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Top Guitar Practice and Maintenance Tips for Guitarists

by Mark /
02/01/2023

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when we swear we’ll start exercising regularly, finish that DIY project, or in our case, continue (or start!) practising our musical craft!

So, to keep you inspired and on track for your new year’s resolution, we’ve compiled a list of tips and suggestions that will ensure you’re plucking the strings and ripping the riffs from January onwards.

Our top tips for staying inspired

From musician to musician, how do you keep the inspiration and motivation to play the guitar all year long?


Try a different genre

Electric guitar setup We’ve all got into guitar to bring our favourite genres to life, whether it’s the fast-paced power chords of punk rock or the smooth scales of jazz. But it’s this laser-focus on a particular style and its norms that can limit us as musicians, where we settle into patterns and rhythms that are familiar.

Well, why not shake things up? If you’re a soulful blues lover, why not look at a classical arrangement and see how it sounds on a clean electric? If your wheelhouse is the crunchy chords of pop-rock, have a look at some influential jazz guitar pieces and pick up new tempos and progressions.

What you learn in another genre can help influence and improve your take on the genre you’re most passionate about.


Little accessories can make a difference!

Small additions like plectrums, capos, and slides may seem like a basic thing to mention, but it’s often understated how much of an impact they have on your playing!

A quality capo with a trigger grip is easy to place, remove, and replace on your fretboard, helping you try out different keys or explore the sounds of open chords further up the registers.

Meanwhile, a slide instantly transports you into the realms of country and blues as it adds momentum to riffs and solos. They can be enormous fun to experiment with, giving you new avenues to explore in your lead sections and helping you manoeuvre around the board in sliding style!

Of course, a guitar practice amp will also come in handy. These useful things are ideal for rehearsals, impromptu jams, and performances in small venues. You’re bound to stay inspired and motivated to play if you can easily plug into something portable and achieve superb amplification even whilst practising.

And lastly, the humble plectrum. Pick dynamics have a huge effect on tone and your approach to playing. If you usually prefer thick chunky picks, try out a thin type to add restraint and a softer quality to your strumming. Or go fancy and get higher-grade picks with textured grips to help ease hand cramp and enable finessed picking.


Warm-up exercises

guitar warm up exercisesPractice, practice, practice. Bear with us here, we know prescribing exercises isn’t the most inspiring of suggestions. But finger strength is an important part of playing, and a few run-throughs, while your hands are still warming up, can pay dividends in the long run.

If you’re struggling with barre chords or rapid flurries of notes on lead lines, finger stretches and exercises can help build the flexibility and agility to make it all easier. Incorporating these into your guitar practice routine will take you from struggling to reach those awkward notes to flawlessly executing them without a second thought.

And best of all, repeated strength exercises help reduce frustration when you’re learning something new.


Fill in with your favourite riff

There are those moments when you stare at the fretboard, unsure of what to try next. It’s usually better to be playing something than to be stuck for ideas, and riffs can help us get into a rhythm for improvising further.

If you’ve created your own melody that keeps your head bopping, great! If not, there are lots of resources online to help you learn a foot-tapping, catchy riff.

Our suggestion is the repeated riff in “Suzie Q” by Credence Clearwater Revival. It’s simple, addictive, and endlessly fun to noodle around!


Mix up your gear collection!

Finally, keep your equipment fresh! Whether you’re a brand-new guitarist or a veteran seeking inspiration, we’ve compiled a list of products that will help keep the fire of creativity burning.

Electric guitars

The powerful tools of tone that drive us as musicians. Electrics come in many wonderful shapes and sizes, so if you’re tired of the same old routine on your current axe, have a look at these alternatives and try a different approach!


Squier Bullet Telecaster

Squier Bullet Telecaster, BlackGet rocking with the guitar that started it all.

Evolving from one of the first solid body electrics ever made, the Telecaster is an icon that’s sure to keep you inspired.

With a slender neck and two Fender-tuned single coils, you’ll find room for all sorts of creativity on this great-value electric.

Delve into ’00s indie riffs, or take it back further to ’70s blues, the Squier Bullet Telecaster brings you all the class at a fraction of the price of a Fender.

