GUITAR
6 THINGS YOUR GUITAR IS TRYING TO TELL YOU | David Harsh
Did you know your guitar is calling out to you ?
Think about it . You have a relationship with this instrument . You may be on excellent terms , or perhaps you haven ’ t connected in a while . But I ’ m here to tell you , if you take time to listen for your guitar ’ s voice , you two will have a much stronger bond .
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Here are six things your guitar is trying to tell you …
1 . “ KEEP ME SAFE .” My dad always taught me to “ buy good equipment , and take good care of it .” This certainly applies to our guitars . If I leave my guitar in an empty car for a few hours , I not only risk it being “ borrowed ” for the rest of my life , if the weather is warm , my guitar could get hot and the glue could melt , essentially turning my guitar into … firewood . I know people who have done both of these things , and the results were “ just shy of helpful .”
2 . “ KEEP ME CLOSE .” This may seem like a “ Captain Obvious ” thing , but if my guitar isn ’ t nearby , I probably won ’ t play it . Years ago , the great fingerstyle champion John Standefer told me to keep my guitar on a stand where I can hear it calling out to me . That is some sage advice .
In the years when my kids were really young and I wasn ’ t sure if they ’ d be careful enough around my guitar , I would just hang it from a guitar wall mount . But I have chosen not to seal it in a case and keep it in a closet , because I just know that if it is “ out of sight ,” it will be “ out of mind .” And if it tries to call out to me , I won ’ t be able to hear it .
3 . “ KEEP ME HEALTHY .” The subject of guitar care is something I haven ’ t spent a ton of time focusing on , but I sure learned a lot about it when I had the privilege of interviewing a Master Luthier at Mike Lull ’ s Guitar Works . He talked about making sure our guitar is set up properly . He emphasized the importance of keeping the fingerboard clean so that the oils from our hands don ’ t cause the finish to break down . He also talked about making time for regular checkups , just to make sure all the parts ( mechanical and even electronic ) are functioning properly .
4 . “ KEEP ME IN TUNE .” Several great guitar players over the years have said something along the lines of “ We tune because we care .” We do care , right ? Not only does tuning our guitar keep it calibrated , tuning makes it sound better . If we care about our guitar , and especially our listeners , we ’ ll prioritize taking time to tune . I can ’ t tell you how common it is for me to come across guitar players who play on a regular basis , but who don ’ t tune before they play .
Several years ago , at a huge conference , I opened for a duo of guitarists who were hurrying to get onstage after my set . As we passed each other backstage , I literally heard them say , “ Well , we don ’ t need to play in tune .” Well , they went onstage and performed for about an hour … out of tune , and it was not as enjoyable as it could have been . I think they needed to play in tune .
Here ’ s a quote that really illustrates this well . Some people have attributed it to Abraham Lincoln . It says , “ If I had five minutes to chop down a tree , I ’ d spend the first three , sharpening my axe .” Let ’ s keep our axe sharp ! Our guitar is much happier when it ’ s in tune , and that ’ s a blessing to us and our listeners .
5 . “ KEEP MY STRINGS FRESH .” Whether we play a little or a lot , unless our guitar is kept sealed in a case ( see # 2 ), our strings need replacing every month or two , depending on how many hours we log . I compose in a lot of tunings , which means I need to restring more often .
I actually had a student years ago who brought a guitar to me that had not been restrung in probably a couple of decades . I could tell because the steel strings on his guitar were completely black . So , guess what we did right then and there , during his lesson ? We restrung that puppy , and the difference was like night and day . Even if our strings are just 6 months old , it can be harder to keep them in tune because they ’ re not as fresh . Lastly …
6 . “ PLAY ME .” I know this probably goes without saying , but we enjoy our guitar most when we play it . Looking at it is fine , if it ’ s on display , but playing it allows us to get to know it better and better as we develop our skills , and most of all , we get to enjoy making music .
So , take care of your guitar , and your guitar will take care of you !
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David Harsh David Harsh is a nationally touring worship leader , songwriter and performing artist . He helps beginning and returning guitarists find a clear path to guitar success with his revolutionary approach . Learn more and join at www . GuitarSuccess4U . com .