Playing the guitar is a favorite pastime for people of all ages worldwide; it’s an activity that you can do with family and friends to relax, bond, or even party together. But one common problem that people have when playing the guitar is getting it to stay in one place. So, how do you keep a guitar from slipping off your legs?
Here are 9 tips on how to keep a guitar from slipping off your legs:
- Use guitar supports or lifts.
- Buy a guitar strap.
- Make a D.I.Y. patch for your lap.
- Work on your posture.
- Play standing up.
- Wear clothes that aren’t slippery.
- Hold the guitar differently.
- Try a differently sized guitar.
- Experiment with different guitar shapes.
This article will help you figure out some of the best ways to keep the guitar in one place while you play. Continue reading to discover some of the most crucial tips for keeping a guitar from slipping off your legs.
Related: how to tune your electric guitar without an amp. New to this topic? Start with our guide to learning guitar by yourself.
1. Use Guitar Supports or Lifts
Picture yourself in front of hundreds—or even thousands—of people, performing a song on your guitar. Now imagine you’re playing a complicated song that requires focus, skill, and strumming your fingers at what feels like a million times a minute. Now imagine your guitar sliding around on your lap like it has a mind of its own. This lack of control is a common problem, and one way that you can address it is to use a guitar support or a guitar lift.
One of the best solutions to an unstable guitar is to get a guitar support (or a guitar lift) to help keep it in one place. These excellent tools come in various sizes and shapes and can function differently, but they all serve the same purpose: to give you a secure and stationary resting place for your guitar while you play. They keep your guitar steady when you are going in for your most intense solar or riff.
There are numerous guitar lifts and supports available to choose from, so it’s vital to understand which one works best for you. Depending on your posture, body type, and how you intend to perform, some options may work better for you than others. Make sure to do your homework and choose one of the best guitar lifts or supports you can find to make sure that you get the best results out of your guitar performance.
Choose a guitar support or lift that lets you play the guitar the way you want to play it. If you like holding your guitar closer to your chin, then pick a slightly higher lift. This extra height will also keep the guitar further from the ground, which will help to ensure that it won’t easily slide down off your legs and onto the floor.
2. Buy a Guitar Strap
A guitar strap is another straightforward solution to a guitar that is constantly slipping. Guitar straps aren’t just a great way to keep a guitar close to your body, but they also look great. While they won’t keep your guitar firmly on your leg the way that support or lift does, they are still an excellent option and tend to be more comfortable for a lot of people.
Just have it as tight as it allows you to and keep it snug to your body, and you’ll not have the problem of it sliding off of your knee as often.
There are hundreds of unique guitar straps that you can find on the market today. Make sure that you get a strap that is high-quality and has a good reputation so that your guitar will stay firmly in place. Some of the very best brands of guitar straps include the following:
- Fender
- Levy’s
- Taylor
Choose your material wisely. Fabric that likes to grip, such as suede, prevents the guitar from sliding around. Having a strap material that clings to your clothes is an excellent first step for trying to control your guitar from sliding around on your lap.
If you pick a guitar strap with a short leash, you are less likely to have it sliding off of your knee. While comfort is essential, it may be a good idea to pick a strap that keeps the instrument snug to your torso while playing so that you’re not constantly in fear of it falling onto the ground.
3. Make a D.I.Y. Patch for Your Lap
As effective as guitar straps, lifts, and supports are, the fact of the matter is that they do cost money. And sometimes they cost a lot of money. It might be hard to justify spending your hard-earned cash on something that seems like you could make for yourself at home. Luckily, there’s no need to fret. With a bit of motivation and some imagination, you can make a patch for your lap that will keep your guitar from slipping off your legs.
If you’re a D.I.Y. type of person, then the best choice for you may be to design your own solution. With a few simple steps, you can make your own patch that will help keep your musical instrument in place while playing. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make your own anti-slip patch for your guitar:
- Choose a grippy material that you want to use for your patch. There are so many different options that you could decide between for this. One of the most popular choices is a standard polymer material, similar to what you would use on a kitchen shelf to prevent things from falling.
- Decide if you want it to be a temporary or permanent fix. Now you can decide if you’re going to rest the material in your lap or attach it to your guitar for future use. Keep in mind that a lot of adhesives may cause damage to your guitar, so if you’re at all worried about the appearance of your guitar, you shouldn’t try this method. Setting the patch in your lap can work great and prevent most of the slipping.
The wonderful thing about making a D.I.Y. patch for your guitar is that you can control everything about it. You get to choose the material, as well as whether you want to attach it to your guitar. This can give you the confidence to play your guitar the way you want to, and you can rest assured that it isn’t going to fall off of your lap.
4. Work on Your Posture
Your guitar might be sliding around on or off your legs as a result of your posture. There are several very important things to keep in mind when you are sitting down and holding a guitar.
Keep Your Legs Parallel to the Ground
One of the most important posture tips for this issue is that you keep your legs level and flat. This way, your guitar does not have a slope to slide down.
Choose a reliable chair on a flat surface to have a suitable base for sitting up properly and supporting your guitar. Then, sit up straight, and keep your thighs in a level position, if not slightly tilted to