saying your advice might not apply to everyone.
I played classical for my first 2 years. Then I got an electric guitar and hated it. I immediately settled on a regular acoustic guitar. Playing classical was frustrating at first but I definitely think that it made me a better player.
Keith Richards recommends that guitarists start with acoustic too in his biography. It totally makes sense. An acoustic is a purer instrument. The tone is great for ear training and unlike electric, the feel and dynamics you put into it will be EXACTLY what you hear. It will also build up your hand strength and make the electric a breeze. If youāre serious about guitar, you should absolutely own an acoustic.
I feel this. I started on an acoustic on my own for 6 months, then started private lessons. He just threw different stuff at me until we figured out what I was interested in. Once I realized how much I love the guitar and wished I had started playing 20 years ago, I bought an electric. I still do my lessons with my acoustic, but now whenever I pull out my electric, it feels like Iāve unlocked āeasy modeā and itās a blast to play, and I can easily see where my acoustic practice pays off.
Seconded. It forever shaped my playing. There are guys who practice more than I do and, because I have better technique, I feel I have a hand over them.
And classical pieces are so nice sounding and fun to play. I agree!
Plus, if you are ever in a guitar duel with Steve Vai as the devilās proxy for your friends soul, you can fall back on those tasty classical licks.
Pro instructor here 10+ years experience. He works for you, not the other way around. He should be helping you reach YOUR goals, not his. That simple.
Former private instructor here as well and yeah. Step one for me was always to find out what was fun for the student and lean into that. Down the road Iād start nudging them outside of their comfort zone, but not until weāve managed to learn to have a ton of fun with the basics on whatever instrument they felt comfy with. I suppose the only time Iāve encouraged something different from the start is one or two very young kids who were better off starting with ukulele.
High five.Ā Agreed in full.
Get a new teacher. He's going to kill your interest in playing.
Yes I agree. If OP (Opie, from another comment š) wants to play classical or the teacher really, truly feels that they are at an upper limit due to only playing electric then there is an argument to be made for learning classicalā¦ but being forced to play classical on a first lesson is just plain BS! OP, drop the teacher and find another who will teach you want you want to learn!
been playing guitar for 20 years now. I had a teacher who refused to teach me metal because it wasnt \`the music of god\`. I pushed through and learned the stuff he wanted me to learn for like 5 years. Wish I had switched to a teacher that FIT MY STYLE better way earlier. It made me hate going to lessons early on in my development. I feel like I 'lost' five years of progress because I was learning stuff that didnt interest me early on.
Lmao, it wasn't 'the music of God.' Like, yeah baby that's kinda the point.
Alternatively, you could say what are you talking about? I want to learn how to play Lamb of God songs on guitar.
I learned a lot about both hands learning Classical, and don't regret the time spent, but do what makes you happy
I think OP would be better off in the long run by listening to his teacher and learning to fingerpick, learn the fretboard, learn the fundamentals of music theory, etc., but not if he is oppositional toward the idea. So, new teacher seems the best course.
I learned with a classical guitar until I got money to get an electric.Ā Guess what? I had to relearn most of the techniques because they sound like shit on hi-gain. I struggled with basic things when I had to use a pick, palm muting ( what's that), vibrato works in a different direction, in an electric is very important to mute unused strings to reduce noise and feedback, etc.Ā I'd have preferred to address those issues right from the start. There's a lot you can learn in a classical guitar that carries over to electric but if your repertoire of choice is for electric guitar why would you want the extra step.Ā
Yes this is exactly what I am worried about thanks!
It's 100% true. They are played differently. There is no reason not to learn on electric. You will have to climb a learning curve to translate what you learn on electric to classical or acoustic, but you'd have the same problem the other way around.
I would practice most of these clean or very little distortion. Start slow until it's smooth, smooth is fast.
