If You Can’t Practice in Your Room! Practice Outside!

Usually when you want to practice electric guitar you need to play with an amp, but when living in an apartment or condominium, you absolutely have to be mindful of the volume. So, I have figured out some simple ways to practice outdoors, like at the riverbank, in a park, or on a mountain.

■ 5 Recommended Ways to Practice Electric Guitar Outside

[Method 1] Electric Guitar + VOX Headphone Guitar Amp + 3.5mm Audio Cable + SONY Speaker

The biggest issue when using an amp outdoors is that you can’t use an outlet. So, I came up with a system to make electric guitar sound without needing an outlet using the equipment I already have. The VOX headphone guitar amp is designed to be plugged into the guitar jack, and you can connect headphones to it, but you can actually also use a speaker to get sound out of it.

I used the VOX headphone guitar amp "Amplug2 Lead," but other models like the "Amplug2 AC30" work just as well. It applies effects like chorus, delay, and reverb, allowing me to practice with a focus on tone. For the speaker, I used a compact SONY model, which is waterproof, so I can use it outdoors without worry. To connect the headphone guitar amp to the speaker, I need a 3.5mm audio cable.

When practicing in a park, for example, I might feel a bit embarrassed at first. But with the headphone guitar amp, I can start by practicing with headphones, and once I get used to the location, I can connect it to the speaker and make some noise. If I use a compact speaker, it doesn’t draw much attention, allowing me to practice my electric guitar casually.

○ Recommended Headphone Guitar Amp

VOX / Amplug2 AC30 Headphone Guitar Amp

It runs on two AA batteries and plugs into the electric guitar jack, where I can connect headphones to it. Despite its compact size, it offers three effects. This time, I connected it to a speaker, but I can also plug it into a guitar amp. If my amp doesn’t have built-in effects, I can use the headphone guitar amp as a substitute for effects.

[Method 2] Electric Guitar + Rechargeable or Battery-Powered Bluetooth Amp

If you want to make it even more convenient, I recommend using a rechargeable or battery-powered Bluetooth amp. I just attach a transmitter to the electric guitar jack and connect it to the amp via Bluetooth. With a rechargeable or battery-powered amp, I can practice outdoors with just this setup. However, I need to be cautious about rain since some amps may not be waterproof.

○ Recommended Bluetooth Amp

NUX / Mighty Air

It’s rechargeable and supports Bluetooth, and you can apply various effects through your smartphone. Plus, it’s compact and sounds great! This Bluetooth amp is perfect for both outdoor and indoor use.

[Method 3] Electric Guitar + Shield + Battery-Powered Amp

If you use a battery-powered amp that doesn’t require an outlet, you can practice electric guitar outdoors. Compared to a Bluetooth amp, you’ll need to use a shield and deal with the hassle of carrying it and making connections, but this setup is the closest to what I would use for home practice or live performances.

○ Recommended Battery-Powered Amp

ROLAND / CUBE Street Guitar Amp (Battery-Powered)

This is the go-to battery-powered amp for outdoor use! It runs on six AA batteries and provides up to 15 hours of playtime.

[Method 4] Electric Guitar with Built-in Amp

An electric guitar with a built-in amp—this is the easiest way to practice! The amp is powered by a 9V battery, so no external power is required, and the amp is built right into the body. It looks cute, and it comes in a variety of colors, which is another fun feature.

○ Recommended Electric Guitar with Built-in Amp

PIGNOSE / PGG-200 Cherry Sunburst

The volume control knob is designed like a pig’s nose (Pignose). It runs on a 9V battery located on the back. This popular electric guitar with a built-in amp comes in many color variations.

FERNANDES / ZO-3 BASS Candy Apple Red

This electric guitar with a built-in amp has a unique design that looks like an elephant ("zou-san" in Japanese). It also runs on a 9V battery placed at the back.

[Method 5] Electric Guitar + Shield + Car + Car Inverter/Converter + Amp

If you have a car, you can use a car inverter/converter to provide power to the amp. I connect the car inverter/converter to the car's cigarette lighter socket and convert DC 12V to AC 100V. This allows me to use the amp’s plug.

Important Note: I must always have the car engine running when using the amp. Car batteries can easily run out, so without the engine running, the battery could die quickly. Also, since the engine will be running, this method may not be ideal if there are houses or people nearby due to the engine noise.

■ Recording the Sound of Your Practice Outdoors

If you want to check how my practice sounds, you can easily record it with my smartphone. While using the phone’s built-in microphone works, if you can connect a dynamic mic to my phone, you can record with a recording app. If you plan to upload a song you practiced outdoors to YouTube or social media, you can achieve high sound quality this way.

When recording outdoors, you need to be really cautious of wind noise. If you’re recording near the ocean or a riverbank, wind can often be quite strong. While you can reduce wind noise later with computer software, it’s difficult to completely eliminate it. Additionally, your voice might get muffled, so you should attach a windscreen to your smartphone mic or dynamic mic.

By using a windscreen over your smartphone or microphone, you can reduce wind noise. There are mainly sponge-type and fur-type windscreens, and the fur type is more effective at blocking wind, so I recommend using this one.

→ Windscreen List

■ It Takes Some Nerve, but Outdoor Practice Can Become Addictive!

I’ve shared some ways to practice electric guitar outdoors—how was it? I think the biggest challenge is overcoming the embarrassment, but recently, many people film outdoors for YouTube or TikTok, so outdoor shoots have become less noticeable. Playing music outside on a sunny day feels really great, and it might become an addictive habit. I definitely recommend giving it a try!

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