This is how it works: Plug an electric guitar into an amp and stand near the amp. Play a chord and adjust the amp to get some sound back. It’s amazing how it feels. The reinforced vibration between amp and guitar is amazing if you’re like me.
Adjust the amp until feedback is sustained – adjust gain and volume until feedback becomes a continuous tone. It should not build and shriek, but it should be there like a constant drone. Once you have established that drone, you will be able to keep it going for as long as you don’t touch your strings.
Now, turn off the amp and play the same chord. It doesn’t happen right? The instrument makes a tiny, muffled sound.
You can use headphones or any other device to listen to your music. Many of these devices will produce pleasant tones and sound very similar to the tone you hear when you play through an amp. However, without the interaction between your amp and your guitar, the constant feedback tone you felt and heard will not be possible. You can still get some real feedback if you use headphones, but you will have to play through stereo speakers or studio monitors. Every amp produces different sounds, different types of feedback, fuzz, and distortion.
It all depends on how powerful and quality your speakers are.
The short answer is that you can use an electric guitar with no amplifier. However, it will sound different than if it was plugged into a Marshall stack.
Having said all that, I encourage you to experiment and find what works for you.
There are many good electronic alternatives to amplifiers.
My iPad has a guitar interface, and I use a software program called Amplitube on it.
To practice or record music using my guitar.
Amplitube is known for its wide range of amplifier models.
These amp models attempt to reproduce the sounds of famous amplifiers (using headphones or a PA system).
Connect your iPad to a powered speaker to add physical feedback to your music.
Although it is not as powerful as an amplifier, you can create new sounds using the effects, looping capabilities, and other features of this app. Foot pedals with amp modeling are available from many pro audio companies, including Boss, Digitech and TC Electronics.
You can also get guitar sythesizers, which are completely different! Keep your mind open and explore all the possibilities.
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