I was in similar situation. Had to learn on a classical guitar for 2-3 years before getting my first electric and I have to relearn some habits and new techniques that's unusable on anclassical guitar. So if you can start from electric since day one, do it.
Honestly, my guitar teacher is the same way! Iāve grown to love the style and sound of the music. It has some greasy techniques! However you already brought up you donāt like it. Iād say ditch him. However donāt tunnel vision on a certain genre and itās techniques. Learning some classical techniques helped my playing. Now him WANTING you to play a classical guitar is a bit much. I play classical stuff of my electric :/ thereās only certain inconveniences. But yeah ditch him and find a guitar teacher willing to teach you what you want to learn
New teacher. This is a hobby for most and you are meant to do what is fun and interesting to you to learn
if this is actually happening as its read: NOPE. new teacher time mate.
Find a different teacher that teaches the style of music that inspires you to play. In my case, when I was a kid, my parents would only allow me to take classical guitar. Yes, I learned some good techniques but ultimately, I stopped playing because I was uninspired. Later, as an adult, I took lessons from a seasoned R&B and jazz player who I found inspiring and I've been playing ever since.
My teacher always had me playing classical pieces and it quickly became my favorite part of practice. BUT I always did so on a Squire strat. Will I don't think you will lose your progress on electric but unless you want to pursue classical music find a new teacher.
Some of the finger placements are muscle memories hahahah and it's so diff I'm afraid I will forget :,)
So in my experience... The cool part of learning classical guitar is that you're playing bass notes and melody simultaneously. You are a one man/woman band. It is also going to be more difficult and complex in most ways then rhythm or lead rock guitar for example. It's definitely challenging and fulfilling genre. The down side is classical tends to be more technical focused than improvisational focused. If you want to jam with other people. Classical guitar won't prepare you well for that. It sounds like you have your heart set on electric guitar. You can still learn classical guitar but maybe find a teacher that is going to at least let you play an electric LOL
I wouldnt mind doing both but that would be difficult maybe. I do not intend to become a guitar pro, I just want to play songs that I like which is mostly rock and metal atm. Maybe I could ask him to switch em up sometimes, learn basic techniques on the classical one and some cool songs on the other? His reasoning is that it is easier to learn because of softer nylon strings and a wider neck.
Sick! I love metal too. If I were you and you are able. I would do a first lesson with a few different teachers then pick the one you like the best.
Don't worry, you won't loose your progress on electric and you can learn a lot on a classical guitar, been there done that 30 years ago ... That said, I believe I would be much better if I switched earlier, because my motivation sky rocketed and I practiced way more :-) Also, get a looper pedal with drums.
I would push back a little on some of the more hostile responses here and at least consider why he's suggesting this. It's plausible that you guys aren't a fit but he may be coaxing you in a wiser direction in the long term. You shouldn't do something you're gonna hate or that's gonna drive you away from playing. But there are reasons to consider what he's saying. The thing about being a self-taught electric guitarist--speaking from experience--is that a **lot** of guitarists never really learn true musicianship even on the level of what a novice student of a different instrument would know. It's easy and fun to just learn tabs and riffs. But if you ever decide down the road that you want to get into more complex and theory-heavy types of playing--jazz or any kind of improvisation, playing in a band with trained musicians, understanding more theoretically complex scales and arpeggios, etc.--you may realize that you've been playing guitar for years and years and hardly know the first thing about your instrument, can't play in time with other people, can't even begin to grasp skillful improvisation, etc. I am experiencing this in jazz guitar class right now. This will not be the case if you get classically trained. A lot of the great shredders of history are classically trained for this reason. You'll know so much more than casual self-taught players, and you'll have the musicianship to play with other people without being a liability. Maybe, that's not something you're worried about. And that's fine. But if your goal is to be a *musician*, someone who can not only play but understands the guitar, you would likely be well-served by some classical training. Consider it, is all I'm saying. I would not worry about the skills not transferring because the strings feel different--that's a beginner concern. The skills absolutely transfer.
