Another advantage of starting with acoustic- you are not distracted by endless exploration of tone. The tone is limited by technique. Forcing you to focus on rhythm and melody
Can see he’s genuine in his vids. He definitely seems like a Rick and not a Dick. And I’m sure that’s part of what helped him hit 1 million subs ( and the insanely great content).
When I took guitar lessons in college, my instructor would ask why I insisted on playing rock songs on my acoustic guitar? I stated that "If I can play it on my acoustic, I can damn sure play it on an electric". I've been playing for 20 years. I still enjoy the hell out of it.
I have only been playing acoustic. When I try electric the strings are just ringing all over the place. Never learned the necessary damping. And I just bend the strings all the time, sounding out of tune.
As a guitar player, it's a sad fact that every acoustic player can play electric, but not every electric player can play acoustic. The action on many acoustics is much higher, the string tension as well, and it requires much more fretting and string pressure to get clean notes. If your finger tips are not made of stone, and your fretting hand isn't strong, acoustic can humble even an accomplished electric player. It's like the difference between power steering, and manual steering. Driving a car is the same, but the guys with manual steering have forearms like Popeye.
That's very true, listening to each other while playing can make playing music so much better. And quitting the ego trip, that ruined many great musicians.
you could not have put that better. I really wish more young musicians would understand this! It's like they say they understand how to listen to a band but then they actually don't do it. There are A LOT of musicians with big egos. And even if you have a big ego, try not to let it show or consciously try to reel it in so your band mates aren't annoyed at you half the time haha.
That is what you do in a live band - I listen to others and how I musically fit in. Note: Only because I did my homework and got my guitar bits right. Ha ha
Not only is fingerstyle an important skill to learn, it is one of the most liberating things a guitarist can use. Thanks for the reminder to pick up my electric more often!
MartyDadRiffs I’ve recently gone back and listened to some of those old albums and they are killer. I saw them during the Blackwater Park tour and it was the first concert I’d seen where grown men were crying because it was just that good.
Absolutely! I get blown away by the stuff they write on acoustic (especially when I play it) and think to myself "how in the HELL did they come up with this, this is like super-genius level or something" lol
So glad people are talking about Opeth here. A person who commented that Rick should do a "What makes this song great" for Opeth, Rick actually said he would :D! "Still Life" was my 1st hearing them and immediately became a fan, but I "read" about them 1st for their debut "Orchid" in 1995 (when I 1st heard Meshuggah for "Destroy Erase Improve" and 2 minutes in was an instant fan), and so on till Still Life. The "Brutality to Beauty" was astounding to me, how they could be so aggressive and then like a breath of fresh air, come in with acoustic guitars, made them very unique for the time. "Blackwater Park" was my 1st time seeing them as well, as they opened for Nevermore on the "Dead Heart in a Dead World Tour". Mikael was MUCH more shy then, he and the whole band were shocked at their positive reception, and all he would say is; "thank you . . . thank you very much" :). Now he's basically a stand-up comedian :p.
Hearing you guys talk about Chet makes me miss my Dad. I lost him just last summer. He was 88. He was very particular about music he liked. He wasn’t a fan of rock at all. He was old school. He absolutely loved Chet Atkins. I got a cassette back in the day with Chet and Mark Knopfler. I finally got him to listen to Dire Straits. He loved “Walk of Life”. I finally found some common ground musically with Dad. I began collecting music that he loved. I could finally sit down and listen to music with dad. As a lover of most genres it was very special to get him interested in it with me. He finally wanted to have the radio on when we rode together. We did a trip from northern NY to Houston when I moved back here in 2009. He was 78. We had to drive straight through 28 hours. He was too old to do that. We had 2 dogs and 4 cats with us so we couldn’t stop. He came along so I wound the have to do it alone. We listened to so much music on the way that he could appreciate. It was like I finally got in tune with my dad. Every time I hear anything relating to Chet or Knopfler I remember that horrible trip with my dad. Horrible only because of the circumstances. We really loved our time together. He did it with me the first time in 95 too. My best memories with my dad came at the hardest times in my life. Thanks for the memories of dad guys. Miss you dad.
