Don't get yer cables in a twist...

As musicians, many of us often find ourselves wrapping up instrument cables, microphone cables, extension cords, and all the other sorts of stringy things a musician might require to shred.
 Here at Sylvan Music, we see a lot of instrument cables, coiled and otherwise, and I am here to tell you that not all cables are coiled equally. There is a right and a wrong way to wrap up a cable.
 It might be a bit more time consuming, but coiling cables properly will make them easier to unwrap when you’re setting up, and will extend the life of the cable by not adding unnecessary twists and kinks.
 So then “how do I wrap up a cable properly,” you ask? One tried and true method is the “over and under.”  To do this yourself follow the steps listed below:
   1. Take cable end in your left hand with jack facing away from you.
   2. Make the first loop by grabbing the cable 12-18 inches down with right hand, make a forward circle, and place the cable in your stationary left hand.
   3. Here’s where it gets a bit tricky.  Continuing to hold the cable in your left hand, take hold of the cable with your right hand about 12 to 18 inches down from your left hand as you did in step 2, except this time, turn your right hand over so that your palm is facing up when you place the cable in your right hand (the cable should cross the palm of your right hand from left to right, not right to left).
   4. Continuing to hold the cable with both hands, and without moving your left hand, move your right hand toward your left hand while rotating your right hand so that when it reaches your left hand the back of your right hand is now facing up instead of your palm. The cable has now “looped” inward creating your second loop.
   5. Continue Steps 2 through 4 until your cable is nicely coiled!

  If that was too confusing, which let’s be honest, it was, check out this video where pro cable winder Chris Babbie explains this method.

- Cameron