Shop now | Squier Bullet Telecaster, Black

 


SubZero Generation Pro Fanned Fret 8-String Guitar

SubZero Generation Pro Fanned Fret 8-String Guitar, Grey Tide FadeCare to try something a little bit different?

The SubZero Fanned Fret 8-String opens a new world of spicy sonics courtesy of extra strings and an ergonomically shaped fingerboard.

It encourages highly dynamic playing thanks to its extended note range, whilst slanted fret wires help speed up your riffs.

This adventurous step into a different style of playing and abundant creative options is bound to keep you stuck to your guitar well into the new year!

Shop now | SubZero Generation Pro Fanned Fret 8-String Guitar

 


Hartwood Revival Vibrato Semi Acoustic Guitar

Hartwood Revival Vibrato Semi Acoustic Guitar with a Marshall amp behindClass and sophistication in guitar form.

The Hartwood Revival will take your tone into the full, rounded, and sweet realms of semi-hollows.

It’s perfect for trying out super clear jazz chording thanks to the harmonically rich sounds that the hollow chamber and twin humbuckers produce.

And more than that, a vibrato bridge opens engaging whammy action to keep things creative.

Shop now | Hartwood Revival Vibrato Semi Acoustic Guitar, Cherry Red

 


Seattle Select Legacy Electric Guitar by Gear4music, Vintage Black

Seattle Select Legacy Electric Guitar by Gear4music, Vintage BlackFor the vintage lover.

Styled after guitars that made the grunge scene so prominent, the Seattle Select offers cutting tones, a cool road-veteran aesthetic, and a sweet tremolo bridge for wavy vibrato action.

Take your music in a new direction with P90-style pickups that have the twang of a single coil and the bark of a humbucker.

Rock out on the comfortable offset body shape that sits nicely against the waist and give your songs an extra twist with an injection of whammy bar finesse.

Shop now | Seattle Select Legacy Electric Guitar by Gear4music, Vintage Black

 


Fender Mustang Micro

Fender Mustang Micro Amp plugged into a red electric guitarThe ultimate practice tool for electric guitars.

The Micro brings you full-blooded Fender tones wherever you are.

No amp, no cables, just enjoyable sounds that can fit into your pocket!

Offering clean and dirty channels in addition to built-in effects, there’s plenty of tone shaping to enjoy on this little gizmo.

If you’re out on the road or don’t have space for an amp at home, the Mustang has you covered, so you can stick to your resolution no matter the situation.

Shop now | Fender Mustang Micro

Acoustic guitars

Want an instrument to sit by the couch that you can simply pick up and play?

Acoustics remove a lot of the hassle from practising by just being ready to play at a moment’s notice. No plugging in, switching on, tone shaping – nope. Pick up and pluck away…


Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar by Gear4music + Accessory Pack

Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar by Gear4music + Accessory PackGet into the steel string swing.

The Gear4Music Dreadnought Acoustic is a superb starting point for anybody looking to get that acoustic sound.

It’s complete with handy extras like spare strings, a clip-on tuner, and a gig bag.

The dreadnought style offers a large, bold sound that’s ideal for strumming chords and providing backing for budding singer-songwriters.

Shop now | Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar by Gear4music + Accessory Pack


Hartwood Renaissance Soprano Ukulele

Hartwood Renaissance Soprano Ukulele, NaturalSweet, lively jangles. A ukulele not only conjures up thoughts of palm beaches and exotic Hawaiian lūʻaus, but it also grants you a cool high-register instrument that you can take with you anywhere!

If travelling is getting in the way of practising, then a small uke will keep the fires of inspiration burning while you’re away from home.

The solid spruce construction of the Hartwood Renaissance Uke promises balanced, rounded tones, so you’ll always enjoy a clear projection and an articulate voice.

Try playing your favourite songs on the ukulele to see how they sound with the instrument’s signature brightness, or create your own mellow tunes! Learning a new instrument that retains those skills you’ve picked up from the guitar can be a great way to keep the passion for acoustic playing high!

Shop now | Hartwood Renaissance Soprano Ukulele, Natural 


Hartwood Prime Single Cutaway Acoustic Guitar

Hartwood Prime Single Cutaway Acoustic Guitar, NaturalA classic appearance with a modern attitude.

Delve into the acoustic realms with the Hartwood Prime.