My first gig is in ten days, I’m 51. Power trio, and our music spans 4 decades. I’ll just add that it’s learning whole songs, lyrics, rhythm and a little bit of dynamics that will get you headed in the right direction to actually go out and play it. This works best with acoustic guitar. Know the song at its foundation, memorize it.
I'm a month into learning. Multiple people said Acoustic was harder, so that's where I'm starting. Literally just learnt yesterday what muting even is and how to do it. At the end of each week I take a video of something new I have learnt that week, and something old that I have improved on during that week. It's an outstanding way of tracking progress and self-motivating.
Just play music and don't worry about boxes to put yourself in. I started on trumpet at school, played in an orchestra, was lead guitarist in thrash metal band, also own and play synths, piano and bass guitar. Just started singing (lol). Used to worry that I perhaps would suffer by not dedicating to a single instrument but now can play anything I need to in my own compositions apart from drum kit. I am never going to be virtuoso or session musician on anything but what I have perfectly suits my needs and means I am for the most part independent although it has taken me 25 years to get there!
Exactly Right! I'm somewhere just behind you in age, but, I often find it odd when folks are surprised that I play 6, 12 str acoustic and electric. I see it as I play guitar - albeit, different kinds, but all are the essentially same register and fret the same. I understand when non-players say this, but it really shocks me when guitar players say this... I'm like WTF?
Great discussion, guys. I don't play the guitar and have no clue of most of what you're talking about but I enjoy your enthusiasm and passion for music.
WE'll go from 'Kill or get killed' to 'Sue or get sued' ;) Learn the minor scale once and then hire the best lawyers - don't bother with the rest of music theory, invest in musicologists and favorable jurors; it'll pay off big time ;)
It amazes me to this day that there are people like Beato, Rhett and Dave that can talk about music on all levels without any snobbish attitude and just talk music. I thought I was alone. Damn I wish I were friends with these guys as it would be so much fun talking with them and jamming :)
@@RickBeato Now that you're SUPER huge celeb your free time is limited. However, one day I'd love to come visit if you do some sort of meet and greet. Or if you ever happen to be in the DC metro area (I live in VA) then i'd definitely come out! Cheers!
EVERY guitarist that is trying to improve should see this video. I love the part on timing. Words of wisdom from all 3 of them. This should be “ Gospel for Guitarists “ Part One. Thank you guys.
Explaining strumming patterns sounds like Big Bruce explaining his harmonica instruction book (remote area of Alaska): Blow, blow, blow, blow, blow, suck, blow... As I've started learning to play chords on acoustic, I've added a semi-hollowbody electric, and "Wow!" lighter strings and it sounds good unplugged, too. 12-53 acoustic strings, 10-46 electric strings (stock 10-52, but I asked and was advised 10-46 strings are OK). Plugging in to a modeling (practice) amp with a little analog delay sounds great! Working tech for musicians is an oh yeah, been there, that happens... Computers will fail (usually it's a software failure, rather than hardware), and I've come to expect it. Paper always works! I always sing along behind the sound desk, which really helps with the changes, page turning or lyric slide changes in projection. Thanks, guys! Loved the intro(s) and the outro, too! The important thing: "Always have fun!" Ladies in their 80s and 90s will tell you that, and I tell them that they're the rowdiest people I know.
