Sunday, July 19, 2009

Lessons on Guitar

If you are reading this, it's because you want to find cheap, easy, and fast guitar lessons but don't know where to go. This article is primarily about just that.
I have been playing guitar for 6 years and I have tried just about all the guitar lessons under the sun. At first I tried to learn guitar through conventional face to face lessons.
That failed because I... well to be honest... couldn't pay the guy. So I decided to go to some well named retailers to find some but the lessons offered there were completely uninformative. The next step is, to my dismay, the way I spent the most money... Online.
Sites lured me in with their "free online guitar lessons" but soon I found that they weren't so free.
I stumbled onto a site that promoted a product that was truly amazing. From past experience, I was skeptical, but I tried it at I loved it so much I have tried to give everyone interested in guitar lessons a fair shot at learning guitar. So i started a site that promotes this product because I believe in it so much.
There are no hidden fees, no false promises, no fake guarantees. Everything is explained to you. Visit the site and take a look at it, I know that it will help you like it helped me! Visit the Site for More Details! Or visit my site to see cool videos! My Site!
copyright 6/21/2009
by David

Saturday, July 18, 2009

How to play guitar riffs

OK, let's say you are a beginner guitar player and you would like to play some nice guitar riffs such as "Smoke On The Water" (Deep Purple), "Purple Haze" (Jimi Hendrix), "Stairway to Heaven"(Led Zeppelin) and so on. So you start asking yourself: "how to play those guitar riffs?".

Well, I know 3 ways to learn guitar riffs:

- You can buy the sheet music from any of the digital sheet music stores on the Internet. Sure, you have to know how to read standard notation.

- You can start searching Google for the song title followed by the word "tab". Sure, you have to know how to read tabs.

- You can start listening to the music you like. You have to know nothing.

Guitar tab

Guitar tab is a music notation created by guitarists. Any guitar tab has 6 horizontal lines (each one representing a string of the instrument) and numbers (each one representing the fret you have to play). As you can see, guitar tabs are easy to read. The downside of guitar tabs is the lack of rhythmic notation: this is the biggest flaw you'll find in guitar tab around the web.

Standard notation

Learning to read standard notation on the guitar is a lot of work. Everything about any song can be represented in standard notation (rhythm, harmony and melody). Just search Google and you will be able to download thousands of free sheet music pieces for guitar, piano, choral, brass, violin and so on. There are 2 disadvantageous aspects here: first you couldn't find that particular song you like so much, second you have to work hard to learn standard notation. Comprehending sheet music requires a special form of literacy: the ability to read musical notation.

Listening to riffs

This is the easiest and effective method I know. First, you have not to be able to read standard notation. Second, you can start playing guitar immediately. The downside of listening to riffs is the lack of ability to play them: you can't play guitar riffs because you are trying to learn them. It's a catch-22 situation. Anyway there is a simple solution here: you can slow down music to learn guitar riffs easily. All you need is a slow downer. This kind of software is helpful for transcribing, working out a difficult riff, helping you learn new song techniques and so on. It is a piece of software that allows you to slow down songs without changing the pitch. Slowing down the music to a more reasonable pace gives you a distinct advantage that would take years of experience otherwise.

copyright 6/20/2009

by Paul Redsteer


Friday, July 17, 2009

Beginning to Learn Drums

Are you a master air drummer? Are you becoming burned-out and unfulfilled of just envisaging the drums rather of really feeling and playing the thumping beats? If your replies to both questions are yes, then it’s high time to go to the succeeding level and sign up for drum lessons. Air drumming is fine, but in order to truly accomplish your dreams of becoming a drummer, then take drum lessons.

In reality, drumming is simple. Most of people are normally intimidated by the complicated beats the drum and drummer bring about. But in world, these beats are just versions of simple patterns. It’s true! Anyone can learn the drums. All it needs is successive studying and familiarity and mastery of these simple beats and patterns. Soon you'll be master of the drum set.

Before anything else, take the initial step first. One of the most fundamental lessons in drums and music is sheet reading. Yes, drums produce notes too and you will have to know how to read the sheet music in order to hit the right drum. There are different symbols which will be presented as time goes by, but sheet reading is the foundation which will make you to play the drums.

Counting time will enable you to play the correct notes written on the sheet music at the right time. The primary focus of a newbie drum pupil is on how the beats should be counted and how the subdivisions relate to each other. For beginners, a clean 4/4 time is usually taught. Make certain to count loud while tapping as this is essential in studying new beats and more complicated subdivisions in the future. A metronome may be used to help while tapping.