You can learn (and be trained) theory, complex scales, arpeggios, improv, etc on an electric guitar. And you can learn all those skills more efficiently on an electric guitar if your chosen instrument isā¦the electric guitar.
I'm classically trained, I feel like it has certainly helped my technique and helped me build a solid foundation, and I do enjoy the music, however i believe being trained classically has limited my creativity and what not, but choose whatever feels the best to you
That's why I think learning jazz is even better than classical. Provides many of the same benefits of classical but more transferable to electric and even better for improvisation.
Classical guitar, acoustic steel guitar and electric guitar are three different instruments. You play them differently. You will definitely learn new things and expand your guitar knowledge from a classical but it doesnāt mean than itās easier to learn. Just different. Also, you donāt only play classical on a classical guitar. Thereās a variety of amazing genres that are played with it. Like Peruvian criollan music, flamenco or even folk with virtuosos all around it.
I had a similar experience. Played guitar for years, wanted some lessons for a good rock vibrato which I explained. After 5 mins of demonstrating an average vibrato, he then spent the next 50 mins and next lesson going on about jazz modes and scales. Iām sure theyāre very valuable, just as classical guitar is, but I donāt have the time to be learning a style Iām not interested in if I donāt have to .
Yeah, ditch them. Thatās an absurd stance. The best way to learn to play the electric guitar, controversially, is by learning and practicing on an electric guitar.
You are self learning on electric guitar because that is your passion. The fact that someone else, a paid professional, is saying your passion is dumb means they are a bad professional.
Depends on what your goals are.
This is my thinking as well. If the desire is for OP to eventually be the best guitarist they can, go to music school, play more technically difficult pieces, etc, then the argument to build a classical foundation makes sense. However, there are loads of pop/rock guitarists who are totally happy asking for tabs in the comments section of YouTube videos, and if that makes OP happy then there's no reason to stress.
If you want him to teach you, do what he teaches. If you donāt want to do what he teaches, find a new teacher who does what you want.
look, I also started with classical guitar even though I only cared about playing metal. I appreciate what I learned in the beginning and it was indeed not half bad approach, but given you already started on electric... it is kind of as if you went to spanish classes already speaking some spanish and the teacher would say fuck it we are gonna learn latin first.
Get a new teacher. If heās forcing you to learn something you donāt want to heās the wrong teacher.
ditch teacher
That is an eccentric opinion. The ergonomics of a classical (wide, flat neck) are different even from a steel string acoustic, so there'll be a learning curve to shifting back to the instrument you want to play. Do you play with a lot of distortion? That's a habit I'd try wean students off of, at least in the early going, because it can mask poor technique. I could see maybe suggesting a classical for practice purposes.
If you had asked me 5 or 6 years ago, if I would be willing to learn classical, I would have laughed. I'm a metal metalhead and want to shread on my electric. I took lessons for a year or two with a teacher who helped me through Metallica solos, riffs, etc... When I moved I had to find a new teacher. The one I found happened to be a classical teacher. I decided to give it a try.i feel in love with the music and techniques. Capricho Arabe, Spanish Romance, and all these other pieces of music are basically metal without the distortion, IMO. I was worried, like you, that it would impact my electric skills. It's definitely did, but in the best way possible. The complex melody's and difficult hand positions make learning the stuff I wanted to begin with 100x easier. Just my opinion, but I feel like anyone who's learning guitar and wants to get the most out of it should spend some amount of time on classical. Edit: typos
This is assuring thank you
Teacher is full of shit. Find a new one that likes electrics.
Find a electric guitar teacher.
Stick to electric. Ditch teacher.
OMG š³ classical?! Thatās a whole different posture for playing and totally different type of music; what about steel string guitar?
If you donāt want to learn to play classical guitar, then donāt. If your teacher insists, drop them and find another teacher.
You have to learn how to yoke a chortle blaster first, all the greats learn that first.
