Information
Tips & Advice
What You May Need To Start Playing
Popular Guitar Accessories You Should Consider
Once you’ve started playing your guitar you may want to enhance your playing experience by purchasing some accessories. Your local music store will have a very wide range for you to choose from and they’ll also offer you very good advice on what accessories will suit your needs.
Here are a number of accessory products for you to consider:
Pick or Plectrum
A pick (or plectrum) is used to play or strum the guitar strings. Picks are typically a thin piece of specially developed material available in different shapes and thicknesses.
The pick is held between the forefinger and thumb with the pointed tip of the pick pointing at right angles to your thumb and away from your finger tip – as illustrated here.
Electronic Tuner
The easiest and most accurate way to tune your guitar is with the help of an electronic tuner. There are numerous types of guitar tuners available and most are relatively inexpensive and simple to operate. The screen allows you to easily tune each string individually, by indicating whether the notes are sharp (too high), flat (too low) or in tune. Tuning using other methods may be a little more difficult for a beginning guitar player and it may take some time to master. For this reason, we recommend you purchase an electronic tuner.
Pitch Pipes
When blown like a whistle, a pitch pipe provides reference tones to which each string on the guitar is tuned.
Guitar Strings
Keep your guitar sounding great by regularly changing your strings, keep a set handy in case of the inevitable string breakage.
Guitar Stand
Protect your investment against damaging falls by keeping your guitar on a stand when not in use – it’s certainly a lot safer than leaning it against a wall or laying it on the floor!
Hard Case or Carry Bag
Protecting your guitar whilst travelling is a lot easier with a hard case. It will also double as a great coin catcher if you are busking!
Guitarist Footstool
Designed to improve playing posture when seated, a footstool raises the leg and knee to place the guitar into the correct playing position.
Guitar Strap
A strap is essential if you prefer to stand whilst playing. Your local music store will have a big selection for you to choose from.
Capo
The capo clamps around the neck of the guitar and is used to raise the pitch of the strings. As a result, you to play different music in other keys by using the same fingering patterns of notes and chords you would normally play without a capo.
Guitar Wall Hanger
Why not hang your guitar on the wall like a piece of art? At the same time a Wall Hanger provides protection from falls and knocks.