Knowing how to play with a single beat may be boring and persistent to some but becoming expert on these two skills is essential. As you progress, you can learn new beats, more compound moves and other drum techniques.

Practice makes perfect. It can be hard to stay motivated by playing simple beats but with the drums, mastery of the two above noted skills is the key to becoming an expert drummer. Hastening will only restrain your growth and it would be much to master the fundamentals before venturing further. Of course, once you discover that you are ready for more, there are intermediate and innovative lessons for more practiced drummers out there.
by: Jack Tan

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Jazz Improvisation Lessons: How To Get More Gigs Now

It goes with out saying that most cats wish they had more work, more gigs. The following are 4 extremely effective networking methods that you can put to work immediately. Obviously, your playing is the most important factor. The majority of your time and efforts should be focused on becoming the best player you can. Ability in and of itself will attract opportunity. But that not enough. Besides, having gigs is part of the learning process. Get your playing in shape and follow these simple methods for networking with musicians and soon your phone won’t stop ringing.

1. Go to Other People’s Gigs

One of the best ways to start getting more calls for gigs is to support other musicians. Whether they are your friends or acquaintances or even if you’ve never met them before, supporting their music comes with many benefits. People tend to help people who help them.

Decide ahead of time who you would like to perform with and potentially get called by. Once you have that list, follow their gigs and show up to support them. People tend to call people who they have recently seen. If you have already established a relationship with gigging musicians you can increase your own gigs rather quickly this way, just by being on the scene, being part of the hang.

2. Go on introduce yourself

The more musicians that know you and that know your playing the better, and the more gigs you’ll have. Again the key here is to be present on the scene. Chances are that at a jazz gig there will be other musicians in the audience. Get in the habit of meeting a new musician every time you attend a gig.

Now, here’s the thing. Network with the express purpose of meeting new people and developing relationships with them, not selling yourself to them. Selling yourself and talking only about yourself is a real turnoff to people that don’t know you. Don’t talk about how wonderful YOUR music is, or what a badass player YOU are. In fact, you will make a much better impression if you focus on them. Ask them questions about their music and what they’re up to. There’s nothing that people appreciate more than being listened to. Of course you want to tell them about what you do but try to focus more on them. Be sure to follow up with them as well. Email them and begin that relationship. You can write something simple like “Hey Man, Great to meet you the other night. See you on the scene.”

3. Be an Organizer

One great way to further your networking efforts is to organize sessions. Cats love to play sessions but many are simply too lazy or busy to take the time to set them up. Being the guy who organizes will have the effect of positioning you as a leader.

If you don’t have many gigs right now than fill your schedule with sessions. This also has the added benefit of being both necessary for and highly beneficial to your playing. But, be mindful of who you call for your sessions. They should be people with positive attitudes, who want to have productive sessions and whom you want to gig with. After awhile these sessions will begin to turn into gigs.

4. Stay on The Radar

Once you’ve built up a sizeable network of musicians it will be impossible to play sessions with all of them, or attend all of their gigs on a regular basis. They may simply be too busy to play sessions, or you may be. But you still need to stay on their minds.

Ask them to become your friend on facebook or another social networking site. Then keep them posted about what you’re up to. Let them know about your gigs and other projects.

Also, occasionally drop them a line, send them a text or give them a call simply to say Hi, and see what they’re up to. Stay in touch. The more genuinely interested in what they are doing the better.

To sum that all up: Be on the scene. Constantly meet new people. Be an organizer. Stay on the radar.

Follow these four simple steps and the gigs will start to flow.
by: Christopher J Punis

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Burning Desire To Play Jazz Piano

Exploring jazz Piano
The professional jazz pianist is expected to know the styles and techniques developed through the history of jazz. What sets the jazz musician apart is the need for excellent improvisational skills in melody and harmony.
The element of improvisation in jazz piano gives the pianist a sense of freedom of expression not found with other styles of music. Though the pianist must know "the rules," those rules can easily be broken in an artistic and creative way. How the jazz pianist applies or breaks those rules becomes part of their own personal style.

Jazz Piano Styles
When you discover all the different styles of jazz piano, one can begin to appreciate the variations in rhythm and discern between the different feelings that each type can offer a listener.
Below are brief introductions of the four main jazz styles and how they relate to piano jazz as we have come to know it and love it today.

