Acoustic Guitar Tips

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What is the difference between an Acoustic Guitar and Classical Guitar? Which one should you buy/use?

This is a common question I get from beginner guitarists or confused parents. I understand your confusion as the 2 guitar types look similar.

Fret not, I am here to clarify things for you. Below is a table of differences between the 2 types of guitar.

For most aspiring guitarists that want to learn contemporary styles of music like pop and rock, the obvious choice would be the acoustic guitar. Even for children aged 7 to 12, there are smaller-sized acoustic guitars that would fit them. [3/4 sized acoustics like the Cort Earth Mini, Taylor Baby etc]

The only situation where I would recommend a classical guitar for playing contemporary music would be when the child finds it too difficult to press the steel strings on the acoustic strings. After learning the basics on the classical and building some strength, we will still eventually move on to the acoustic guitar as the child gets stronger.

If you are set on buying an acoustic guitar but are not sure which to choose, check out the next tip below this one.

Which Acoustic Guitar to Choose?

First of all, you should think about the shape of acoustic guitar that you would like to go for. The different shapes vary in size and hence vary in sound as well.

The main shapes you will find would start from: [smallest] Parlor, Concert, OM, Grand Auditorium, Dreadnought, Jumbo [biggest].

[On the internet, you might see some resources referring to some shapes with 'O'. Just remember that a 'OO' would be bigger than a 'O'. If you have not seen this naming system before, don't mind it and just refer to the shapes using the names I listed above.]

Size:

If you have a smaller frame, you might want to consider the shapes that are smaller in size, like the OM, Grand Auditorium and Taylor's GS Mini [kind of a 7/8 size]. If you are purchasing the guitar for a child, a 3/4 sized guitar might be better as children tend to have shorter arms and bodies, making it difficult for them to reach around the bigger shapes.

Sound:

The bigger-sized guitars tend to be better for strumming while the smaller-sized guitars are better for fingerstyle playing.

Most adult acoustic guitarists go for either the Grand Auditorium or Dreadnought as they are more versatile and are great for strumming. The Grand Auditorium would be more well-rounded than the Dreadnought, being able to handle both strumming and fingerstyle playing. If you like to play fingerstyle, you can also consider the OM shape.

Other things to consider when buying an acoustic guitar:

String height

When you are at the store trying out guitars, one of most important things you should check is the height of the strings. To make your learning more smooth and enjoyable, your guitar should be set-up to have what we call a lower action. That means the strings are close to the frets, and not too high. Many entry-level guitars leave the factory with the strings set very high, making it very difficult for beginners to play. Many of my students have struggled with this problem and hence I think it is very crucial for beginners to be aware of this. It makes or breaks how much you practice, and many people who gave up guitar before meeting me told me that the high action was what made them quit.

If you are not sure what is considered too high, bring someone who is experienced with playing guitar or simple ask the staff. Most guitar store employees, at least here in Singapore, would be happy to assist you. You can tell them that you would like to have the action set low so it is easier to play. Most stores should be able to do this for you.

The feel of the guitar's neck

Another important thing to consider would be the size of the guitar neck. Certain guitar necks are very thick and would be very difficult to play for people with small hands. If you find it hard to wrap your hand across the back of the guitar's neck, the neck is probably too thick for you. Once again, simply ask the staff if they could show you an alternative guitar with a thinner neck.

P.S. For first-time guitar buyers or those who are new to music, do remember that a classical guitar is different from an acoustic guitar. 3 of the classical guitar's 6 strings are nylon, while the acoustic guitars have steel strings only.

My personal recommendations for acoustic guitar beginners:

1. Yamaha FG800

The FG800 is a dreadnought shape acoustic that offers great value for it's price point. With a solid top, this guitar has a balanced sound that suits chord strumming. As one of the most popular beginner choices worldwide, I made sure to include this awesome guitar in my list. You can enquire with Yamaha Singapore if you want to try one. Their flagship branch is at Plaza Singapura.

2. Yamaha FSX800C

The FSX800C is a concert shape acoustic that is great for fingerstyle playing. With a low price point and a great sound, it offers great value like its counterpart the FG800. This model is smaller in size and is suitable for beginners and small adults. The cutaway allows for higher fret access which increases the ease in playing fingerstyle tunes. You are also able to plug this guitar into a PA for live performances, making it a great investment. You can enquire with Yamaha Singapore if you want to try one.

