Acoustic Guitar

Why Is Your Acoustic Guitar So Quiet? 6 Reasons

By · 13 min read

acoustic guitar

Trying to jam with friends or practice on your own while barely being able to hear your guitar can be extremely frustrating. It might even seem like your guitar is unplayable, and you need to get another one if you want to hear anything. However, such a step might be too drastic, as there are certain things you can do to make your guitar a bit louder, so there’s no need to despair. 

Your acoustic guitar might be quiet because you strum too softly. Your string gauge is also important. Thin strings sound quiet while thick strings are louder. It’s also important to check your saddle, bridge, and bridge pins. You should also adjust the action and get a thicker pick. 

Keep reading if you want to learn more about why your acoustic guitar is so quiet. We’ll go over the common causes, and I’ll suggest some fixes you can apply to finally get your guitar’s true potential. 

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acoustic guitar so quiet

1. You Don’t Strum Hard Enough

Unless you play an acoustic-electric guitar, its volume will depend mostly on how hard you strum. If you’re a beginner, strumming hard enough might be difficult. And you might not be confident enough, so you always try to strum softly to avoid touching the strings you’re not supposed to touch.

Over time, this might become a habit, that is, the normal way you play. You’ll probably play with more accuracy this way, but it simply won’t be loud enough, and since it’s now your normal way of playing, you might not notice that there is something wrong with your strumming. 

Of course, some songs require you to play softly, so the lack of volume is probably a plus. However, when it comes to other songs, strumming like you’re trying to caress the guitar won’t achieve the desired effect. 

Luckily, you can fix this problem very easily by tweaking your playing technique a little. Let’s check out what you can do. 

How To Fix It

The easiest way to fix this problem is simply relaxing your strumming hand and strum harder. Even if your guitar is broken, strumming harder will give it an instant volume boost. It might be difficult to get used to this if you’ve been strumming softly for a while, but a few hours of dedicated practice should do the trick. 

If you start strumming harder and notice a drop in your accuracy, meaning you accidentally strum the strings you’re not supposed to, then you can learn how to mute strings. This might be difficult at first because it will change how you hold chords, but you’ll get used to it over time, so you’ll play without buzzing and noise. Here are some ways you can mute your strings.

  • Use your thumb: This is the easiest way to mute the thick E string. You only have to touch it with your thumb lightly, and it will be effectively muted. Now, even if you strum it accidentally, it will make no noise.
  • Use a finger that’s holding the chord: This is another convenient way to mute a string and it won’t change the way you hold a chord much. You only have to slightly extend the tip of a finger to touch another string, and voila, it’s muted. 
  • Hold the pick close to the tip: This is not exactly a way to mute strings but rather to get more control over the pick. It’s not advisable to use this trick if you’re a beginner, but it’s a good way to play if you’re already somewhat experienced. Plus, holding it this way will automatically make your guitar slightly louder.

Strumming close to the bridge is another time-tested way to make the guitar louder. This will give you a lively, vibrant tone, which some people compare to the sound of an electric guitar. You might not be a big fan of this sound, but at least you’ll be louder, which is the main goal here.

Another way to make your guitar louder if you’re a soft strummer is miking it. It’s a particularly good way to make it louder if you’re playing a song that specifically calls for soft playing. You can choose between a microphone on a stand and a clip-on microphone. 

A clip-on microphone is a great way to amplify your guitar’s sound if you’re lively while playing and like to jump around. It’s even better if you get a wireless microphone. If you’re not that type of person, you can opt for a regular instrument microphone. 

2. Your Strings Are Too Thin

Thin strings will produce a thin, quiet sound. This is not always bad, as in some cases, that might be the effect you’re looking for. However, if you’re trying to increase your guitar’s volume, increasing the gauge of the strings is a good idea.

your strings are too thin

It’s also a good idea to restring your guitar regularly, not only when you encounter problems. Over time, the oil from your fingers, sweat, dust, and tiny pieces of skin will accumulate on your string and slightly dampen their sound. 

This gunk accumulation will make your strings duller and quieter. Plus, your strings will physically wear out over time, which adds to the lowered volume of your guitar. 

The material they’re made of also greatly influences your guitar’s overall tone and volume. For example, some guitarists find that 80/20 bronze tends to be brighter than phosphorus bronze. As you get more experienced, you’ll figure out which material suits your guitar best.

Let’s see how you can fix this issue. 

How To Fix It

If you have thin strings and your guitar is too quiet because of that, the easiest course of action is to change the strings. See what gauge your current strings are, and go up from there. You can experiment with di