Early Jazz
Piano has been an important part of jazz music since its beginning in the 1890's. Before jazz became widespread, Ragtime enjoyed popularity as one of the first music crazes of the modern era.
During this Ragtime era, piano music was the one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the U.S. The ragtime craze helped to fuel the sales of pianos, especially in the North.
Jazz developed as various styles of African-American music mixed and mingled in New Orleans in the first decades of the 20th century. Blues, spirituals, ragtime, band music, and European music melted together to form what is called America's first genuine original art form. What separates Ragtime from jazz is the fact that jazz is not notated, and ragtime doesn't "swing".
Storyville was an area of New Orleans where some local places showcased small bands, and some that would just have a solo pianist. As World War I broke out, Storyville was reported as a threat to the health of or soldiers, and closed it was down. Without this venue, many of those musicians looking for work elsewhere. Jazz was soon off and running, the craze was ablaze.

Stride Piano
In the 20's, a new jazz piano style started to emerge. Stride had the bass/chord left hand pattern of ragtime, but the swing of jazz in the right hand. The pianist performed all the elements of a band: the rhythm, the bass, the chords and the melody, usually at a frenzied pace.
The style evolved from the solo pianist's desire to keep the party going. The outlets these parties provided were the main source of entertainment for many Americans.

Swing Piano
In the swing era, which lasted from the twenties into the forties, sometimes the pianist played only sporadically and sparsely, adding an extra "frill" on top of the arrangement. At the time, swing was the most popular music in America.

Be Bop and Hard Bop
The Be-Bop era evolved as a reaction to the tightly controlled arranged sound of the swing bands. There was a major change in the evolution of jazz piano. The pianist didn't have to keep playing a steady rhythmic beat, but could now convey the rhythm and harmony by just using parts of the chords. The melodies became more angular and soon became featured in New York City, mostly in the clubs on 52nd St.
In the mid fifties, jazz saw new styles emerging. The pianists could use all of the techniques in jazz to develop a style, including elements of stride, swing blues and gospel.

Moving Forward
Since the early 60's, jazz piano has taken on many facets. Jazz has become wide open to interpretation, and the contemporary jazz pianist is able to grasp inspiration from many avenues.
Yes, jazz piano does pull at the heartstrings of many of us. I suggest you take some time each day to find your “jazz ear” so that you are able to feel the passion that jazz will add to your lifestyle.
With such an array of styles to emulate, and have fun with, many inspired listeners soon develop a passion to learn how to play the piano for themselves. There is nothing more satisfying than feeling the jazz beneath your fingertips.
The cost of a jazz pianist is not about the expenditure money for lessons, it's more about the time that you spend dedicating yourself to learning jazz piano, and having fun on your journey. The benefits are too great to go into on this brief article. Let’s just say, it’s definitely worth it all.
by: Peter Hostage

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Your Guide To Buying A Guitar


Choosing a new guitar, regardless of your ability or experience, is never an easy task. You must always consider the type of sound you wish to create, your maximum budget and the style of music you're learning to play.

The three most common types of guitar are categorized by the material their strings are made from and their status as electric or acoustic. Therefore, you may either want a Nylon-stringed acoustic, a Steel-stringed acoustic or a Steel-stringed electric. Each of these is distinctly different and will be better suited you different styles.

Nylon-stringed acoustic guitars tend to be the cheapest variety and are the easiest to learn on because of the extra space between strings and their relative kindness to fingertips. Typically, they are used either as beginner instruments or for travel purposes where there is a risk a more expensive instrument may be damaged.

Steel-stringed acoustic guitars are similar in construction to their Nylon-stringed counterparts, but are generally used by more serious or professional players because of their usefulness in building playing-endurance and finger strength. These instruments are of a mid-range price and are also available in electro-acoustic varieties.

Steel-stringed electric guitars are distinctive because of the presence of a pickup (which turns vibrations in the strings into electrical signals to be emitted by an amplifier) and the absence of a hole in the body (which the pickup renders obsolete). Electrical guitars are the most versatile types and thus, the most expensive. Whilst you may pick up a budget electric guitar fairly cheap, this is useless without the concurrent purchase of an amplifier, which again varies in quality and price.

When buying a guitar, it is always best to have an impartial, experienced player with you in the store. If this is not possible, research the meanings of build-quality, neck-relief and intonation with reference to guitars and be sure to look out for each.
by: Ant Wakefield

Monday, July 13, 2009

Learning The Guitar Online - The Facts


From absolute beginners to seasoned players, the internet has opened up a whole new media for those who wish to play the guitar. Many people today are utilizing the easy availability of online sites in order to learn to play the guitar.

