Question: I want to play the electric guitar but my guitar teacher says that it will be much easier if I start with an acoustic guitar first. Should I learn acoustic guitar first before learning electric guitar?

Tom Hess's Answer: If your primary goal is to learn electric guitar, you should begin on the electric right away and not spend a lot of time practicing acoustic guitar. The myth that one must learn acoustic guitar before learning electric comes from the false idea that music should be mastered in a step-by-step linear way. This belief is one of the reasons why it takes most guitar players such a long time to learn to play guitar at the level they want to (if they are lucky to learn to play at all).

In music there is a vast number of things to learn and practice. It would take several lifetimes to master them all. Because of this, you need to only focus on the elements that will get you closer to your goals and not become distracted by the things that are unrelated.

To discover what these things are and to learn more about the most effective way to practice guitar, check out this page on musical goals. Also, watch this video on how to practice guitar effectively.

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