Skip to content
Acoustic to Electri...
 
Notifications
Clear all

Acoustic to Electric...

19 Posts
9 Users
0 Likes
5,652 Views
(@pyaara_wala)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 37
Topic starter  

Hi, I just got a new electric guitar and it just sounds way different from my acoustic. And I dunno I suddenly got so much better at the guitar, like I'm faster but my chords are harder. Like they sound like the guitarrist doesn't know what he's doing. Is my guitar out of tune or what. Ive had problems ever since I moved from an electric guitar to an acoustic.


   
Quote
(@slydog)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 243
 

I'm not the greatest expert, but I've found that open chords tend to sound muddier on an electric, especially if you're playing with any sort of distortion. I've taken to playing partial chords and barre chords. They seem much cleaner.

The other thing I've found is that the strings on my strat are closer together than on my accoustic, so at times, I'll have a stray finger muting or fretting a string inadvertently.

Blame it on the lies that killed us, blame it on the truth that ran us down.


   
ReplyQuote
(@musenfreund)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5108
 

You'll find that often full chords played with distortion sound bad. Try playing more power chords (no third). And try your hand at some riffs.

If you want to play full chords, switch to the clean settings on your amp.

You'll also develop a slightly different technique for electric.

Hope those tips help a bit.

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
ReplyQuote
 Nils
(@nils)
Famed Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 2849
 

They definitely will sound and feel different since they are very different beasts. As mentioned above acoustics tend to have a higher action (string height) and the strings are further apart. I go back and forth daily with both so what I have done is lowered the action on the acoustic as far as it could go without buzzing and don't lower the electric as far as it could go just to where it is comfortable.

I am not an expert player so I mess up a lot when I go back and forth but I know if I keep practicing it will get better. As my fretting technique improved on the electric it made my cord changes alot cleaner on the acoustic and I just have to remember to press a little harder on the acoustic.

Since you commented to the effect that one or the other is out of tune I would get an electronic tuner, if you don't have one, to rule that out.

Nils' Page - Guitar Information and other Stuff
DMusic Samples


   
ReplyQuote
(@metaellihead)
Honorable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 653
 

You said it sounds out of tune, I think you might be pressing down on the strings too much. I know with accoustic you've really gotta fight those strings and concentrate to keep those fingers pressed down, hard. On an electric you could actually be doing bends by pressing down too hard. You might want to try using a lighter touch.

And you don't need to use full chords as much. While they sound great resonating in a big dreadnought guitar body it can be sorta overwelming on an electric. You'll end up with muddy sound, like others have said.

-Metaellihead


   
ReplyQuote
(@purple)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 343
 

You said it sounds out of tune, I think you might be pressing down on the strings too much. I know with accoustic you've really gotta fight those strings and concentrate to keep those fingers pressed down, hard. On an electric you could actually be doing bends by pressing down too hard. You might want to try using a lighter touch.

This is so true. I play with light strings but I have lighter strings on my electric than on my acoustic which leads to my bending strings unintentionally especially on chords. It is key that if you want to play both you practice on both. I am actually bad at that and usually play my acoustic. I find when I switch to the electric, my playing isn't as clean. It is a lot easier to get unwanted noise on the electric.

It's not easy being green.... good thing I'm purple.


   
ReplyQuote
 Pup
(@pup)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 84
 

Hi, I just got a new electric guitar and it just sounds way different from my acoustic. And I dunno I suddenly got so much better at the guitar, like I'm faster but my chords are harder. Like they sound like the guitarrist doesn't know what he's doing. Is my guitar out of tune or what. Ive had problems ever since I moved from an electric guitar to an acoustic.
Thats because you built stamina and strength up in your fingers on the acoustic, so the electric was more nature to you. don't stop playing the acoustic though. it has done more good than you know. go get you a 20 dollar eletronic tuner, and check your tuning everytime you pick up your guitar to play it. This is so important.

A tuner is a must have, never worry if your in tune again or not.

Let me tell you what happens. From time to time you may get one or two strings that may go slightly out of tune from playing, they may tension up a little or loosen up some. then your chords just don't sound quite right, checked with a tuner helps avoid this small problem.


   
ReplyQuote
(@pyaara_wala)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 37
Topic starter  

hmmm I think getting the tuner should do it. And yeah, I played my acoustic again after many days of playing the electric and it was pretty hard. I need to push down harder to play all the notes and chords.


   
ReplyQuote
(@e-sherman)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 374
 

"You'll find that often full chords played with distortion sound bad. "

I beg to differ. Full chords can sound really awesome with TASTEFUL amounts of distorion added.

The king of rock, some say lives
the lizard king, is surely dead
the king of France, lost his head
the King of Kings... bled
( email me at esherman@wideopenwest.(com). I almost never check my hotmailaccount.


   
ReplyQuote
(@pyaara_wala)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 37
Topic starter  

so wut exactly is distortion for? just powerchords? and what role does reverb have in guitars.


   
ReplyQuote
(@metaellihead)
Honorable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 653
 

No. Distortioin is for whatever you want to use it for. People here are just pointing out how it can change the sound of chords.

And reverb makes you sound like you're playing in a very large room. It siumulates your sound bouncing off multiple surfaces. It sorta adds life to your sound.

-Metaellihead


   
ReplyQuote
(@slothrob)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 472
 

And try some other double stops with a bit of overdrive. I have no idea how to compose with them yet, but they sound great with some distortion. I just learned 'twist and shout', which is pretty much all double stops, and only about half of them are 1-5 combinations, lots of 1-3's and 1-4's. They sound so great with a touch of grind.

The simplest use of distortion is for lead, while rhythm is played clean. This rule, however, is in no way a rule and is broken almost right out of the gate. Just like the bridge pickup for lead and neck pickup for rhythm 'rule'. But many chords sound pretty rough with too much distortion. That 1-3-5 combination together with the harmonics of the distortion can become kind of jarring. A controlled amount of overdrive or distortion can make chords sound warm and rich, though, and works nicely if that is the sound that fits the song.


   
ReplyQuote
(@pyaara_wala)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 37
Topic starter  

wuts a double stop? anyone can get me a URL of it?


   
ReplyQuote
(@musenfreund)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5108
 

"You'll find that often full chords played with distortion sound bad. "

I beg to differ. Full chords can sound really awesome with TASTEFUL amounts of distorion added.

You'll note I said "often", not "always" or even "most of the time". :wink:

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
ReplyQuote
(@musenfreund)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5108
 

wuts a double stop? anyone can get me a URL of it?

A double stop is when you fret two strings of the guitar. For example, if you fret the fifth fret of the first two strings, that's a double stop. Or if you fret the third fret of the second string and the fourth fret of the third string, it would be a double stop.

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
ReplyQuote
Page 1 / 2