I bought my first electric, now what?

[sloar]

I've been playing acoustic for almost a year now. I'm making improvement and happy with my progress, I do a lot of fingerstyle. When I first started I started with the basic chords before trying to learn any songs. I've been messing with my newly acquired electric today and I'm not sure how to start. I don't really want to try to start where I'm at on the acoustic, I'd like to start all over like a beginner. I've been kinda all over the place today and truthfully I'm a little lost and overwhelmed by all the "new" power chords and barre chords. So a little advise needed on how I should start on this new chapter of guitar playing. Thanks

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by sloar

...I do a lot of fingerstyle...So a little advice needed on how I should start on this new chapter of guitar playing...

FYI "electric guitar" isn't automatically synonymous with massive amounts of gain and distortion, pedal boards just slightly more complicated than the NASA Mission Control Center, and/or modeling amplifiers with 43,956 presets: just plug in, dial in a single sound that you like (if you amp has built-in effects, turn 'em off), and go with what you know as you become acquainted with the differences and capabilities of your electric rig - who knows, you just might decide to stay with it, IME there aren't many players out there who can do the style justice and besides, there were these two guys named Merle Travis and Chet Atkins who did OK playing fingerstyle electric;...

[sloar]

Good advise, thanks. I guess I was over thinking it.

[perttime]

There are people in many styles, playing electric with their fingers. Many of the original Blues greats, Jeff Beck.....

One thing that people usually find is that they need to mute more with electric. If you DON'T want a string to make a sound, prevent it with whatever part of your handS is available.

One of the things I do just for fun, is playing at the edge of distortion. I set amp and guitar where the sound distorts if I pick hard - but stays (almost) clean when I pick gently.

[rwmct]

There are some fun tunes that are not too difficult that are good to start with. I liked Johnny Rivers' Secret Agent Man. My instructor tabbed it out for me, but I am sure there are some lessons available on the internet.

Or, if you want something a little country, "Buckeroo" is another good choice. It is not hard but it sounds good. I know there are lessons for that on the internet (though again, I learned on a version tabbed out by my instructor).

If you want some blues, this lesson on the intro to "I Need Your Love So Bad" is just what the doctor ordered. Again, there is nothing going on that is particularly hard to play (though the requisite touch to sound like the Green God continues to escape me . . . ) The lesson is well done, IMO, and pretty easy to follow (and I am pretty obtuse).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOKH6xZtw0o&t=10s

[Bob Womack]

Palm muting is your friend.


Bob

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by sloar

I've been playing acoustic for almost a year now. I'm making improvement and happy with my progress, I do a lot of fingerstyle. When I first started I started with the basic chords before trying to learn any songs. I've been messing with my newly acquired electric today and I'm not sure how to start. I don't really want to try to start where I'm at on the acoustic, I'd like to start all over like a beginner. I've been kinda all over the place today and truthfully I'm a little lost and overwhelmed by all the "new" power chords and barre chords. So a little advise needed on how I should start on this new chapter of guitar playing. Thanks

You might reconsider the notion of starting from scratch. Take what you know, apply it to learning songs you want to play. Just jump in. Add new stuff when needed. When you hit a barrier, explore what to do about it.

Then repeat that process.

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Palm muting is your friend.


Bob

This ^^^ and accuracy is your other best friend too. You accidentally hit the bass E playing a C chord on an acoustic and it doesn't sound nearly as bad as hitting a wrong string on an electric - it sticks out like a sore thumb. As Steve said, many player play using fingers rather than a pick playing electric. Just watch Derek Trucks play slide.

Power chords, Barre chords and triad, diads are your friends on the electric too. Using simple diads such as a "Memphis Lead" can really sound great on an electric but thin on an acoustic.

For me, acoustic guitar and electric guitars are only similar in shape and number of strings. Yes, many acoustic techniques translate well from acoustic but many don't. Very "strummy" songs sound atrocious on an electric. There is a reason Bluegrass players play acoustics.

[stevecuss]

Great advice so far! Here are some other generalities:

- What do you like on acoustic? Play that on electric. Strumming? Fingerstyle? Plenty of electric legends play fingerstyle electric.

- Now adjust your grip and right hand attack slightly. Electric, while louder, is a more delicate instrument - a strong left hand grabs the strings out of tune. A strong right hand makes it sound bad. Finesse, and let the amp provide the volume.

- Now try the electric toggle switch. Do you prefer one tone over the other? Dial the tone down just 10 - 15% like it? Not so much? That's the basis of your sound.

- Once you like your electric sound, get your amp and boost the gain to where if you play soft the sound is clean and if you dig in more you get some crunch. Now add a bit more gain that that, adjust overall volume to taste and now back off your guitar volume knob about 20% - down to 7 or 8. See how clean it sounds? Now guitar volume back up to 10. Whoa. A lot of players stay at '8' and then dial to 10 for solos, extra gain etc. A lot of what we love about electric is the interplay between guitar and amp for tonal variety.

- ok, time to try some bends. BB King made plenty of money bending 3 or 4 notes slowly. You don't need to be an Yngwie. Try one note, bend it up a full tone or step (so if it is a C, bend it to a D.) Also try a 'wobble' or a vibrato. This is how Clapton made so much of his money He is a bending and vibrato King. So is Mayer.

If you love blues type or lead licks, your best place to start is old style '12 bar' blues like BB King. You can download a couple of tracks and you might be surprised at how easy it is to get started (and how long it takes to get better!)

Finally, if you want more distortion and sustain, keep your guitar volume on 10 and increase the gain on your amp. Everything will get noisier, but hey now, the raucous sound is part of the joy.

Remember - electric is a gentler instrument then acoustic. You don't need to play all 6 strings, in fact a well placed 3 or 4 string chord is much better.

[DukeX]

Get a good amp. Learn to play the guitar and the amp. Worry about pedals later.

[rob2966]

Not sure how you are with a pick. While some electric players only use fingers (Jeff Beck, Lindsey Buckingham, etc), the vast majority use a pick and I would try to incorporate that from day one.

The advice about being more "gentle" is also very applicable.

Finally, find some electric guitar songs you really want to learn to keep you motivated.

Enjoy
Rob

[Steel and wood]

Originally Posted by DukeX

Get a good amp. Learn to play the guitar and the amp. Worry about pedals later.

Yep, learn to play guitar (rhythm and lead) before you start worrying about anything else.

Good luck!

[Johnny K]

Well now that you have an electric guitar you need to start where EVERYONE who first got one did.

Smoke On The Water power chord riff.

Go ahead everyone else who started playing in the late 70 thru the late 80's. Tell me you didn't bang that one out right off the bat.