3. Epiphone Lil' Tex

The Lil' Tex is like a hidden jem that more people should know about. Many beginners go for the Cort Earth Mini but this model is a great choice as well. As a 3/4 sized guitar, I highly recommend this model for children who are learning how to play the acoustic guitar. It is also suitable as a travel-sized guitar. You can enquire with Swee Lee Music Company if you want to try one.

4. Taylor GS Mini

The GS Mini would be the most expensive option on this list. However, it remains to be one of the most popular acoustic guitar models as of late. At a 7/8 size and smaller scale length, this guitar offers greater comfort for beginners who find it hard to stretch their fingers. The sound is also very warm and rich, making it possibly the best sounding guitar on this list and it's price range. You can enquire with Swee Lee Music Company if you want to try one.

What are some Guitar Models to Avoid?

Typically, we want to avoid those cheap sub-$100 acoustic guitars you see on Amazon, Taobao, Shopee. They are usually impossible to play and can never stay in tune. You are much better off buying a secondhand guitar that has better quality. Some brands like Asahi, TGM etc have questionable quality as well so I would advise against them. Basically, anything under $200 firsthand has the potential to give you a headache when playing it.

I do feel cheap acoustic guitars from brands like Cort, Ibanez and Yamaha are actually passable these days. Check out my post on Instagram about what to check for when buying a guitar: https://www.instagram.com/p/ComnO5ZhsCL/?igshid=MmU2YjMzNjRlOQ==

Avoid guitars that are on display if possible. They tend to be in less than perfect condition due to wear and tear. Sometimes, shops will also place models with slight defects [usually aesthetic] as display pieces.

In Singapore's weather and humidity, Taylor guitars tend to suffer from bridge lifts and water retention. This is due to the thinner tops that certain models have. But, we can't deny that Taylors sound good and have great quality if you know how to maintain it. Make sure your guitar is kept in an environment of 45-55% humidity by using dehumidifiers or dry cabinets, and away from direct sunlight.

What are the Basic Chords for Guitar playing?

You can start off by learning 5 chords first. There are plenty of resources online to check with for these chords but here are some diagrams for you :) They are: G major, C major, D major, E minor and A minor.

The X means that particular string is not played while the O means the open string is played without any fingers fretting on it.

Easy Alternatives for Barre Chords

While practicing barre chords, many of my students tell me that their hands hurt till the point they can't make the barring shape. This is usually due to the fact that they have not developed the muscle and strength to be able to hold down the barre chords. This is of course the only obstacle left for them as we would have worked through all the techniques for playing barre chords. Such is the trouble with playing barre chords for many people. It is also at this point that many people quit playing the guitar as they find it very discouraging to play barre chords.

In such situations, I offer alternative chords to the barre chords. These chords act as a substitute to allow my students to play through the song, letting them hear how it is somewhat supposed to sound like while their hands recover.

For example,

the B minor barre chord is one chord most beginners will see in chord sheets and often the very first barre chord that they will try. The alternative I offer to my students would be Bm7, as seen in the diagram below. This alternative would work well for most songs in the key of G or D.

Another example would be the F major barre chord, commonly found in songs in the key of C or F. The alternative I suggest for my students is actually still a F major chord, but in a simpler form as seen in the diagram below. The proper term for it would be a triad. Don't worry if you don't know what a triad is. Focus on the sound first.

Take note that these chords are just to help you tide over. Barre chords are an essential part of guitar playing and you should definitely persevere with practicing them!

Simple Strumming Patterns

Most beginner guitarists will find themselves a little lost when they are asked to come up with a strumming pattern for a song. Fret not, I will give you some simple strumming patterns to use on 3 different song tempos. They may not work on all songs but they will work on most pop songs. If you don't understand this section, please contact me at zhengyongk@gmail.com and I will be happy to answer your questions.

Ok, on to the strumming patterns as shown in the diagram below. The numbers represent the 4 beats in a bar while the '+' represents the space between the beats.

The arrows pointing down represent a downstrum while the arrows pointing up represent a upstrum.

You will see that the bigger the gap between the first 2 strums, the more dragged out the rhythm pattern feel. If you are the extra hardworking kind of person, you can use a metronome to practice these patterns. The metronome will come in on each number, meaning some strums that you play on the '+' will be in between the metronome beats.

