3 Crucial Tips To Not Screw Up A Live Act On Guitar

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How A Guitar Strap Can Ruin Your Guitar Playing

By Antony Reynaert

There are numerous things that can limit you as a guitar player when you play while standing up with a guitar strap. The body mechanics of a guitarist who practice playing in sitting position are very different from when you play the guitar in standing position. When it comes to playing comfortable with a strap there are three crucial topics, which are often overlooked, that you need to get right or you can totally ruin your live performance.

How Putting The Cable Behind The Guitar Strap Will Prevent Dramatic Live Performances

This vital tip I will provide is something you just need to be told once, but a lot of guitarists don’t have the knowledge of this topic. Lacking the crucial knowledge of the ‘cable behind the strap technique’ has messed up so many live performances of guitarist in general so you can’t just ignore this. The moment you step on the stage to play your guitar it is possible that you step on the guitar cable by accident and pull the cable out of your guitar. I don’t have to tell you that this is unacceptable for a performance. This is on the other hand very easy to solve. Leading up to the guitar act, instead of putting the cable right from the amp into your guitar, you guide the guitar cable underneath the strap before you plug the cable in the guitar such as shown in the picture above. This way your cable will be fastened and secured when you step by accident on the guitar cable. Don’t forget this very easy problem-solving tip when you prepare to play with a guitar strap because it will prevent dramatic live performances for every guitarist.

How Do You Choose A Guitar Strap To Get The Best Result Possible

When it comes to playing comfortable with a guitar strap, choosing the right strap is an often-overlooked topic, but is hugely important in playing the guitar while standing up. Playing the guitar with a wrong strap can cause lots of damage to your guitar playing, as your body is full of bad tension. First of all, the weight of the guitar can change a lot from brand to brand. When you play a quite heavy guitar, for instance a Les Paul or an American Standard Tele, it’s for your own best to take a wider strap. This way the weight of the guitar is more spread across the shoulder so your spine, neck and shoulders won’t hurt during a guitar-playing act. The material of the strap is also something you should take in consideration, but it’s mostly up to personal preference to choose a flexible nylon guitar strap or a stiff leader guitar strap. When you still come across pain of the cutting guitar strap on your shoulder, there is the ‘Lamborghini’ of guitar straps, called a ‘comfort strap’. Build in pillow pats will give you luxury when you play with a standing posture but it comes with a higher price range of course.

Practicing Wrong With A Strap Can Totally Ruin Your Guitar Playing

The most important part when playing with a guitar strap is the way you practise. I have mapped out the learning process on how to play with a guitar strap in an article on my blues guitar website.

About the author
Antony Reynaert plays blues guitar on a professional level. He’s handing out his research in becoming an amazing blues guitarist the best and fastest way possible. On his website Best Lessons To Play Blues Guitar you find tons of free articles, resources and videos to fulfil your dreams to play the blues on guitar.