Neal Sawyer

As a beginner guitarist, the songs you choose to learn will greatly impact your learning journey.

Songs that are too hard leave you frustrated. And playing the same 2-3 easy songs for too long becomes boring.

Learning songs that you actually love also motivates you to keep learning.

It didn’t take long for the Epiphone DR-212 to become my favorite affordable guitar.

I remember when I first listened to Hotel California by the Eagles. The distinctive guitar tone made me think… I want to recreate that sound.

Turns out, what I was hearing on that record wasn’t clever studio overdubs. Nor was it the work of guitar pedals. The answer was simple, it’s a 12-string acoustic guitar.

To reenact one of the most famous introductions of all time, I turned to the Epiphone DR-212.

Once you’ve learned easy ukulele songs, it’s good to challenge yourself with harder ones. Harder songs have more complex chords and can require fingerpicking or tricky strumming patterns.

If you’re anything like me, repeating the same three chords found in easy songs becomes boring after a while. The learning curve plateaus once you’re comfortable playing these basic chords.

Most people choose based on the look and brand name only.

But an easy-to-play guitar is a key to you progressing your technique.

In short, what makes an acoustic guitar easy to play?

Any guitar needs good string action and a lack of fret buzz to make it easy to play. The body shape, dimensions, scale length, neck profile, and fret size all vary and affect a guitar’s playability. What one guitarist finds helpful, another won’t. It largely depends on preferences and skill level.

Given my experience playing the Taylor 110e, I was eager to try a Taylor 114e a few weeks ago and see how it stacks up.

Having played on beginner acoustic guitars for a long time, it was great to try a more intermediate one.

But, the 114e is more expensive than most beginner’s guitars.

So, is the 114e worth it?

I remember the first time I tried a Taylor, I immediately fell in love with the sound and how easy it was to play.

I bought the guitar on the spot. Ten years later, it’s still my go-to acoustic guitar.
With its relatively low price point (under $1,000), the Taylor 110e is a possibility for beginners and intermediate players.
But does affordability come at the detriment of performance? Is Taylor 110e worth it?

Fender is a powerhouse of a guitar maker.

As creators of iconic electric guitars such as the Strat and Telecaster, it’s safe to say they have the credentials to create great guitars.

But what if you want an acoustic guitar? Making an acoustic guitar is a different challenge compared to an electric one. So, you’d be right to ask…

Are Fender Acoustic Guitars Good?

Fender acoustic guitars are fairly good. Ranging from around $200 to $800, the price point is ideal for beginners and intermediates....

From stress relief to sharpening your brain, learning to play guitar has many advantages.
But it’s easy to get disheartened. According to studies, 90% of guitar beginners give up within their first year.

So how do you become one of the 10%?

You need to approach teaching yourself the guitar the right way. How you learn guitar will also have an enormous influence on how fast you progress.

Going alone is a common method to learn. But you’ll need a bit of guidance.

Do you need a good first guitar to meet your performance demands, but you’ve got a budget to stick to?

Good guitars excel in build quality, playability, sound, and aesthetics. The tonewoods on an acoustic guitar have a massive impact on the sound quality. The type of wood also hints at the level of build quality.

Is there a greater feeling than strumming a ukulele with fresh strings? The brightness of a revitalized ukulele is one of the finer things in life.

But what are the best electric (solidbody) ukulele string options?

For the most part, an electric ukulele is an acoustic instrument fitted with an internal pickup. Therefore, regular nylon ukulele strings sound best. Brands like Fender, Aquila, and Ernie Ball produce top-performing uke strings.

Before deciding whether to learn the ukulele or not, asking “how hard it is” is a totally legitimate question.

Investigating the answer will help you set expectations, which will most likely positively influence your learning experience. At least it did for me!

So in a nutshell, how hard is it to learn to play the ukulele?

What are the best turntables with speakers?

Buying a record player with speakers is a fast track. No shopping for separate speakers or preamps; one transaction, and you’re ready to spin vinyl.

We shouldn’t frown upon such ease. We live in a hectic world, right?

The problem is that so many all-in-one record players suffer from shoddy audio. Having played vinyl through poor record players, I should know!

However, as you’ll find out later, I’ve found solutions.

Bose SoundTouch 30 vs Sonos 5, which one’s better?

With an under $500 budget, I encountered the same dilemma. So, I tried both. Want to know what I found?

Truth is, the distinction in sound is negligible. Yet, as you’ll find out, depending on what you want, one will better suit your needs.

Which one is right for you? Read on to discover whether the Bose SoundTouch 30 or the Sonos 5 deserves your attention.

JBL Flip 4 vs JBL Flip 5, which is better?

Although discontinued, you can still get the JBL Flip 4 online. What’s more, you can save money by shopping around.

But as a natural upgrade, isn’t it just best to get the JBL Flip 5? After all, the price disparity isn’t huge.

There are many similarities between them. But having tried both, as you’ll find out later, I’ve found discrepancies. These differences will help decide which one’s right for you.