The media of the streaming video has allowed people to learn from the comfort of their own front room, at any time of the day or night, whenever they like. Not only that, but it has blossomed into a huge industry - there are a massive amount of sites that you can visit that promise to teach you a very high standard of guitar tutorials. In this article, we will explore some of the advantages of the online tutorial, and some of the things that they can offer you if you are considering learning to play the guitar.

1) Its convenient

You really can learn wherever and whenever you want. Just as more and more everyday experiences are becoming more and more convenient (such as grocery shopping, for example), and learning the guitar is no different. We are lucky to live in such a time when the easy availability of goods and services is part of our social make-up.

Now you can learn for a few minutes at a time if you so wish, and even fit learning to play the guitar around other activities. Traditionally, guitar students would commute to an instructor's studio - taking into account the journey time and travel inconvenience it usually meant putting an evening or an afternoon aside for a lesson.

2) You get to choose your instructor

Instead of just taking lessons from someone who is closest to your home or more convenient for you to get to, this way you can take a look at their biographies, sample lessons and other relevant details. This is a huge advantage, as you will be learning from someone who best fits your particular needs. With the majority of online tutorial sites, you can select from a variety of instructors.

Taking lessons from two or three instructors will give you a good sense of balance and you may even learn better doing it this way - don't have to stick to just one instructor. Some of them are more hands on, whilst others favor a more visual approach, it's worth trying out different instructors to find one that best suits your learning style.

3) Flexibility

Rather than in a one-to-one situation where you often find that you can only learn what the instructor wants to teach you, you have the flexibility to choose what you learn. With an online program, you get to learn what you want to learn.

4) Affordability

The whole business premise of the online tutorial is that they can provide more lessons for less money. In order to learn to play the guitar, a lot of people don't want to spend a whole lot of money. The math is relatively simple: if 100 members of a particular site pay $10 each, then the site generates $1000. This revenue can then be used to film and produce even more lessons.

For a one-on-one instructor, you will realistically be expecting to pay something in the region of $40 per half hour lesson. Therefore, the value of the online tutorial becomes clear - you can get full membership to a lot of the sites for the same price (around $40), which will give you an almost endless amount of lessons.

The only significant downfall when it comes to online learning, is that there is no-one there to ask a question to when you get stuck. It can seem a little frustrating at times when you come across something that you don't understand. This, however, is a pretty small disadvantage when you consider all the benefits of learning to play the guitar online.
by: Liam Gibson
Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson (Pro Guitarist)

Sunday, July 12, 2009

4 Simple Steps To Successfully Learn Guitar

Many factors come into play when successfully learning to play the guitar. Whether you aspire to play professionally or you just want to learn for yourself, setting up the right conditions for learning and progress is absolutely essential. Let’s take a look at 4 simple steps to successfully learning to play the guitar.

1. Laying The Foundation and Understanding Chords

The first step to do anything successfully is to lay a strong foundation. Buildings collapse without a strong foundation. You wouldn’t run a marathon without training, would you? It’s no different with guitar. In order to build that foundation for successful guitar playing, the first thing you need to know is proper positioning. By this we mean sitting positions, holding positions, fret hand positions, and pick hand positions. Included in positioning is how to fret strings, how to hold the pick, positioning the guitar, etc. This may sound somewhat elementary, but the benefits of doing this correctly are numerous. You will be comfortable playing/practicing guitar; you will have minimal tension in your hands and arms. Overall, this makes guitar playing an enjoyable experience and pave the way for great playing.

The second part of the first step is understanding chords. At the most basic, chords are 3 or more notes played together. One note is the root note. The root note is the same as the chord. For example, the note A is the root note of the A chord. Certain chords sound better together than others, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves a bit. The main thing to take away is that chords are 3 or more notes played together, and they are the foundation of guitar music.

2. Tuning Your Guitar To Itself

This concept may sound confusing. Guitars need to be in tune to sound correct. There are 2 main ways to tune a guitar. You can use an electronic tuner, or you can tune your guitar to itself. Tuning the guitar to itself is a vital skill and will train your ear like no other exercise. The best part is that you start developing your ear for pitch early in your guitar playing. Believe it or not, your ear is your most valuable tool in guitar playing. Being able to recognize notes and chords by ear will give you the enviable skill of playing songs by ear.