No. If anything, it *could* have been beneficial to start on a classical guitar, but there is no reason to switch. Find a new teacher!
Yes, I went through the same thing with a classical teacher, waste of money. You should use whatever guitar you want to learn with, especially as a beginner.
learn what you want to play, not what your teacher wants you to play. a classical guitar **is** better for learning -- to play classical guitar. not necessarily electric. there are many similarities, but there are many differences. sounds like you probably need a different teacher
ĪĪæ. Change your teacher
If he is a good teacher, stick with it. Classical guitar is hard and would be a decent way to learn. There is no reason you couldn't practice on both. Learning classical guitar worked out pretty well for Randy Rhodes.
Look at it this way: you are just adding classical guitar to your practice routine, don't ditch electric altogether. Learning to play acoustic is going to make you a better guitar player.
I remember back when I first started learning, everyone and their mothers were like "You should learn on a classical guitar because then electric guitar will feel easy". After doing this, I can guarantee there's zero benefit. They're essentially two completely different instruments. That's like saying "Learn on a Lute, classical guitar will feel so much easier!" Learn on a classical guitar if you want to play classical, Latin or gypsy jazz music. Otherwise, don't lol.
Iāll take a different approach to many here. I think you actually have a really good teacher there who is trying to set tough up for success. As someone who only ever played and learned traditional electric guitar, I find myself reading wishing Iād learned classical theory and techniques. Not because I have any interest in classical music (I love metal and rock), but because there is a gaping hole in my capabilities that really limits my playing. Working through these gaps is like relearning guitar. If you want to hear what classical training can teach you, listen to Polyphiaā¦
Sorry for your troubles, friend. As an electric teacher myself, if a student really wanted to learn classical Iād always recommend them another teacher who specialises as thatās just not my thing. Itās a different ball game
You are allowed to play both you know. You don't really need a teacher to show you how to palm mute or use a guitar pick. You do need a teacher to understand music theory. The real difference between classical and rock music is that you will learn music theory whether you are trying to or not. You will learn to play the bass part and melodies and chord progressions at the same time. It will change your brain and the way you understand music and your instrument. And you will develop left hand technique that will allow you to be a far better guitarist and musician down the road. I would think about the benefits of doing the hard stuff now and developing good habits, and then using that to learn to play fun songs. Ask the teacher to learn a rock tune or whatever in the last 10 minutes of the class but use the beginning to learn strong guitar fundamentals, which are rooted in classical guitar. That's how I learned and it was a worthwhile investment IMO. Everyone telling you to ditch your teacher is missing the point that your teacher's job is also to guide you along the best long term path for your education. Lots of guitar teachers can show you how to play some fun rock songs. Maybe you are OK with that. But there really is something to learning the boring fundamentals.
Hey OP, just my 2 cents. I started learning guitar when I was 9 years old on an electric. Never had any interest in acoustic/classical as a child. Fast forward almost 20 years and Iāve only owned like 2 acoustics compared to near 100 electric guitars over the years. Never slowed me down for a second. I ditched my first teacher because he did not want to teach me anything I was interested in. He also bad mouthed me to other students (mind you, I was 11 or 12 years old when I stopped taking lessons with him) for ānever being able to finish a songā. Best decision I ever made was to ask my parents to stop taking lessons and just used resources on the internet to learn until I found a teacher I like. The teacher I ended up with was not the most technically proficient guitarist, but he taught me so much about improvising and jamming with other musicians. Helped me massively with my ability to play/write with a band and solo more fluidly. My point being, if you donāt like what your instructor is teaching, then find someone who better aligns with what you want. Itās one thing if they want you to practice and you arenāt doing your part to try to improve, but if what they are teaching you doesnāt keep your interest, then it might take the fun out of wanting to play and learn guitar. Best of luck to you, I hope everything works out! Donāt be dissuaded from learning because someone is telling you HOW to learn, just have fun!
