If you play or think of shifting to electric guitar, one thing you would require is an amp. An amp is one of the most important things that you need to play an electric guitar. But what if you do not have an amp? Can electric guitars be played without an amp?
Well, precisely speaking, you can play an electric guitar without an amp, but it will not be as loud as it is when plugged into an amp. Along with it, if you are using other stuff instead of an amp, you will have to make certain changes to make your guitar sound good.
If you’re eager to know more about an amp and electric guitar, we have a deal for you. Follow the article below and have proper insight into an electric guitar and the usage of an amp.
Contents
Why Do We Need An Amp To Play Electric Guitar?
One of the main reasons we require an amp for an electric guitar is the sound of the guitar. No, we are not talking about the tonality of the guitar but the loudness of the sound.
Unlike an acoustic or a semi-acoustic guitar, an electric guitar does not come up with a hollow body, and the sound generated is totally electrical.
This is why an amp is required because, without it, the sound of the guitar will be even lower than an acoustic guitar. Although there are some electric guitars that have hollow bodies, those too will not be enough to create enough sound to entertain a large number of people.
So, if you play in big concerts or live gigs, an amp will be essential for you to have for your electric guitar. Other than that, you will have to depend on a lot of other things to produce a great sound.
Ways To Play An Electric Guitar Without An Amp?
You might be thinking about what you would do if you had no amp and you wanted to play electric guitar. Well, for this, we are here for you. We will elaborate on some of the most amazing ways to play electric guitar without an amp.
1- Play Electric Guitar With Headphones
If you have no amp available, do not worry at all. We have got your back. If you want to play electric guitar without an amp, then why don’t you choose to play it with headphones on?
We know that you must be thinking that to connect a headphone, you would require an amp. But, this is not how things work.
To play guitar with headphones, what you need is an electric guitar, a headphone, and most importantly, an amp plug.
Now, you need to connect the amp plug to your guitar using the guitar jack, turn on the amp plug and then connect your headphones to the amp plug. This is all that you need to do to play guitar with headphones.
2- Play Electric Guitar With Speakers
Playing guitar with a speaker is as simple as playing it using an amp. Most speaker systems come with built-in amps, and if your speaker does not have it, there is no need to worry. What you need to get is a small Amp for your speakers and connect your guitar to it.
Tons of speaker amplifiers are available online, and you can also get them from guitar stores. Once you have everything ready, you need to connect your guitar to the speaker system, and you are good to rock the stage.
3- Play Electric Guitar Using Multi-Effect Pedal
You may have used it or not, but a multi-effect pedal is one of the best things that will allow you to play your electric guitar without an amp. Most of the multi-effect pedals have a jack to connect your speakers, and this is all you need to play an electric guitar.
What you need to do is set up your speaker system, get a multi-effect pedal and set it accordingly, and then connect your speaker to the pedal and the pedal to your guitar.
This is all you will have to do to get proper electric guitar sound without even using an amp. So, if you have no amp, there is no need to worry. A multi-effect pedal will hold your back.
Is An Amp Necessary For An Electric Guitar?
In general, an amp is necessary to play an electric guitar. But, there are other things too that can fulfill the need for an amp. For instance, you can use a PC, A Mac, Or even a multi-effect pedal to play your electric guitar without an amp.
However, if you have none of them, things are going to be hard for you. Because if you want to play the electric guitar just like you play your acoustic one, the sound will not be enough to entertain even a small gathering.
Without an amp, the electric guitar will be so loud that people will not be able to hear it clearly. Along with it, if you have attached no amp or other such devices to your guitar, the sound produced will be a bit smoother than you would expect from an electric guitar.
So, make sure that you have either an amp or other such devices to make your guitar sound good.
How Does An Electric Guitar Sound Without An Amp?
If you have a PC, a Mac, or even a multi-effect pedal, you will feel no sound difference in your guitar. No matter if you use an amp or not, these things will cover up for it. However, if you want to play an electric guitar just like you play your acoustic one, things will be different.
With no instruments connected to your electric guitar, first, the guitar will sound so low that you will not be able to enjoy quality music. Secondly, in this scenario, the tonality of the guitar will also vary. With no sound system connected to your guitar, the instrument will sound smoother than you expect.
So, if you are expecting sharp music from an unplugged electric guitar, you will be disappointed. With no sound system connected, the guitar is even smoother than an acoustic guitar.
Is Electric Guitar Easier Than Acoustic Guitar?
Certainly, an electric guitar is easier than an acoustic guitar. Most people think that an acoustic guitar is easier, but things are not what they seem.
First of all, an electric guitar has quite a lower action that allows you to play chords easily. Along with it, having such low action allows you to fingerpick easily.
Secondly, an acoustic guitar comes up with heavier strings than an electric guitar. So, if you are going to learn an electric guitar, it will be easier than an acoustic one.
Lastly, in some electric guitars, the frets are smaller than in any acoustic guitar. So, with smaller frets, you will be able to play chords with ease.
All in all, an electric guitar is way easier than learning an acoustic guitar. However, we always suggest you learn acoustic first so that you face no issues later on.
Can I Play Electric Guitar With Headphones?
Yes, you can play an electric guitar with headphones. However, for this, you need to have a guitar amp. No electric guitar comes up with a headphone jack, and we use an amp to connect our headphones to the guitar.
Most amps come up with headphone jacks and what you need to do is simply connect your headphones to that particular jack, and everything will work fine. Along with it, some of the amps have an Aux output jack. Do not worry; these jacks work the same as a headphone jack.
So, all you need is an amp, and this will allow you to play electric guitar with headphones.
Are Electric Guitars Silent Without Amp?
Not at all. Most people believe that electric guitars are silent without an amp, but you will surely hear sound from them if they are not connected to an amp. Although the sound produced is minimal, it will be enough for you to practice alone.
An unplugged electric guitar will sound low and a bit smoother. This is why we guitarists use it to improvise our music and practice alone. So, if you have no amp or other such things that you can connect to your electric guitar, then go unplugged and practice quality music.
Conclusion
In the end, you must know whether an electric guitar can be played without an amp or not. Above in the article, we have tried our best to answer all of your queries relating to electric guitars and amps.
Along with it, we have tried and explained some of the best ways to play electric guitar without an amp. So, it depends on you what method you prefer if you want to play an electric guitar without an amp.
Now, if you find anything missing, do let us know. We will be there to help you out.