3. Reading Guitar Tablature

Guitar tablature is a very common method of writing guitar music. It is much easier to understand than traditional music notation. Beginning guitarists are often in a state of information overload with new skills, sounds, etc. Tablature, or tab, is a way to combat the confusing nature of traditional written music. In guitar tab, there are six horizontal lines representing the 6 strings of the guitar. The numbers you will see represent the fret that should be played on that string. Also, chord diagrams are written in tabs. These chord diagrams spell out exactly which notes to play to play a certain chords. Understanding guitar tablature will make the process of successfully learning guitar simpler.

4. Chord Progressions

Once you have a working knowledge of guitar tab, you can use chord diagram tabs to learn specific chords. Chord progressions are nothing more than 2 or more chords played sequentially. For example, you may strum a D chord and then change to an A chord. This is a chord progression. Playing chord progressions will help you determine which chords go together-a benefit of your ear training from step 2. There is also a simple formula for determining which chords go together, and your ear will confirm this. Once you have three or four chords that appeal to you, or a few chords that you have mastered, practice playing them one after the other. This will enhance your chord knowledge and playing skill.

As you can see, each step builds on the previous. They also work in conjunction with each other. There are many avenues for more advanced guitar instruction, but learning these 4 simple steps will lay the best foundation possible for successfully learning to play. If any of these steps sound confusing or you’re not sure how to do certain things, check out the link in the “about the author” paragraph below. Each of these steps is explained much more thoroughly and in depth. There are lesson sections as well as audio and video checks so you can check your progress. Check out the free course and be on your way to playing like the pros.
by: Jason Loup

Saturday, July 11, 2009

How to Do Harmonics on the Guitar

Damp specific frets on the fingerboard of your guitar, the bell like sound that it would produce would be called harmonic. These are a must as they could help you create great music effects. Learning guitar and not paying attention to harmonic is not doing justice to music. In other words, strike the guitar string, the sound that is produced is nothing but a combination of different components. When these are taken in synchronization – could be termed as harmonic series.

There are several ways of playing these harmonics on the guitar. Some are explained below –

Open-String Harmonics
Open String Harmonics are also known as the natural harmonics. These open string harmonics could be produced by placing the fingers lightly at certain points on the fingerboard. Ensure that the strings are not pushed down; the finger should be the only thing in touch with the string.

Fretted Harmonics
The fretted harmonics is relatively difficult and hence it needs practice. Doing the fretted harmonics would need consistent practice and time. Being over ambitious and trying to learn it fast can actually harm you to a great extent. There are three things that need to go in synchronization and these are as follows:
1. Fretting of a note.
2. A soft touch is needed on the string. The touch should be 12 frets above a note that is being fretted.
3. Plucking the string is required with the above two.
The fretted harmonics could be achieved by two different methods. Artificial Harmonics and the Pinched Harmonics are the two ways to doing the fretted harmonics.

Artificial Harmonics
As established that there could be other ways of playing harmonics, for fretted harmonics this technique of Artificial Harmonics is much simple to master as compared to the others. This is an easy way to learn the fretted harmonic. It is recommended to go for this one first in order to get motivated and get prepared for the Pinched Harmonics, which is relatively difficult. All the harmonics that could be played are artificial; playing these is termed as Artificial Harmonics. According to this, the index finger’s soft touch followed by the pluck with the pinky finger; alternatively the pick held from the other fingers would work.

Pinched Harmonics
This is relatively difficult as compared to the one listed above. Modified picking technique with the accurate and steady picking hand is the pre requisite for playing the Pinched Harmonics consistently.

It being difficult doesn’t make it very different from the Artificial Harmonics. It could be understood as playing the Artificial Harmonics, just that for the pinched one we are using a plectrum. Left hand would be used to fret the notes. Go 12 frets above the hand you are fretting with, with the picking hand.

Pick needs to be gripped in such a way that the thumb and the tip are sticking out approximately the same expanse. The thumb should touch the strings briefly while you pick string at the particular points. The note should be played by the pick and the Fundamental sound should be silenced by the thumb, resulting with the required, Pinched Harmonics.

Though this would give you a fair idea about how to play the Artificial Harmonics and the Pinched Harmonics, but until you try your hands on, you would not learn.
by: Alen Keenan

Friday, July 10, 2009

Guitar Change Strings - How to restring your instrument

Guitar strings are going to need changing eventually. Whether the string coils unravel, the notes played become out-of-tune more often, or the strings are just grimy and filthy, restringing your guitar is a simple skill that every guitarist can master. Here are the simple steps in order to change your guitar strings.

