Does your child want to learn to play the guitar? If so, you want to make certain they have all of the accessories they need. While guitar teachers can give you a list of what they recommend, you can have your child ready for their first lesson by getting some of these accessories ahead of time. Here are some of the most common items you need in addition to a guitar.
Guitar Picks
Depending on what type of guitar your child is playing, they may need to buy some picks. Because these small plastic items are so easy to lose, it never hurts to have a handful of extras on hand.
Picks are incredibly cheap, so you can buy a dozen or so for very little. You may want to look for a combo pack of picks that includes some different types—some are thicker, while others are thinner. This can change how the guitar sounds, and different picks are good for different types of playing.
Guitar Bag or Case
If your child is going to take their guitar places after their private guitar lessons, they will want to be sure it’s protected. Some guitars come with a case, but if you’re purchasing a used guitar, it may not have one.
While guitar bags are cheaper, they also don’t provide as much protection. A guitar case provides much more defense against being dropped or sat on.
Guitar Stand
Your child may want to keep their guitar on a guitar stand when they’re not practicing. This allows keeps the instrument safely upright and for your young musician to pick up the instrument and play whenever they feel like it.
Having the guitar out in the open instead of in a case or bag does actually help encourage kids to play. It avoids the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality, so they do think about playing more often.
String Cleaning Products
The more your child plays the guitar, the more sweat, dirt, and oils from their skin will get on the strings. This build-up will cause the strings to weaken and break more easily. To extend their life and keep this dirt from getting onto the guitar, pick up some string wipes or other instrument cleaning products. The wipes are the easiest way, though string cleaner is another good option.
String Cutter and Winder
Your child will eventually break a string on their guitar; it’s inevitable. While you could take it to a music store to have a new string put on, it’s easier for your child to learn to change strings on their own.
You’ll only need a string cutter, but investing in a string winder will make the entire process much easier. Once your child learns how to change a string with these tools, they will be able to quickly restring their guitar themselves.
An Electric Tuner
Once the guitar has been restrung, your child will need to know how tune it. Some new guitars come with an electric tuner, but you may need to purchase one. These are fairly inexpensive tools that make tuning up the guitar so much easier. The tuner clips onto the headstock and uses the vibration of the strings to tell whether the string is in tune or not.
A Capo
A capo is a small clip that acts like the nut of the guitar. It allows you to move the nut upward, changing how the guitar sounds. According to guitar experts at MusicCritic, “guitar capos are a small clamp-like object that are meant to be clipped onto any fret of the guitar (click for the study on other techniques), and this, in turn, shortens the length of the strings, which increases the intonation of the sounds made.” You can use the same capo for acoustic and electric guitars, so there’s no need to buy a second one. This is another inexpensive item that all guitar players need to have in their kit, especially since many songs make use of the capo.
Now it’s Time to Start Guitar Lessons
Now that your child has all of the guitar accessories they need, it’s time to start lessons! Our teachers will come right to your home for every lesson, plus we offer virtual music lessons, too. However, our online music lessons are being taught by local music teachers with live lessons tailored to your child! That’s right! Whether you live in Dallas or Atlanta you can have a local teacher give you Atlanta guitar lessons! Contact us today to learn more!
