Classical vs Acoustic Guitar: Which is Easier to Learn for Beginners?
There are two opinions among people.
One of them is that you should start with a steel-string acoustic guitar (the type you see commonly) first, because if you learn how to play acoustic guitar you will learn to play classical and other types of guitars faster.
Some people think it is easier to start with a classical guitar.
To cut to the chase: No matter what people say, you need to choose guitar you prefer playing. If you like steel-string acoustic guitars, start with acoustic guitar, if you prefer classical or even electric guitar, go with those models first.
Acoustic or Classical Guitar - Which One to Choose?
If we talk about physical issues, the steel-string acoustic guitar is a bit harder to play because it has a heavy gauge set of strings. After some time, though, you will get used to this. If you are a beginner, and you don't have any experience with guitars, it's a good idea to borrow a friend's guitar and hold it for a while. That way you will be more motivated to learn how to play if you like how that type of guitar fits you.
Also, before making the final decision, you must choose your budget, because many beginners have a very limited budget or they simply don't want to invest a larger amount of cash because they are not sure if they would like what they get.
The best acoustic guitars around $100-$200 would be perfect for beginners, you may visit here for more info.
You can get a better idea of guitar price ranges by checking out this article.
Best Fingerstyle Guitar Under $500
Is Acoustic Guitar Hard to Play?
Acoustic guitar is a bit bigger than a classical guitar. The body shape of the acoustic guitar is different than classical guitar. For example, it has a scratch plate. This is an easy way to tell difference between this types of guitars.
For beginners, learning to play acoustic guitar is a bit harder than learning to play classical guitar (though it's not that hard really). If you start with guitar lessons for your new acoustic guitar and you already think that it will be hard, you can be demotivated and this will make things even worse.
Acoustic guitar is a guitar with a soul. Most people play acoustic guitar with their fingertips, but you can also use picks, or even thumb picks. You need to decide for yourself what style and what type of music you'll play on acoustic guitar. Keep an open mind to all types of music and your heart will tell you what music is the right choice for you.
Physical Characteristics
Acoustic guitar is a musical instrument with six strings, some models have different types of body, some of them has a different construction, and you must test all of them to see what works best for you and your body posture.
It is also very useful to buy a strap if you plan to play guitar while standing up. Acoustic guitar is similar to classical, but there are some differences.
The string is the first thing you will notice when we talk about differences. Acoustic guitars have steel strings, and classical guitars have nylon strings.
Body size of acoustic guitars is similar to classical guitars, although classical is a bit smaller.
Classical guitars have wider fingerboard.
Some Important Things About Classical Guitar
Classical guitar is not quite as popular among musicians, but it certainly deserves to be. It is very cool to own a classical guitar, even though many people prefer electric or even electric-acoustic guitars.
In my opinion, classical guitar deserves more attention because it has an amazing ability to communicate emotions and gives you a chance to express your feelings through music. You don't have to use words, let the music tell your story. Classical guitar is an old-school type of guitar and this is part of what makes it so special and unique.
Although classical guitar has a name associated with classical music, it is not used only for playing classical music. You don't have to play Mozart on your guitar, you can use it to play different styles and types of music, some as jazz, rock, pop or even, you guessed it - classical music.
Classical guitar is a bit rigid, but it gives you a chance to have a good time, you can play all types of music and learn how to produce a different kind of sounds. You can also play different tempo, different speed or different notes.
Also, you don't have to play alone, of course. You can play with others, you can experiment and simply have some good time. This is what playing guitar is all about after all. The great majority of guitar players play guitar because they love it, not because it is their job to do it.
Final verdict
A very important decision is in front of you - should you start with classical or acoustic guitar?
If you like traditional music, without any additional sound effects, classical guitar provides pure and clear sound.
If you want the modern type of feel while you play guitar, you can go with acoustic guitar, it gives you more opportunity to experiment and to try new things.
No matter what model you choose, invest some time and practice a lot, this is the way you will truly become an amazing guitar player.
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