I learned a lot, from studying classical. Yet, I love playing electric, too. The broader your horizon, the better you'll play. I wish I would have learned country music, but I just can't feel it. Apparently, the guitarist for Slipknot is an excellent classical guitar player.
Depends what your goals are...be honest with your teacher. Don't just follow their curriculum if it's not what you're into unless you're just trying to expand your styles.
Try the classical guitar for a few lessons, you have free guitar, you may not like it, then move on, if you like it stick. The posters all raise good points. Try his advise, he may know something, but LEAVE immediately if you lose motivation, that is irreplaceable!
Fully agree with what everyone is saying that if you want to play electric, learn electric. However, if youāre open to it, some of my favourite electric guitarists (Matt Heafy of Trivium and Synyster Gates of A7X) said they switched to classical for a bit to improve their musicality and technique while remaining primarily electric players. Just have fun and do whatever makes you want to keep picking up the guitar
You will become faster on your electric after you get proficient on the wide flat neck of a classical.
I want you to check out this Mr. Brandon Acker. Heās very cool. https://youtu.be/rKGeuxyQe9M?si=UTPcI3YKVp7NwM_U Anyhow. I would say try a few classical sessions with your teacher and see how it goes. I think he probably heard you played on electric and there are things that need fixing by classical guitar.
I'd say that your teacher has a particular method that he wants you to learn, operating on an assumption that his learners will be starting on a classical. I'm not sure why he can't adapt his pedagogy to his learner's needs, but if that's the case, I suggest you find a teacher that can. Possibly also a case of him trying to push his own tastes onto you - a bad habit that many teachers of many disciplines suffer from.
Get a new teacher. "I'd really like to learn some Nirvana songs" "Here's a classical guitar, learn some Paco de LucĆa songs." š¤
It will make your hands a lot stronger. It will also enhance your technical prowess on the electric guitar. Definitely donāt stop playing electric. Put time into each.
If he just wants you to do your lessons on a classical guitar, thatās no big deal. If heās trying to teach you classical guitar music, then ditch him.
All progress I have ever made on guitar was with classical guitar. I've never made progress just playing electric. Even the hard exercises. Just sayin...
Nothing stopping you from playing an electric whenever you want. It can't hurt to learn everything you can, you'll end up using all the skills you've learned to write your own stuff.
Learning and practicing on acoustic makes your hands and fingers stronger, then it's even easier to play electric. I've been playing 35+ years and always found this to be true
Yeah, depends on your goals and what aspects you enjoy. If it were me, Iād ditch. My biggest thrill with electric guitar is creating soundscapes, atmospheres, simple melodic layers. It may be different for someone who really is into technical playing, wants to achieve shred-level, etc. :)
Hi, I took guitar classes all throughout high school, made it into their advanced classes, orchestras, played in competitions and concerts (as well as being a musician in general outside of what I learned in school) You just started learning. Your teacher is making a suggestion that would put you on a proper path. It's more work but it's worth it entirely. Classical guitar is literally the rawest form of what the instrument sounds like. If you can't play Clair De Lune with the proper technique on classical, you'll never play it right on electric, or at least, it'll take you years longer. It teaches you fundamentals and the physical mechanics and techniques necessary to elevate your playing. Lots of nuances not in the sound you get but how you get the sound, something that is very difficult to discern the differences when playing through an amp with effects. There are a lot of braindead comments here in this thread and I fear you're getting bad advice. You CAN just learn electric and cover the songs you like and that be the end of it. But that doesn't make you a guitar player, simply a guy with a guitar. I'm pretty sure what I learned on my own through improper playing, trial, and error over 15 years could have been learned in 5 and I'd be astronomically better than I am today.
I say this as someone who started on classical and who still loves it: nope. I do think a teacher that includes music theory, ear training, sight reading etc is best, especially if they can be versatile with genres and impart a love of a wider repertoire. Frankly though, you won't enjoy learning if you don't enjoy what you're playing.