As a kid in the 80s I desperately wanted to shred electric and saved for an electric guitar and an amp. Due for my parents need for sleep and the general and monetary unavailability of headphone- practice amps at that time I played the electric guitar dry unplugged, but allways loved the natural sustain, which later on made me love the acoustic tone. As it turned out, I was a better lead player, than a rhythm player, which opened the doors to many bands. That lead me decades later to play the Yamaha silent guitar to be played like an electric, which it actually is, with the sound of an acoustic. I use the heavy punch of stone and horn pics, that give the guitar player almost the feel of playing a slap bass. The world doesn´t need that, but I found my thing, which I enjoy. Thank God, I do not have to make a living on playing music, but I now understand the importance of the harmonic basis. I love following harmonics, playing scales. A good lead is nothing without an interesting chord progression. And since I´m not dead yet, who knows… Old man´s tale who never dared to make it in the music business.
I was really heartened by what you were saying about drummers playing with clicks. I grew up playing 70s and 80s rock and blues. I always hated clicks and loops because, as you say, it takes all the feel out of the music, and yeah, absolutely kills the atmosphere in the room between songs when someone (not always the drummer) has to mess around with their equipment to set up the next song. One of the things that happened during the late 90s and early 2000s was that extra loops became popular in live performances, which forced drummers like me to play within that grid. It killed the enjoyment for me and was one of the reasons I stopped playing professionally. It made me crazy that so many people had this kind of arrogance that somehow playing click perfect drums was 'right'. It was like they just couldn't admit that it sounded sterile. They couldn't understand why audiences were not getting into it at performances. Anyway, now I'm thinking of coming back into music years later, and these videos are so encouraging. Thanks Rick. I really appreciate what you're doing.
I try to tell all my students that playing a guitar is really like being a drummer. You have to have tremendous technique and cooperation between the hands. It is what creates feel and more importantly, you start to develop "your" feel and sound. This is when playing becomes so much fun and you start going to the next level. Passion is what drives it all.
Congratulations Rick on your million subscribers! I enjoy this channel immensely and I tell anyone who will listen about it. I'm always inspired by your videos. Thank you my Paisan!
The Rolling Stones, with the rhythmic swagger of Keith Richards, used acoustic guitars to underpin many of the tracks that many think of as electric guitar driven. Keith is a subtle genius. Thanks for the video.
Ahh it's awesome to know that you guys joke around on the occasion! Also there are many skills to understand, but I'd definitely agree with this one! Great work!
This is great! I teach a little guitar and I often feel like I’m being hard on beginners for harping on about muting and working on strum patterns and explaining the importance of chord shapes to kids who want to play riffs... i feel like you’ve given me just want I needed to hear to keep on pushing these youngsters to learn these techniques early on 👍🏻🎸 really nice video 👌🏻
I only ever played acoustic... and I know a lot of people that only play acoustic. I' m kind of in the folk scene though so I guess it makes sense. Electric guitar really is a whole different animal, I feel totally out of my element when I pick one up
Brent Willey preach, brother. I started on classical, got me a Strat later, got me an acoustic steel string. Love all three. Had to get rid of my strat. 😩 Looking for a new electric. I feel incomplete without one. Honestly, I think every guitar player ought to have a nylon string, a flat top steel string, an archtop steel string, a dobro and an electric of some kind. Oh, and a 12 string! Now, I’m going to hit send and I’m sure I will think of three more kinds people ought to have. Always want one more.
Christopher Rowley oh, I am sure there’s an electric out there for you. Maybe a semi hollow. You might like some of the stuff Gretsch makes. That’s what Chet Atkins played on. He did a lot of acoustic. But he did amazing stuff on a Gretsch. Just play your electric clean. Then, slowly add some gain and see how far you get. You might enjoy it. It’ll open up all kinds of new avenues of creativity for you. I started out on classical an acoustic. It’s a little different but you get used to it pretty quick.
No doubt. When I hear someone that can't bend on pitch it absolutely drives me crazy. My dad once played with this guitar player that he raved about how great he was and when I finally heard the guy I wanted to rip my ears off my head. If you have bad vibrato and you're an electric player you shouldn't even bother tuning your guitar because you're just gonna sound out of tune as soon as you bend anyway. It's like they're clueless to the fact that even when you bend a string you're still "targeting a note" and not just bending it to bend it. Kirk Hammett is a professional guitarist that I just think has TERRRRRRRIBLE vibrato. Gary Moore and Angus Young are guys I would say have absolutely astounding vibrato and I'm not even a big AC/DC "fan" per se. But credit is due for that vibrato for sure.
