Over and Under: Wrap Cables the Right Way

Ever given much thought to how you wrap your cables?

It’s alright – not many people do – that is until you open your gig bag and see something like this:

The truth is that there is a right way to wrap cables. It’s a technique I learned on a job awhile ago. The guy that showed me called it over and under, and he swears by it. Use this technique and not only will it neaten up your cable bundles, it will significantly extend your cables’ lives.

And as an added bonus, you can do this:

Over and Under – Step by Step

1. Make sure there are no knots in the cable.
2. Grip one end of the cable in your off-hand, with the cable running over the top of your index finger.
3. Over – Loop the cable back into your hand and run it over the top of your index finger again.
4. Under – This is the trick: turn your wrist 180 degrees (so your on-hand faces out) and grip the cable from the inside.
5. Twist your wrist back to neutral, allowing the cable to loop on itself. You will see the loop on the outside of the rest of the line. It looks funny, but this is correct.
6. Drop the loop over your index finger.
7. Repeat steps 3 – 6 until your cable is coiled.

Bear in mind it is important to feel the direction your cable wants to coil. If the cable has or has had kinks, you may have to roll the cable between your fingers to find neutral. This technique allows your cables to coil more naturally, without twisting out of shape.

This technique will save you time and money as well as ward off the frustrating task of wrestling with unruly cables.

Have you been using this technique? Do you know a better one? Leave a comment or drop me a message on the contact page. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the newly launched AudioMunk YouTube channel for new content as it is released.