How to make your strumming sound better

Tuning your guitar: It might sound obvious to some, but my years of teaching have shown me its something that we teachers should emphasize. Every time you pick up the guitar, make it a good habit to tune. Temperature changes, especially in places like Singapore, can cause instruments to go out of tune. Even if you 'just tuned it yesterday'.

Choosing a Pick:

Picks actually make a difference in sound. Putting aside the different materials, the biggest factor would be the thickness of the pick.

If your pick can be bent with your fingers easily, it's probably 0.60mm or less in thickness. These picks are great for guitarists who just want to strum and they tend to create a balanced and soothing sound. Picks of these thickness usually create a 'plastic sound' as you play through the strings.

If your pick cant be bent easily, your pick is probably thicker than 0.88m. Thicker picks are usually popular with guitarists who like to play lead but also strummers who want to play with more dynamics. The sound is usually more full but can sound harsh if used by the inexperienced. You will feel that there is more resistance as the pick does not bend like thinner picks. If you are changing from a thinner pick to a thicker pick, there will definitely be an adjustment period.

Another aspect of picks that you should know about is the sharpness of the tip. Some picks are more rounded while some are sharper. The sharper picks face less resistance when striking the strings.

With all the above in consideration, the best choice of action for you would be to try a bunch of different picks. There's no need to settle on one yet, keep trying and find what works best for you!

How to make faster chord transitions

After learning how to strum simple chords, the next common obstacle that guitarists face would be trying to move between different chords quickly. This problem becomes more apparent when attempting to play along with a track or metronome.

While this is best explained in person with visual demonstrations, I will try to explain it in simple terms here.

To make fast chord transitions, you need to train the fingers on your left hand to move independently. I have 2 exercises for you to practice.

Exercise 1:

Focus on 2 chord shapes [For example, C major and G major].

Just move the left hand, from C major to G major repeatedly. When you are doing this, aim to make your fingers move at the same time. This means that you should not see your middle finger pressing down first then the middle finger for G major. Both the index and middle finger should press down at the same time. If you are unable to do it, do not worry and move on to Exercise 2.

Exercise 2:

Form the 2 chord shapes in mid-air, and transition between them, without relying on the fretboard for support. It will be uncomfortable but this will train your fingers to be more independent.

If you are unable to form the shapes at all in mid-air, place your hand on the fretboard to form the chord shape. Then remove your hand from the fretboard and try to keep the shape. Do these 2 exercises daily, for about 50 repetitions each as a rough guide.

Remember the goal is to train your finger independence so that your fingers can move at the same time. This is crucial for making fast chord transitions.

I highly recommend using a metronome or a drum track to practice chord transitions with. For example, after hearing 4 beats, change from C major to G major chord. And you have to make sure you land on G major on the new beat. Start slow, around 50bpm.

I will probably make a video on this topic soon, to help with visualising. If you feel that you really need help with chord transitions, I highly recommend that you sign up for classes with me or find a teacher in your area. This topic is really best shown in person.

What String Gauge/Size to use?

The string gauges I will be recommending below are for Standard E tuning (EADGBE). Don't worry beginners, your guitars will be in this tuning.

String gauges refer to how thick the guitar strings are. Generally, thicker gauges have more tension and beginners will find them difficult to play.

Electric Guitar:

0.009 to 0.042 (recommended for beginners and aspiring shredders)

0.010 to 0.046 (recommended for Les Paul style guitars, blues players using Stratocasters and Telecasters)

Some guitarists use 0.008 sets or 0.011 sets but as I don't use those, I won't be listing them as my recommendations here.

Acoustic Guitar

0.011 to 0.052 (recommended for beginners)

0.012 to 0.053 (recommended for more experienced players)

What Brand of Guitar Strings to use?

I use Elixir strings almost exclusively as they are the only strings that last in Singapore's weather. They are coated strings, meaning the strings are covered with a material to increase its longevity. Unless I am prepared to change strings every 2 weeks, I will not use uncoated strings. Click here to learn about Elixir strings

https://www.elixirstrings.com/guitar-strings

I also coat the strings with Dunlop's Ultraglide, once every week for the guitars that I leave out in the open. For guitars that I do not use much, I will coat the strings with the Ultraglide and store the guitar in a padded soft case. I will throw a few silica gel packs into the case as well, to keep the humidity down. Click here for information on the Ultraglide.

https://www.jimdunlop.com/formula-65-ultra-glide-string-conditioner/

For those with many guitars that are left in the open, you can try my method where I squeeze the Ultraglide's solution onto a wide paint brush and use that to brush my guitar strings. It saves a lot of time.

