Choosing To Learn

Have Your Guitar Teacher Help You With The Setup Of Your Instrument In These Ways

18 December 2017

Barry Johnson

When you first start to play the guitar, the right teacher will make your journey into playing the instrument much easier. In addition to actually teaching you how to play, your teacher can also provide some valuable feedback about your instrument itself. While you might be starting with a hand-me-down guitar before you decide that you wish to buy your own guitar, some suggestions from the teacher can make your guitar easier to play and more enjoyable to learn on. Here are some setup-related things that you should seek help with.

String Gauge

Trying to understand string gauges when you're a beginner guitar player can be daunting. When you visit a music store, you'll see a seemingly endless selection of string gauges and may have trouble deciding what you want to buy. While string gauges are highly dependent on the player's tastes, your teacher will be able to recommend a direction that you want to go. For some example, many guitar teachers will recommend that new players opt for a lighter string gauge; although you'll sacrifice some tone with a lighter gauge, it will be easier on your fingers than a heavier gauge.

String Action

Action, which describes the amount of space between the frets of your instrument and the strings, is highly customizable. When you have a beginner guitar, the action may be nowhere where you want it to be. If the action is extremely high, which can often be the case if the instrument hasn't been set up properly, you'll need to exert more pressure on the strings to play notes. This can cause fatigue and even finger pain. Depending on the style of music that you wish to play, your teacher may suggest a lower string action — and might even adjust your instrument's bridge to lower the action for you.

Tuning

While it's common to learn the guitar in E-standard tuning, there are circumstances that may compel a guitar teacher to recommend an alternate tuning. Many people associate different turnings with different musical styles, but the reality is that the tuning of your guitar also impacts its playability. Tuning the guitar a half step or whole step down from E-standard means that the strings are under less tension. This, in turn, requires less pressure to fret the notes. This can be handy for new players until they build up hand strength, or perhaps older players who may have limited strength due to arthritis.

For more information, contact a local music school. 

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