Guitar Accessories For Beginners

What Accessories Do I Need For Acoustic Guitar

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Acoustic guitars these days are often sold as acoustic/electric guitars. If you have an acoustic/electric you might want to check out the section on electric guitar accessories because you will eventually want an amplifier and some of the things that go with an amplifier. The items listed here are also items you will want with an electric guitar. These are mentioned in my Beginner Lesson as well because they are important items to have.

Guitar Tuner

Guitar Strap

Guitar Strap Locks

I was introduced to strap locks a few years ago and think they are the best thing since sliced bread. Strap locks are awesome because, without them, your guitar may slip off of the strap pegs. The problem with plain old strap pegs is when the cut in the strap that is supposed to fit into the peg, is too big or small. If its too big, the strap is loose on the peg and is at risk of slipping off. If its too small, it may never get fully onto the peg and is also at risk of falling off. I highly recommend getting strap locks. They are reasonably priced and worth the investment. You might also be able to find straps like this one that have them built-in. I own this guitar strap and absolutely love it.

If you decide to invest in strap locks and have more than one guitar, you should try to get the same strap lock for each guitar. That way the strap will fit on multiple guitars. When I bought my bass, I purchased strap locks for it. Then a couple months later I bought a Stratocaster from a friend who had already installed the strap locks oon the guitar. The two locks do not fit the same strap.

Picks or Plectrums

A pick is not really a necessity, it is possible to strum the guitar with just your fingers. However, if you are playing riffs or scales you will find a pick a necessity. There are a million different styles and textures of picks out there. Try a bunch out and see what you like. Many beginning guitarists like a light size such as the .60 or .73 mm but try out the different sizes and see what works for you. Picks are very inexpensive so having a variety around is a good thing. My favorites are the Dunlap Max Grips. .88mm. I really like the texture and size of this pick.

Guitar Strings

At some point, you are going to need new strings on your guitar. This depends on how much you play it and how hard you play. If you play really hard then you may end up breaking a string and needing to replace it. It is good to have an extra set on hand for when this happens. You should also learn how to replace the strings yourself. I will cover that topic in another post in the future. A lot of music store will change your strings for a nominal fee or sometimes for free if you buy the strings from them.

Guitar Case

Even if you are not taking your guitar anywhere, storing your guitar in a case is usually the safest option for your instrument when you are not playing it. Hard shelll cases are the best, but they can be expensive. However, if you have an expensive guitar, don’t skimp on the case. Gig bags are super popular right now as well and some even come with a hard casing on them.

Miscellaneous Guitar Accessories

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There are a number of items that you may want to consider down the road in your guitar playing journey.

Music Stand

If you use books or sheet music you should get a stand. A music stand put the music at eye level and helps you to play ergonomically. This will help your posture and put you at the proper playing level which will allow you to play with more comfort and less pain over time. If you use a computer or tablet, you can still use a stand for these as well. I highly recommend getting one.

Guitar Stand Or Hanger

The great thing about putting your guitar on a guitar stand or wall hanger is that it is right there in front of you begging to be played. I know I stated above that putting a guitar in its case is the safest place for it, and it is, but having at least one of your guitars easily accessible is fun and you get to look at that pretty guitar when you are not playing it. I keep my less expensive guitars on a wall hanger and my more expensive guitars usually reside in their case.

Capo

A guitar capo is almost an essential guitar accessory. The reason I say a capo is almost essential is that whatever song you are playing that requires a capo can be transposed. So what exactly is a capo? A capo is a small device that clamps onto the neck of a guitar and shortens the length of the strings thereby raising the pitch of the guitar. When you are just starting to learn chords you probably won’t need a capo right away. However, once you start grabbing music off the internet, you will find it a handy little tool and a bit easier than trying to transpose the key of the song.

String Winder

I changed my strings for years and never owned a string winder so its not a necessity, but damn I regret not having one now that I own one. The process of winding those strings is so much easier and faster with a winder. Not only is it easier but string winders are pretty inexpensive so why go without.

Slide

Playing with a slide is a specific technique not everyone gets into. If you play country or blues, however, you may want to consider getting one and learning this technique.

Music Books or Website Subscription to Music

There are a ton of books and website that offer you instruction or music to play. Some are free, others are not. One of my favorites is Ultimate Guitar. This is a free music tab website that has an insane amount of songs, how to play them, all in tablature. The free version offers tabs submitted by users. The subscription or Pro version looks like a Guitar Pro file and is generally a lot more accurate than use submitted songs. You also get multimple instrument tracks so you can learn the different parts of the song. Chord only versions if you just want to strum along. Printable so you can create your own song books, and it offers Tonebridge compatibility so that you can incorporate the correct tone. At the very least, book mark them for the free stuff.

Microphones and Microphone Stand

If you plan on performing for an audience other than a campfire, you will probably want a microphone and mic stand. Again there are a tone to choose from so we won’t go into too much detail. This will likely be a topic for its own post.

Computer Or Audio Interface

At some point, you might want to plug your guitar into your computer so that you can either play along with online music or record your own music. In order to connect your guitar to a computer, you will need an audio interface. The audio interface allows your computer to process the guitar’s signal into something the computer can understand. There are a ton of options on the market for affordable audio interfaces. The biggest thing to keep in mind when choosing an audio interface is the latency of the unit. Latency is the period of delay measured in milliseconds between when an audio signal enters a system and when it emerges and you hear the output. In these terms, the less latency a system has, the better. I use the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 as my interface. I love it because I also purchase a program from them called Guitar Rig, which lets me plug my guitar in and play with all kinds of different effects and tones.

Recording Equipment

Recording your music is beyond the scope of this article and is a complex subject. However, if you wanted to get started you would need a computer, an audio interface, cables to connect them, and recording software. If you have an Apple computer that has Garage Band, which used to be free with your MacIntosh, then all you need to do is connect to start using it. If not I would recommend Reaper recording software. You can try it before you buy it, its simpler to use than some out there and there is a ton of video instruction on their website.