Some might want to use electronic dehumidifiers but if you don't have that many guitars, just placing a Thirsty Hippo Dehumidifier near your guitars will help.

Swee Lee sells Elixir strings and provide free delivery. If you want to pick strings up from a physical store and you live in the west, you can pop by my studio at Beauty World Centre. Cheers!

How to Prevent your Strings from Rusting?

Always dry your hands before touching your guitar.

If you sweat a lot, like how those living in Singapore will, make sure you wipe down your guitar after playing. This is super important as leftover sweat will corrode the metal parts on your guitar and your 6 month old guitar can actually look like a 60 year old guitar if you don't take good care of it. I'm not exaggerating at all, Singapore's weather is brutal.

If your environment is very high in humidity, like places near water bodies, you might want to invest in an electronic dehumidifier.

Things to note when buying a tuner and capo

Choosing a capo:

It is important to make sure your capo has just the right amount of tension for your guitar. If it is too tight, your strings will get pulled out of tune. If it is too loose, your strings will sound muted.

Choosing a tuner:

If you do not have a pedal tuner or an inbuilt tuner, I highly recommend investing in a good clip on tuner. Tuners are one of those tools which you should pay a little bit more for. You don't have to buy a super expensive one, a tuner from D'addario or Boss will do.

If not, you can simply use the GuitarTuna app. It is the best free tuning app and no other app comes close to it.

Where to find song chordsheets?

I will be creating a database for chord sheets and providing a chord sheet service in the near future so do stay tuned on my website.

In the meantime, here are online resources where you can find chordsheets:

For English songs:

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com

https://www.songsterr.com

For Mandarin songs:

https://yoopu.me

For songs in other languages:

If the song is from a famous movie, there is a chance you find it on Ultimate Guitar. If you are unable to find it anywhere on the internet, you can send me an email [zhengyongk@gmail.com] and I'll see if I can help you out.

The chords in the song you want to learn look very difficult and foreign. You see chords like G# and Bb and have no idea what to do. Here's some advice.

While there might be exceptions, most likely the song you are looking at is in a key that is considered difficult to play on the guitar. An example would be the key of G#, where the chords would be G# major, C# major, D# major. When some guitarists see these chords, they go: 'Yuck'. Mostly because they have no idea what to do when they see such chords.

The following method only works if you are able to transpose on Ultimate Guitar or you have some basic music theory knowledge. If it's neither of the above for you, I suggest you reach out to me via email or drop by my studio at Beauty World Centre to chat with me, and I will explain it all to you.

The method

If the song's key is in G#, you can transpose the song's chords one semitone lower to the key of G. Meaning the chords G# major, C# major and D# major will become G major, C major and D major respectively. Then, if you want to play along with the actual song, insert a capo on the first fret of your guitar, and then play the G, C and D major chords.

What happens now is that while you are seeing yourself play the G, C and D major chords, the sound that you are producing is actually of the G#, C# and D# chords.

Transposing is really a tricky subject for beginners and I do plan to do a video on this soon so stay tuned for that.

What is transposition?

Transposing is the process of changing the key(setting) of a song.

It is usually done because of 2 reasons:

The key is too high or low for the singer/you to sing, making it hard to sing some notes
The chords for the original key are too difficult for the guitarist to play

[Click here to read up more on music theory.]

[If you do not know what a key is, click here to find out.]

Acoustic Guitar Tips

What is the difference between an Acoustic Guitar and Classical Guitar? Which one should you buy/use?

Which Acoustic Guitar to Choose?

What are some Guitar Models to Avoid?

What are the Basic Chords for Guitar playing

Easy Alternatives for Barre Chords

Simple Strumming Patterns

How to make your Strumming Sound Better

How to make Faster Chord Transitions

What String Gauge/Size to use?

What Brand of Guitar Strings to use?

How to Prevent your Strings from Rusting?

Things to note when buying a Tuner and Capo

Where to find Song Chordsheets?

The chords in the song you want to learn look very difficult and foreign. You see chords like G# and Bb and have no idea what to do. Here's some advice.

Which Acoustic Guitar to Choose?

What are some Guitar Models to Avoid?