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Guitar Straps: Stand Up And Put A Guitar On!
Back in the early part of the twentieth century, the guitar was anything but central to any kind of musical ensemble. Electric instruments were not yet invented, and any particular style of guitar that existed at the time just simply could not project the type of volume that a horn instrument, a piano, or a drum set could. However, in the thirties and forties, the guitar became a much more popular and prominent instrument. Once the electric guitar was invented and the kinks were worked out in regards to the amplification of the guitar, guitars went from being a background instrument in big bands to being the primary instrument in the majority of musical groups. With guitarists now front and center on the musical stage, many guitarists wanted to be able to stand up and to move around on stage. That being the case, guitar straps became a very common guitar accessory.
There are a couple of different ways in which guitar straps can affect the playing of a guitarist. For one thing, guitar straps play an important part in the stability of the guitar while you are playing, assuming that you are playing while standing up. As a guitarist, you want to have the guitar generally stay in one place in relation to your body. If a guitar does not do this, it can make it significantly harder to play properly. Another issue that comes into play with guitar straps is finding the right height for your guitar to hang at off of your shoulders. When it comes to technique, one major mistake that a lot of beginner guitarists make is to have the guitar hanging quite low on the guitar strap. This puts a lot more strain on the player's wrists and makes playing significantly more difficult. Having the guitar up closer to your chest reduces the angle of the wrists to the fingerboard and makes your fingers much more versatile on the guitar. That being the case, it is generally important to have plenty of adjustability in your guitar strap. While most straps have a buckle or clip and plenty of length for making the necessary adjustments, some straps are not adjustable and thus finding the right length of strap is important in those cases.
Just like any guitar accessory, you can find straps that are dirt cheap and straps that will cost more than some guitars. It all depends on what you want. If you are serious about your playing, quality should generally be your first concern. However, the strap is a very simple accessory, and you can still find high quality guitar straps in the 3-5 dollar range. However, I have found that as guitarist grow in experience and their tastes change, other factors come into play as well. Just like with the guitar itself, guitar straps tend to incorporate a certain element of style into their appearance. While some guitarists are content with the cheap nylon straps that cost less than their lunch, many prefer something with some kind of graphic or perhaps a genuine leather strap that has some artistic design on it. Additionally, comfort is another issue that comes into play when choosing a strap. The strap is securing an instrument, and often a somewhat heavy one, to your shoulders for the entire time that you play. In my band, I am generally playing guitar for about three hours at a time for concerts. I learned the hard way that a cheap strap can cut into your shoulders after a certain amount of time. If you play for extended periods, you might consider something that has some degree of padding, as it can make playing much less of a strain physically.
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