If you play the guitar, you will inevitably have to deal with broken strings. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a novice, it is best to know how to deal with a broken guitar string so that you know exactly what to do when it happens to you.
Here are eight ways to deal with a broken guitar string:
- Change your guitar.
- Use the whammy bar.
- Learn to play on five strings.
- Forget about playing a solo.
- Make use of strumming.
- Change the string that broke.
- Replace your strings regularly.
- Stay calm and confident.
In this article, we will look at how you can use the above eight tips to deal with a broken guitar string. Let’s get started!
Related: which guitar string is the most likely to break. Our guide to what guitar strings are made of covers the basics in one place.
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1. Change Your Guitar
The first and most obvious tip is simply swapping your guitar, but it might not always be that easy. If you are merely strumming along at home, breaking a guitar string is not that big of a problem, but it could turn into a catastrophe on stage.
It all depends on the circumstances.
If, for instance, you are a one-man band in a small coffee shop and you don’t have a spare guitar, it might be possible to finish the song and take a quick break to change the string.
On the other hand, if you are performing on stage with a band for a big audience, you can’t just stop playing.
If this happens, you need to rely on the band to keep the song going, play along as best as you can, using the five strings you have left while your sound guy brings you a spare guitar. You should always have a backup guitar as a professional or semi-professional guitarist (Related: do professional guitarists use tabs).
As a band, you should have somebody who can help you deal with these situations. A good idea would be to practice switching the guitars before it happens on stage. Being prepared will help you stay calm and for the switch to go smoothly.
Your sound guy will wait for the right moment to approach you. As soon as you see him coming toward you, unplug your guitar gently, don’t rip out the cord, and loosen your strap if you are using one.
He will take your guitar and hand you the spare guitar. Quickly plug it in and continue playing.
Here is a YouTube video showing you an amazing example of how to switch your guitar without stopping the performance.
2. Use the Whammy Bar
Whammy bars sound super cool if you know how to use them (See this post: Why Does Your Whammy Bar Not Work? 9 Problems and Fixes), and if one of the strings on your electrical guitar breaks, the whammy bar might be able to help.
Using the whammy bar, you can lessen the tension of the strings by pressing it towards the body of the guitar. On the other hand, if you want more tension on the strings, you can do so by pulling the whammy bar away from the guitar’s body.
Using the whammy bar in this fashion might help you get through the song you are playing before switching guitars.
This will, however, not work on a Floyd Rose guitar with a floating tremolo. If one of the strings of this guitar breaks, all the strings will go out of tune, and you won’t be able to play.
3. Learn To Play on Five Strings
You might not know all the chords and tricks that come with years of experience if you are starting out, but it is possible to play on five strings.