Expert lists criteria for choosing the first guitar to play at home 14:53

Denis Rutgers, head of the Academy of Music Technologies of the Muztorg network of musical instruments and equipment stores, told socialbites.ca what you should pay attention to when buying your first guitar.

Rutgers recommended that beginners purchase a classical guitar. The instrument is suitable for learning the basics and becoming familiar with general performance technique, the expert said. He noted that as performance skills increase and interest in certain styles increases, it will be possible to make more informed choices.

“For example, if you like classical music or flamenco, your choice is the classical guitar. If your interest is folk, jazz, rock or metal, then you will have the chance to choose between an acoustic (electro-acoustic) or electric guitar,” the expert explained.

Rutgers recommended considering personal playability when choosing an instrument and advised against purchasing online.

According to the expert, it is also necessary to decide on the size and shape of the guitar.

“There are instruments that are smaller than the standard size (the most common is the 3/4 classical guitar). As a rule, such guitars are purchased for children. Acoustic guitars are usually larger than classical guitars, they have different body shapes, body and neck thicknesses, and many other nuances. Also, different guitars have different weights depending on the materials used. All of this needs to be selected and evaluated individually,” Rutgers said.

The expert also said that attention should be paid to the wires.

“Classical guitars use only nylon strings, while other types of guitars use metal strings. Nylon strings are better for beginners because they are more comfortable on the fingers (which is especially sensitive for children). Metal strings are significantly more “hard” and require a certain amount of fingertip stiffness. I recommend leaving the string selection to professional advisers until you have some experience playing on your own,” Rutgers said.

In conclusion, the expert noted that interaction with household members and neighbors should be taken into account when choosing a guitar.

“The quietest guitars are classical and acoustic. But you can’t “lift” their sound through headphones. But the sound of electric-acoustic and electric guitars needs to be processed and amplified with additional equipment. This can give both a very powerful, loud sound (here I ask you to protect others and not turn up the volume too much) and allow you to play with headphones (which is not always recommended),” Rutgers explained. .

Russians before warned It’s about the increase in prices of musical instruments.