Essential accessories for your guitar
Pick
You can choose to play with a pick or to play in the classical style with just your fingers and finger nails. When buying a pick, it is generally better to buy as thin as possible.
If you are going to be playing in a more single note style rather than strumming it is better to buy a medium thickness pick as you will really be able to twang the string and get a very singular sound for the note you are playing.
Spare strings
Make sure you stock up on your strings. There is nothing worse than settling down to an hour of guitar practice on a Sunday afternoon and… twang! There goes your G string.
It’s Sunday and nowhere is open to buy a string. Make sure you chat to your local music specialist to see which strings are best for you. Once you know your favorite strings make sure you buy a bunch of them. Strings do not go off or deteriorate as long as you leave them in a cool dry environment.
Tuner
Eventually you will be able to tune your guitar by ear. There are many useful videos on YouTube to learn how to do this. We recommend that you start learning immediately as it will help your playing immensely.
But, if you only have a couple of minutes to tune your guitar, or you are going for a more exotic tuning setting because you are playing some Nick Drake, then you should use a tuner.
Capo
Want to sound all folky and shimmery? You need to use a capo. A capo is a vice like object that clamps to the top of the neck and squashes down the strings.
This makes the strings tighter and vibrate less. The smaller the vibration, the higher the notes will be. Capos are a great way to get that shimmery sound without wearing your hands out.
Applications and YouTube
As we mentioned before, YouTube is a great way to know more about guitars and how to play songs. But, now with smartphones and tablets you can directly download tuners, metronomes, tab sheets and tutorials.