This is such a great video! You guys have hit all of the really important points of musicianship! Singing, right hand technique in guitar playing, keyboard/piano playing. I’m recommending this video to my students!
This is exactly why I dedicated my first EP to electric guitar and now I’m about to put out an acoustic EP. They’re different instruments in how I approach them.
Thanks, Rick (& all) for making RU-vid so much better. When we dreamed of the possibilities years ago, no one imagined content as good as what you put out regularly.
Started on acoustic over 40 years ago and then I went to Electric right away. Now I come back to the acoustic as well, it really helps improve my playing
I started on acoustic in the '60s with folk music and strumming chords, practicing finger picking and strumming rhythm patterns. Then came lead and later classical guitar, also self taught. It just seemed normal to me that all types and styles should be learned, since records all had all these elements. One thing I'll say about the days before computers...it was great ear training, sitting alone in your room figuring out all the parts by ear...and...do you know how many guitarists I've met over the years that can't solo over a simple I IV V blues progression because the have no sense of where the chord changes are?
I am so thankful you brought up the necessity of vocals in bands And their important. In my area musicians don't seem to deem vocals as any real importance... I write and play rhythm guitar. As a female rock vocalist I see around me all male bands where none of them have an actual real singer in the band yet... they seem to be able to put a band together and play gigs. it's like pulling teeth for me, I'm no slouch on vocals, ive been singing lead vocals in rock bands off and on most of my life and have to give myself some credit for being a good strong singer. I do very limited backup vocals in a blues rock band and struggle to understand why my vocals are not utilized more. I find alot of musicians don't take singers seriously unless they can shred on guitar or drums or bass. Which is why i taught myself to play the guitar but i am a singer, i am not a guitar player, i would like to focus on vocals but find myself up against the lead guitar player syndrome over and over again. Where as long as you can shred...who cares if the band has a good vocalist. I don't know if it's this area I live in or what. But thank you for stressing the importance of vocals in bands. 🙏
Big congrats to 1M! Such a great channel and a great place for learning and feeling connected with others that love music and making music! Thank you so much!!!
I've been playing acoustic guitar for 25 years but I just started playing electric this year. Super fun to learn all these new things. Though when I was younger every time I was handed an electric I felt so disconnected from everything I knew about guitar and I thought I always sounded silly.
Great topics. My first guitar was a Harmony Rocket.I still have it. Vibrato and right hand technique are what makes a guitarist stick out from one another. Great talk
modern band that uses acoustic guitar … mastodon … the whole crack in the sky as some guitar in almost every song … i hope you meet the guys rick … maybe the Rochester guys since you are from there too
I'm electric; to me, "box" guitar to "slab" is like bicycle to motorcycle; so much extra work to get less further... but as it's own instrument, acoustic is great, and a mix of slab and box can lighten up and widen a 2-axe soundscape. Vibrato... (14:40) ...yes; hearing a lot of "too wide" in this age of bedroom video shredders on light-gauge strings! As important IMO is your center-point, i.e. bending up from note, down, or a mix of the two. I drop chords and bend down vibrato by bending the neck forward (helps to have a frail or damaged guitar; do it a lot, and you will have ), and that also helps flatten the blues third (e.g. from E to mostly-open G) and get the Gibson whammy-bar shimmer without a whammy bar. Here's a challenge; play a Robin Trower song without any effects other than overdrive, and try and get the phasing effect by how and where you play on the neck. What works for me, is open drone strings, neck-bend vibrato, and particular neck fretting positions that are a PITA to reach in real time. A good practice workout!