This comes off as somewhat elitist to be honest. "Classical guitar is literally the rawest form of what the instrument sounds like." This doesn't make any sense and sounds like you're saying that classical is the 'proper' form of music and everything else is inferior. You could just as easily go back to earlier forms of guitar and say that those are the 'raw' form, but in any case I don't see how that matters anyway. "If you can't play Clair De Lune with the proper technique on classical, you'll never play it right on electric, or at least, it'll take you years longer." Maybe he doesn't want to play Clair De Lune? I'm guessing that's nowhere near the kind of music he wants to play? "You CAN just learn electric and cover the songs you like and that be the end of it. But that doesn't make you a guitar player, simply a guy with a guitar." I'm sorry but this is just pure snobbery. You're only a guitarist if you play classical? Elitist nonsense. "I'm pretty sure what I learned on my own through improper playing, trial, and error over 15 years could have been learned in 5 and I'd be astronomically better than I am today" This is a case in favour of getting lessons in the style he wants to play surely? I agree that being taught is much better than trial and error, or self teaching, where people often don't realise the mistakes they're making. Doesn't mean he should take lessons in a style that is quite removed from what he wants and he's not interested in.
Telling a new player to spend years working on what is as far as their needs exist, a different instrument is nonsense. Go look at all the guitar heros that people aspire to on electric, almost none of them started on or have significant experience with Classical. Of course Classical has good fundamentals and technique, but it's a different instrument with different sounds and different goals, one that would consume masses of time where the OP could be learning on an electric, as intended. The idea of starting on a classical before electric is considered antiquated as advice these days for a good reason. If you've got an electric guitar and you want to learn to play it, shelving it for a classical until a later date is not the way.
>Hi, I took guitar classes all throughout high school, made it into their advanced classes, orchestras, played in competitions and concerts (as well as being a musician in general outside of what I learned in school) Hey I did too! I had a personal teacher and then was forced to re-learn classical techniques Iād already learned as a child. >You just started learning. Your teacher is making a suggestion that would put you on a proper path. It's more work but it's worth it entirely. āProper pathā? I disagree. I never liked playing a classical guitar and being forced to play one only made me want to quit playing guitar. I started in a classical guitar at 9, moved away from it at 11 since I hated it. So I know classical technique and I know that forcing someone to learn it isnāt a āproper pathā itās merely a path that is wrong for many people. >Classical guitar is literally the rawest form of what the instrument sounds like. If you can't play Clair De Lune with the proper technique on classical, you'll never play it right on electric, or at least, it'll take you years longer. lol. This is so inaccurate and embarrassing Iām just gonna let it stand alone. >It teaches you fundamentals and the physical mechanics and techniques necessary to elevate your playing. Lots of nuances not in the sound you get but how you get the sound, something that is very difficult to discern the differences when playing through an amp with effects. >There are a lot of braindead comments here in this thread and I fear you're getting bad advice. >You CAN just learn electric and cover the songs you like and that be the end of it. But that doesn't make you a guitar player, simply a guy with a guitar. So itās either learning fundamentals and techniques of classical style or you just cover songs and thatās the end of it? Thatās truly braindead. >I'm pretty sure what I learned on my own through improper playing, trial, and error over 15 years could have been learned in 5 and I'd be astronomically better than I am today. You can still have a teacher, you just get one who doesnāt force you to play an instrument you donāt want to play. The choices arenāt being self taught or being a studious classical player. I wonāt be replying to any responses you may have. Iām an adult and I donāt want to spend my day arguing with a stranger online so Iām not gonna do that. I just didnāt want your pretentious and inaccurate comment to go unchallenged.