* Put a generous amount of slack in the string from the headstock.

Turn the tuning peg of the string to be changed in the "flat" direction until the string is loose and able to be removed from the guitar. Be careful because the string end can be quite sharp.

* Remove the cut end of the guitar string from the fastener attached to the tuning peg.

Carefully unravel the guitar string out of the hole and from around the tuning peg.

* Slide the string out the tailpiece of the guitar.

Guitar tailpieces are all made differently, but the main idea is to remove the string from the body. Some strings can be changed by simply sliding them out while others, mostly acoustic guitars, require pegs to be pried out of the body.

* Now is a good time to clean your guitar if you so desire.

There's some controversy about removing all six strings at once, but if you choose to do so, rub down the fret board with a damp cloth and then some olive oil.

* Pull the string through the hole of the tuning peg and loop back around underneath the string.

Position the tuning peg hole so the openings face each end of the guitar and thread the string through. Give the string enough slack so that you can pull it upwards about 2" off the guitar's fret board. After looping the string around one side of the peg and under the initial string entrance, bend the string upwards from underneath itself.

* Tune the guitar and stretch the string out a little by pulling gently from the mid point towards the headstock.

Slowly and carefully tune the string up to the desired pitch. Then, stretch the strings a little and repeat the tuning and stretching process until retuning is no longer needed.

* Cut the excess string at the tuning peg and repeat for the remaining strings

Use a sharp pair of wire cutters to cut off the excess guitar string pieces at the tuning peg end of the guitar. Then, change the remaining guitar strings.

After you're forced to change your guitar strings a couple times, the process should become second nature. Always remember to clip the excess strings with wire cutters to prevent damage to the paint from the dangling string ends.

by Kyle Hoffman

Are you interested in more fast guitar tips? Check out my guitar blog, How To Guitar Tune.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Accoustic Guitar For Beginner Review

Every seasoned guitar player out there remembers what it was like on the day they got their first guitar into their hands. This occasion can be life changing for some, but not always. The acoustic guitar you choose to buy can have a huge effect your approach to the instrument.
As Acoustic Guitars can vary considerably in comparison to electric and classical. I have listed a few examples of the most highly recommended acoustic guitars for beginners.
Yamaha Acoustic Guitars
Within the past several years, due to the improvements in manufacturing in the East and the lowering in cost of materials, the Japanese electronics giant, Yamaha, has supplied the music market with quality, professionally crafted guitars. They have numerous models, catering for beginners and also advanced players.
The Yamaha FG730S is an example of what Yamaha can offer at a low price. Starting around $300, this model has a solid spruce top, giving it excellent tone, with a rosewood bridge and fingerboard. Acoustics in this sort of price range are usually hampered with high action, how close strings are to the fret board, making playing difficult for beginners. This Yamaha guitar's strings are set at a huge distance from the frets, without affecting the powerful sounds.
Ibanez Guitars
Ibanez, a familiar name at the lower end of the guitar spectrum, that is known for their durability and value for money. They also offer attractive all-in-one packages, which include everything you need to get started, such as picks, extra sets of strings, a strap, and a learning to play DVD.
However, the Ibanez cheaper models tend not to compare with other brands - lacking the sound and playability that will help you to enjoy the instrument. In order to get the best that Ibanez have to offer you will have to pay a little bit extra. Their AEL10E model, at around $399, comes with a fitted pickup, which gives you the option of connecting it to an amplifier. It has won many fans for its low action and distinct sounding body - built with a spruce top and rosewood fret board and bridge. Although not as powerful as the Yamaha FG70S, a common drawback in acoustic electric guitar models, it does provide a rich tone when plugged into an amplifier.
Alvarez Acoustic Guitars

The Alvarez Regent series is increasingly becoming a popular choice for beginners, as they offer good craftsmanship at the best price compared to similar models in other brands. The Dreadnought body with spruce top provides this acoustic guitar with a strong, rounded sound that you cannot get from either the Yamaha or Ibanez guitars.
When you hear this guitar for the first time, it seems that the Regent series is an attempt of Alvarez to imitate more expensive brands, as it does provide a nice, distinct tone, but doesn't quite have the depth of a Yamaha. The Regent series starts around $220 dollars, making it one of the cheapest spruce-topped Acoustic Guitars you can buy.

By: John Bearsford Tipton