It offers the freedom to explore the full length of the fretboard thanks to a cutaway design and lets you quickly switch between open chords and high-note soloing.

If you’ve wanted to venture into acoustic blues, country, or singer-songwriter pop, this is the perfect place to start.

Shop now | Hartwood Prime Single Cutaway Acoustic Guitar, Natural

 

Bass guitars

Take your tone down low. These basses are great for aspiring musicians or guitarists that want to taste subterranean sounds.


Squier Affinity Precision Bass PJ Pack

Squier Affinity Precision Bass PJ Pack, 3-Color SunburstGet in the low-end grooves.

The Squier Affinity Bass pack is a superb entry-level instrument for bass-curious players.

Offering easy playability and versatile tones through its split and single coil pickups, it will keep you interested as you try out different styles of playing.

Able to voice everything from thick and smooth rhythms to tight, biting-edge timbres, this bass allows you to dip into any genre of your choosing.

And it comes with all the gear you need to start unleashing those boomy bass rhythms, so get playing and enjoying the deeper frequencies!

Shop now | Squier Affinity Precision Bass PJ Pack, 3-Colour Sunburst

 


RedSub Coliseum Fanned Fret 5-String Bass, Blue Burl Burst

RedSub Coliseum Fanned Fret 5-String Bass, Blue Burl BurstTired of the same old 4-string formula?

Extend your booming bass options with the RedSub Fanned Fret 5-string.

It not only gifts you with even more low-end goodness in the form of an extra bassy B string, but it also features fanned frets for extraordinarily comfortable playing.

The slanted frets promote a more natural hand position while fretting, letting you speed up the fluidity in your rhythms and venture into slap and solo styles.

Shop now | RedSub Coliseum Fanned Fret 5-String Bass, Blue Burl Burst

 

Effects pedals

It’s time to get creative. Effects pedals open up new horizons of sonics experimentation, giving you a fresh take on songs and styles.

It can really help liven up a dull routine and drive your enthusiasm for picking up your guitar!


SubZero Rollercoaster Looper Pedal

SubZero Rollercoaster Looper PedalGet loopy! Loopers record what you’re playing then repeat it back constantly. Using this, you can build rich textures of music and improvise over your own playing!

It leads to extensive possibilities from just one instrument.

The SubZero Rollercoaster is intuitive and easy to use, encouraging you to create exciting layers of music rather than focusing on settings.

With a toggle switch that allows for three independent loops to be recorded at once and a USB port that allows for uploading/downloading your favourite loops, you can transform your performance.

Shop now | SubZero Rollercoaster Looper Pedal

 


SubZero Space And Time Digital Reverb Pedal

SubZero Space And Time Digital Reverb PedalFrom subtle to out-of-this-world, reverb can take your tone in all sorts of interesting directions.

Whether you’re seeking a refined edge to your notes in the style of spring reverbs from classic amps or looking for space-age weirdness to excite your audience, reverb pedals can do it.

And in particular, SubZero’s Space And Time Digital Reverb is perfect for the job.

With easy sound sculpting through powerful controls, you can take your signal from mostly dry hints of reverb to a full-on wet cascade of noise.

Shop now | SubZero Space And Time Digital Reverb Pedal

 


TC Electronic Wiretap Riff Recorder

TC Electronic Wiretap Riff RecorderTying into our riff recommendation, this handy little pedal will help build your musical ideas.

Sometimes you uncover a gem while improvising or noodling, and the next time you come to play it’s disappeared from your head. Well, no more!

A simple stomp will keep the Wiretap recording for up to eight hours, so you’re guaranteed to capture those moments of inspiration.

What’s more, you can store your riffs on the Wiretap app!

Shop now | TC Electronic Wiretap Riff Recorder

 

Final thoughts

We hope that’s helped you get inspired and fired (up) for practising all throughout next year! If you’ve got any top tips that have helped you survive those gruelling practice sessions, we’d love to hear about them!

Perhaps you have a favourite technique or secret riff recipe that keeps you coming back to your instrument. Leave a comment below to let us know!

 

Content Writer (Guitars)

Mark has been a guitar aficionado for around twenty years. A lover of all things 6-string, he spends his days putting pen-to-paper about all manner of interesting instruments. From entry level Squiers to the most coveted Custom Shop desires, Mark's written about them.

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