Whether you’ve been playing the guitar for four decades or four months, there are a few essential tools and pieces of equipment that will make your life as a guitarist so much easier and allow you to simply focus on the music.

ESSENTIAL 1: THE GUITAR PICK

• The guitar pick is an absolute staple. The thickness you’ll need will vary depending on what guitar you play and your preference, but there’s no getting around the fact that you need one (unless you play fingerstyle of course). They range from thin to extra heavy and also will vary by hardness, texture and shape and size. If you’re looking to learn more about how picks differ, check out this article.

• Using a pick will clear up the tone of your music and drastically increase the speed with which you’re able to pick the strings, making pieces of music you thought you’d never master suddenly feasible.

ESSENTIAL 2: THE CAPO

• Like the guitar pick, a good capo should never be too far from today’s guitarist. A capo clamps onto the neck of your guitar and allows you to play songs in different keys while still using open chord voicings. They work by shortening the length of the strings and raising the pitch

ESSENTIAL 3: EXTRA STRINGS

• Believe me, there’s absolutely nothing worse than jamming out to your favourite song, having your strings break and not having a replacement. Do yourself a favour and make sure that you always have a few extra packs of your favourite strings nearby so when disaster inevitably strikes, you’ll be able to restring continue like nothing ever happened.

ESSENTIAL 4: A GUITAR TUNER APP

• You can’t play your guitar if it’s out of tune. Well, you could, but it wouldn’t sound very good. Using a guitar tuner app is a quick and easy way of making sure your instrument is in tune before you begin a lengthy practice or jam session.

• Apps like GuitarTuna use the microphone on your device to listen to what you’re playing and will visually show you if you’re flat, sharp or just right. Just pluck a string and tune your guitar accordingly.

ESSENTIAL 5: A GUITAR STAND

• Using a guitar stand keeps your guitar protected from all the bumps, dings and scratches that’ll quickly accumulate if you just set it down on the floor or prop it up against the wall.

• When you set it down or prop it up, there’s a very good chance your guitar will come crashing down and meet the floor with a gut-wrenching thud that experienced guitarists know all too well. This can lead to structural damage of the guitar and a greater possibility of irreparable damage in the future.

• Ultimately, a stand is a small price to pay for the long-term preservation of the condition of your beautiful instrument.