Besides a Guitar What Else Do You Need?

available at jerry lees music store

So now you have a guitar and the question is, besides a guitar what else do you need? The question on guitar essentials can ultimately only be answered by your own preferences and budget, but here some are suggestions to consider.

An Electronic Guitar Tuner

It used to be much more difficult to tune a guitar to perfection than it is today. At first we used the tuning of a piano or organ, especially if it was part of a band’s line up, you made sure that every other instrument was in tune with the keyboard. Later we got pitch pipes, a great little tool if you had a good ear. Using a pitch pipe gave you a reference pitch to tune one string, from which all other strings were tuned. Much later we had the electronic tuners you plugged in or held against the guitar while hitting a string and a needle or light would tell you when you were in tune. Today’s new Sharks are simply clipped to the head stock of your guitar and usually stay there while playing, just in case strings would go out of tune.

An assortment of Plectrums

Plectrums or picks are those little teardrop pieces of hard plastic, wood or sometimes even metal, used to strum or hit strings with. They come in many shapes and sizes actually, from quite large triangles to fingertip teardrops, with or without grip. If you plan to strum songs I would suggest experimenting with softer picks; if you plan to learn leads and licks, or even play a bit more aggressively, I would suggest anything 1millimeter thick or above. Get a good number as these little critters disappear easily. If you’re thinking of playing blues grass and some classic country, you may want to get a couple of thumb picks as well, because they make bass strings picking a lot more practical.

A pick is not just pressed between your thumb and index finger. Easiest way to do it right from the beginning is: Stretch your hand as if you’re going to do a karate chop; then bend your index finger inward as far as you can comfortably and sit the pick on top of your index finger, sealing it off with your thumb. The plectrum should look as if it is coming out of the side of your thumb. The pressure you apply to the pick should be minimal.

Strings

When it comes to strings there are even more things to consider such as the sound, as well as the impact on your fingers.

Sound: Acoustic guitar strings are used in a wide variety of non-classical settings, most commonly folk, bluegrass, country, or acoustic rock. They are made of metals such as steel, bronze, phosphor bronze, or nickel and will have a core of metal, in a few unique cases a threaded material, or commonly a combination of those materials.

The sound of acoustic guitar strings vary extensively, depending upon the materials used and the manufacturing techniques involved. Softer metals such as gold produce the warmest and most mellow sound with less volume, while harder metals such as stainless steel produce the brightest sound with more volume. Wound strings with significant amounts of a soft pliant material involved in the core, such as silk, will have a warmer sound with less volume, while a guitar string with a solid metal core will produce a brighter and louder sound.

Impact: Choosing the right gauge of strings is important for at least two reasons: One- the impact on your fingertips and TWO- the impact on your guitar’s neck. The ultimate choice is once again yours, but know that the lighter gauge (9 or 10) is easier on your fingers while gauges 12 and 13 project a much more booming sound, but can be painful if played for a longer period of time, especially if calluses on your fingertips is still in the early stages.

In addition we advise you to have your guitar properly Set Up at least once a year by someone who knows how it’s done. A guitar’s proper ACTION is extremely important. The ACTION is the distance between the strings and the fretboard. A nice low action is the best for a number of reasons, but mainly because it plays so much easier. High action means there is considerable distance between the strings and the fretboard, which makes it uncomfortable and difficult to press the strings down. High action will impair your ability to progress! Too low action in contrast will make the strings buzz on the fretboard. A good way to tell if this is the case is to play every single note on your fretboard with one finger. If it sounds nice and clean, there’s no problem.

A Stringwinder

Another cool little gadget is a string winder. This gadget will help you change strings quick and easy. Every guitar player knows the misery of changing strings and this thing will make your life a lot easier.

Capo

A Capo or Capo d’Astro is a clamp device placed over all strings of a typically fretted instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch. It’s a very useful gadget when transposing songs and should be part of your toolbag.

Metronome

A metronome keeps rhythm for you, either by beeping or ticking to a tempo (speed) and time signature (amount of beats) that you can set manually at your liking. It’s very useful for both strumming and lead guitar exercises.

Guitar Stand

To make sure you store your guitar properly, I recommend a good guitar stand. Over the years guitar stands have evolved into technological wonders, that can fit in a briefcase. Our suggestion of course is a solid Cooperstand.

Guitar Strap

If you plan on playing gigs over time, you may want to invest in a good strap to stand up and play. A good wide strap will support your back while standing with several pounds of instrument hanging from your neck and shoulders.

Last but not least you need a good armless chair or stool and a music stand to complete your musical tool bag.

If you have any questions about the foregoing, do not hesitate to come and see Jerry Lee. He is an expert in getting you set up if you need an answer to the question: Besides a Guitar What Guitar Essentials Do You Need?

 

 

 

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