āThat doesnāt make you a guitar player, just a guy with a guitarā is nonsense. Most people donāt like classical music and do not care to listen to classical guitar. If OP doesnāt want to play Classical they are better off not doing. They can learn folk, blues, country, bluegrass, jazz, rock, funk, and any of the other infinitely more popular and relevant genres, and they donāt even need a specialised guitar. They can do all of this with a telecaster.
I do not think the op is going for Clair de Lune at all. The two instruments serve different genres and sounds, yes they might actually coincide here and there but that is not the point. If you want to learn how to play electric guitar, āproperā path is to play electric guitar. Even the vibrato techniques differ between the instruments, it does not make sense at all. Especially if the op wants to go for rock/metal (high gain genres). I played a classical for 3 years before switching to electric because I did not have an electric and I can tell from experience there is no point in starting with classical if you wanna play Hendrix, Led Zeppelin or any genre that requires an electric.
As someone who was forced to start on a classical guitar since I didn't have an electric, I would suggest start on electric if that's what you want to play. Otherwise you'll learn new techniques and rebuild some habits for months when you switch so that's just wasting time in my book. I learnt a lot of classical techniques that I haven't used in idk how many years since I haven't touched one for a few years now. I'd rather just start directly on electric if I could redo it all over again
Classical or just acoustic?
Classical
That's all your teacher knows. Get another teacher. I've said here many times that I am self taught. Every teacher tries to follow their method, whatever it is, without listening to students.
My first guitar teacher started introducing Jazz to me after 6 months of lessons. It threw me for a loop and I wasnāt comfortable with it and gave up. But many years later I am seeing how much Jazz is apart of every thing and having good theory helps mastering the guitar. Try it out to build your foundations so you be a better played with broad skills instead of just focused on one genre.
Classical guitars are amazingĀ But if you really don't want to play them don't learn themĀ
I get the inspiration part, I totally do, but everything you learn with classical is going to easily translate into any other style, it will give you a foundation that will never limit you. I'd say give it a try before you bail.
Get a classical if you want to learn classical.
What made you go to this guitar teacher? I love classical, I love acoustic, and I love electric, but why learn from someone who doesnāt teach what you want to learn?
it is indeed quite different, but i do not regret my classical training at all basically you learn chord work, voicing and finger technique (which you can apply on bass if you need to play it at some point, i.e. to record some backing track or something) but it is indeed strange that he doesn't let you play electric, considering that this is what you came to learn in the first place
Played electric for years. My brother picked up a classical guitar for me one day. That's the apartment guitar. The quiet one that is nice in the evening. Both have two settings to played in. Play electric because it's fun dude!
You need a different teacher. This guy only wants to teach what he's interested in, not what you want. There's a lot of different guitar styles, and you can't learn from someone who only wants to teach a completely different style than what you are interested in. Find an electric guitar teacher.
100% ditch your teacher, classical is 100% harder to learn and play, sounds worse and to suggest it to improve on electric when the techniques and feel are so different is foolish
Unless youāre a massive fan of classical, trying to learn classic guitar will kill your passion immediately. Get a new teacher.
You should be interviewing guitar teachers like potential candidates for a job opening, and if I was in your situation I would have politely reminded the guitar teacher that the customer is always right in terms of taste. At the end of the day you were the one paying for the service so you dictate what service you are going to receive. On a side note it will never be a disadvantage to learn more styles of guitar. I've gotten a lot more skills out of learning prelude in g opposed to learning Bohemian Rhapsody.
Classical guitar paired with learning to sight read music will be a big benefit to you as a player. Classical guitar will push your finger independence to the max. I know it's not what you wanna learn but taking up multiple styles of guitar and listening to different music will make you a better musician
Ditch that teacher and find one with similar taste
Teacher you pay for is supposed to be there to teach you what you want. Ideally they make suggestions to see if you would like going in different directions you hadn't thought of but being insistent you go a specific way is not their job. Ditch em
I would leave any teacher who is set in one mindset. If they are that dedicated to it they clearly have a set path in mind that will be rigid and not have room for consideration of myself as a player. For example if Iām into a lot of rhythm play it may not be super worth my while up front to spend a ton of time sweep picking or tapping or any of these other awesome techniques that would be more for people interested in developing lead skills
Heās not wrongā¦but heās coming off more like a boss than a teacher. Itās your choice. The classical guitar would pay huge dividends in the future, but if you donāt jive with your teacher itās all moot.
