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5 unusual things to buy as a Musician! Not musical but very useful!
Introduction
We all like gear, and we all like the odd guitar pedal or amp. However, there are some items you can purchase which don’t really have anything to do with music or playing the guitar but will be very helpful! So we thought we would put together a little list of 5 unusual things to buy as a musician.
Of course, there are many more things you can buy that have nothing to do with music but help with it as a job, these are just 5 that I thought were strange and entertaining. So that being said, let us start with our first one!
Velcro – wrap things up
Our first unusual things to buy is Velcro. Now, this has many, many uses across all occupations and hobbies, however, as a musician, it has a few potential uses, that I use every day! The first one and one we wrote a whole article about are to keep cable tidies. We wrote an article about making cable ties from Velcro (Read the article here).
You can also use it for many other uses. Another one that all guitarists will be familiar with is using it for pedals. Sticking pedals onto pedalboards, Super useful for pedals, power supplies and other accessories you might need on your pedalboard.
The last use that I feel Velcro is good for is for securing things to things! I know this is vague so let me expand. So I always carry around an extension cord to plug the amp and pedalboard into, I have used Velcro so that I can attach extension cables to the side of an amp case or something. Super useful to keep everything tidy and in one place.
Small clock – keep track of time at a gig
Often overlooked, but a small clock can be so useful! If you are at a gig and are doing a 60-minute set, I think it is unprofessional to keep checking your watch or phone to see what the time is. So what you can do is put a small clock on your pedalboard or a sound monitor, So you can easily look at what time it is and how long you have left.
It is useful for rehearsals as well, just keeping an eye on the time and how long you got left. Having it on your pedalboard, you can also use it during home practice, which stops you from getting distracted on your phone. Small item but can be so useful for a gigging musician.
Good pair of shoes or trainers – your feet will thank you at a gig
You will quickly learn this one! Even at rehearsals, people pick up on this one very fast! Investing in a good pair of shoes. A pair of well-made but most importantly, a comfy pair of shoes! Your feet take a battering at gigs, from loading in and out, driving to the gig, and actually performing and jumping around. The moment your feet start to hurt the whole thing can get miserable. You end up not enjoying it because your shoes are rubbing or you have a blister on your heel!
Invest in some comfy shoes, which could be trainers or could be shoes. For me, I love wearing either my leather boots (for more formal gigs) or my van slip ones (for less formal gigs and rehearsals). I can wear both of these for extended periods which any discomfort.
You could even go one step further and take a second pair of shoes to your gig, so you have your trainers to load in and set up and relax in. Then your actual shoes to perform in! Switching back to the trainers to load out! This is amazing because it helps cool your feet, and just feels so much fresher!
Masking tape – stick on and make notes (amp settings, pedal settings, hide cables)
Need to stick something down? Need to write a note? Need to fix something? Masking tape has you covered! Perfect for most jobs. Remember, it isn’t as sticky as duct tape but also, it won’t leave any residue, so nothing to clean up after. You can buy it in various sizes and thicknesses meaning you can have a few roles in your gig bag ready to go!!
The other benefit of masking tape is you can write on it. So if you need to write down your amp or pedal set-up, let people know your inputs and outputs. It is perfect. A strip across the top of your amp and you can write in the controls. Meaning anyone can help set up your rig. This is also perfect for drummers to help people set up their drums and put them in the perfect position.
Trolley dolly – Lifesaver for loading in and out!
Our last unusual things to buy is something that every gigging musician should have! A loading trolly! These are not only cheap to buy but are a back saver! They also fold away and don’t take up much room! Even if your rig isn’t that big, it’s still worth getting one of these! You can pick them up at any DIY shop or hardware shop! You can even go on eBay or Facebook marketplace!
You could also argue that it means you can load in and out faster as you will be able to load up more gear and do fewer trips! Pair it up with a few bungee cords and you will be able to carry in most rigs in one go! Including guitars!
Conclusion
Hope you found some joy in this article and it made you chuckle or smile, maybe even you found some use in this article and maybe read one of the 5 unusual things to buy and thought you could do with it. If so, then let us know over on our Instagram and let us know what you thought!
We will be posting loads of reviews shortly, covering all kinds of gear from amps, to guitars and loads of pedals so please go check out the YouTube channel and subscribe to keep up to date.
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