Chapters
- 01. What Is The Difference Between Acoustic Guitar And A Resonator Guitar?
- 02. How To Play Resonator Guitar?
- 03. What Are Different Types of Resonators?
- 04. Which Resonator Guitar Models Should You Choose When Buying One?
- 05. Is Learning Resonator Guitar Fun?
- 06. Hire Superprof Tutors to Improve Your Resonator Guitar Skills
Many confuse a resonator guitar for a regular acoustic guitar due to their similar shapes. Only when they are played can you distinguish one from the other. Although slightly different in shape, their main difference is the sound. Besides, the resonator guitar is slightly more complex than an acoustic guitar.
There are a lot of myths surrounding resonator guitars. Some believe they are similar to acoustic guitars, while people who know the difference assume they are difficult to play. You may also hear that resonators are a new style complex for most artists to adapt.
Professional musicians can teach you how to play a resonator guitar in resonator guitar classes. Superprof provides step-by-step guidance, regular practice, and assessment to help you learn all the techniques to play a resonator guitar.
What Is The Difference Between Acoustic Guitar And A Resonator Guitar?
Due to their similar looks, it is natural to confuse the acoustic and resonator guitar. However, both have some distinctive features that set them apart.
Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars are widely used musical instruments because they are simple to play and easy to learn. The significant difference between an acoustic guitar and a resonator is the volume intensity. Acoustic guitars have a mellow and softer sound compared to resonator guitars, which produce louder and more robust sounds.
Resonator Guitar
Resonator guitars come in two types of frames. Both have wooden and metal bodies, but the cones are different. These cones are made of aluminum, metal, ceramic, or glass. They help with amplifying the sound while strings are played. There can be one to three cones under the body of a resonator.
Another prominent feature of the resonator guitar is that it is loud. It is because they were initially made for the genres like country, blues, or folks where a louder guitar is required. However, with time, artists of other genres began experimenting with these guitars, such as in rock and metal.
How To Play Resonator Guitar?
The resonator guitar may seem similar to the acoustic guitar but can be identified by its metal disc or resonator. They also have different neck types with different ways of playing, sounds and styles. When choosing one, you will be offered to choose between the following:
Round-Neck Resonator Guitar
It is similar to the looks of a regular guitar. They are mostly used for the blue genre due to their unique slides and rhythms. Round-neck resonator guitars are also suited for standard tunning of open D or G. When switching from acoustic guitar, playing a round-neck resonator could help you greatly because both have slightly similar features.
Square Neck Resonator Guitar
When playing a square-neck resonator guitar, you may find adapting to the tone and posture challenging. They are designed to be played exclusively in the lap, in a flat position. They are also referred to as lap slides. The neck of these resonators is larger, which helps them with extreme tunings due to their sturdy necks.
The best way to learn to play resonator guitars in both styles is not through YouTube videos but by taking a full-time course from professionals. They will help you understand the in-depth importance resonator guitar. This way, you can avoid learning all the wrong techniques that you may find hard to unlearn when you play professionally. For the right guidance, head to Superprof, choose the right music instructor for you and take one-on-one resonator guitar classes at affordable rates.
What Are Different Types of Resonators?
When choosing a resonator guitar, learn the difference between regular guitar vs resonator guitar. Also, be aware of its different types because this will eventually impact the volume and tone. The effect of the sound and how long it lasts also differ from each other. When learning about resonator guitars, the following are the features you should know about:
Biscuit Style- Single Cone Resonator
| Biscuit Bridge | Features |
|---|---|
| Cones | Single-cone |
| Sound | Loud |
| Capability To Provide Sustain | short |
| Genres | Blues, Jazz, Country |
A single-cone resonator is similar to an aluminum speaker cone pointed inside the guitar's body and strings going over the wooden saddle. Sitting on the top of the disc is a 'biscuit'. The one-cone resonators have a robust projection, but the tunes don't sustain.
However, they still have more sustain than an acoustic guitar, but in comparison with other cones, the single cone biscuit resonator's tune starts off very barky and decays quickly. They are usually preferred in the blues genres, where they are most commonly used.
A well-known biscuit-style guitar is Dobro. It is a single-cone resonator, meaning it has less sustain, and a lot of effort is needed while hitting the strings as the volume depends upon it.
Spider Cone Style
These are not loud as the biscuit-style resonator guitars, but they are incredibly rich in sound and sustain of the tunes. Spider cone style is also known as Spider Bridge due to the outward web-shaped cone, similar to the speaker cabinet with an aluminum resonator. Its strings go across the wooden saddle.
Tricone Resonator
This resonator guitar may seem intimidating on the look of it due to its three resonator cons which are ten inches in size. All three seem connected with a T-shaped cast aluminum under the strings. Resonator guitar functionality has distinctive features, it has an intensity of the sound like biscuit style and the sustain on notes like spider cone style.
National
A resonator with a wooden body and two cones is mainly preferred in the bluegrass and country genre due to its specific "jangly" sound.
Weissenborn
These resonator guitars are more on the mellow side of the sound. Used often in Hawaiian music, these resonators have four cones. Weissenborn is the resonator that paved the way for modifications like round neck, Tricone, Spider Style, and Square Neck guitars.
Which Resonator Guitar Models Should You Choose When Buying One?
It entirely depends upon your personal preferences. However, we have come up with a list of models and their features that can help you find a definitive answer.
National T-14 Brass
The model was released in 2018 and is a relatively new one. It would help if you learned enough basics to get your hands on this one because it is slightly tricky. The body is brass which performs differently than the ones with steel. The delivery is softer but high quality. Artists prefer it for its adjustability and flexibility in different styles of performances.
Epiphone Dobro Hound Dog Deluxe
As a beginner, this would be the best option to try your hands on. It is not as costly as a National and offers excellent quality sound when played. Epiphone Dobro is a single-cone resonator created with a flamed maple and steel exterior. The sound is similar to one of the Biscuit resonators and is comfortable to carry and play with.
Alt Title: The head of a resonator guitar.
Meta Description: Round-neck resonator guitar is relatively easier to begin during your resonator guitar lessons. (Source: Visualhunt)
National NRP 14 Fret Steel
The appearance may seem rustic and aesthetically pleasing with an outer steel body. National, the pioneer of the resonator guitar, is still leading the game with the most inventions. Artists generally love to play the Tricone resonator guitar because it's a one-of-a-kind experience with a unique sensation in sound.
These are some of the best models to try when buying a resonator guitar. However, as a beginner, practicing on regular resonator guitars is fine, as it may take a while to start playing professionally.
Is Learning Resonator Guitar Fun?
As a music lover or someone who is exploring different musical instruments to learn, a resonator guitar will be nothing short of a magical discovery. People may limit resonator guitars to country and bluegrass genres, but most artists love experimenting with this instrument. They have created some of the most beautiful tunes with resonator guitars, which you could also do.
A beginner can find resonator guitar difficulty great. However, this is where you open yourself to a new scale of instrumental music knowledge. A professional's help would be preferable for learning a resonator guitar. You can find all the suitable trainers and professional musicians to help you with their beneficial lessons and guidance at Superprof.
Hire Superprof Tutors to Improve Your Resonator Guitar Skills
Playing a resonator guitar can be challenging, especially if you have never played the guitar before. You can hire a personal trainer to help you learn all the proper techniques in custom online resonator guitar lessons on Superprof. Here, professional musicians and music teachers can provide one-on-one classes to guide you through each stage.
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