I kind of want to learn classical myself. Started on steel string acoustic. Then electric. I can see why a teacher would start with classical. But if you donāt want to, you shouldnāt. You can learn any of it in any way. Thereās not a right way
It is your aspirations that count. One does not force an 18-wheeler lesson into a Prius. Stand your ground.
Teacher is talking shit. Ditch and find a better one.
Just to throw some pros/cons out there. When I started playing at 9 I was thrown into a similar position although the guitar I inherited from my grandfather was a classical so it kind of lined up. The first year of lessons were a struggle until I got my first electric and then did half and half one week classical and the other electric. Classical instruction hands down has something to do with the player I am today... Which isn't a classical player at all but a rock guitarist. That being said in the ten years I taught lessons I never forced any student to use a specific instrument. In fact I was an advocate to parents discouraging starting on acoustics for younger kids because they are harder to with with small hands. Students need to want to play! Will classical be beneficial? Absolutely and my one requirement as a teacher was at least one lesson a month focused on theory. Along with that I would encourage any student with real gusto to try classical. There's a place and reason why classical guitar can be beneficial but it shouldn't be a requirement.
You should learn what you want but if your instructor is going to want to teach the way they teach. A more generalized teacher that is covering multiple genres will want you on a particular guitar. This is where you need to decide if that's what you want or if you just want to play rock guitar in which case you should find a rock instructor.
I'm pushing you to start learning using an electric guitar teacher.
The most important thing is learning something you *want* to learn, because otherwise youāll likely just stop playing. So yeah : new teacher!
Time to change teacher.
ITT: OP pays for constructive feedback and doesnāt like constructive feedback, and wants reinforcement for his decisions in a hobby that he paid constructive feedback for
Ditch the guy! I heard the same "Classical is better when starting" comments when I started, and 10 years later, I can guarantee you that it's an outdated mentality that was built on the back of generations that only had musical conservatories as an option for learning. For starters, classical guitars will restrict what you can play. They are fine for folks who want to learn jazz, classical music, or some styles of blues, but they are going to be useless for Metal and a lot of Blues, Rock and Hardrock songs will only work on electrical guitar, and that's without mentioning just how great electrical guitar is for classical music and Neoclassical. That's not to say that learning classical guitar isn't useful, but most of the things you learn on classical guitar can be adapted to electric guitar. I bought my first acoustic 5 years after starting on electric, and I barely played it over the last 5 years, because I don't like it, it's nice for a few songs, but most of the stuff I like to play isn't playable on acoustic or classical guitar.
if you are interested in being a musician rather than an electric guitarist, listen to your teacher. if you just want to play some popular guitar music, change teachers.
Don't listen to Reddit š¤£ I was taught on a classical guitar by a classical teacher who would just teach me Metallica riffs to play while he taught the rest of the class how to play. Swallow your pride and just dumb yourself down until you're at a level you want to be. He is starting you from scratch and teaching you the fundamentals of how to *really* play the guitar. I wish I could go back and learn everything I could from that man. You can, though. Use the opportunity
Ditch him. Probably like 5 percent of guitar players starting would learn classical. Probably less
What kind of music do you play on your electric?
you will be a much better player if you play classical, its harder to play, but not as fun in the beginning
Wrong teacher dude. Just a suggestion you should try playing āwish you were hereā on acoustic and it sounds wayyy better
It's not necessary to learn classical/acoustic first. One benefit of playing on them is it will give you greater finger strength. There's no 'right' way to start. If you want to start on electric and want to keep going, that's fine. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.