Can You Plug Headphones Directly Into An Electric Guitar?

If you are a music lover and you love to tune into the audio while using a guitar, you might want to test some music using your headphones. This is why you might ask if you can plug headphones directly into an electric guitar.

Well, you are about to find out in this writing because we will provide the necessary info that you need to know before you take any action.

Can You Connect Headphone With Electric Guitars?

No, conventional electric guitars do not have an integrated headphone jack; thus, you cannot connect headphones to them. Certain midi guitar controllers do, however, provide this feature.

You can insert the headphones into a socket, but the signal is not strong or stable enough connect with the speakers in your headphones. Your guitar’s “instrument level” signal needs to be first amplified by a guitar amplifier, as you would have suspected.

The instrument is your guitar, and the speaker is a pair of headphones. This equation lacks the word “amp.” As a result, there won’t be any audible sound coming from the headphones.

Pair Your Headphones With Your Guitar Amplifier

It might be possible to plug any pair of headphones directly into the guitar amp, depending on the model. If your guitar amp includes the headphones out option, the most you might be able to use headphones to play guitar over your amp.

The headphones jack can be seen on the front panel of some guitar amplifiers, the top of some, and the back of some. Some contemporary amplifiers employ a 6.3mm (1/4′′) output, despite the fact that many have 3.5mm headphone connectors.

To connect the headphones with a guitar amp, an adaptor will be a must. You only need a straightforward 3.5mm to 6.3mm audio adapter to connect your headphones to your guitar amp.

Important Point To Remember

Some guitar amplifiers do not include a headphone jack. Do not connect anything into the output jack unless it is quite evident that it is intended for headphones.

For instance, many guitar amplifiers contain outputs that are solely intended for use with guitar speakers. In addition to damaging your headphones, connecting headphones to one of those outputs might also cause major harm to your guitar amplifier.

If you’re unsure, look up the owner’s instructions for your amp model and confirm that the output jack is made for headphones.

Connecting Headphones with a Guitar Multi-FX Pedal

You have everything you need to practice electric guitar using headphones if you have a multi-effects unit. With a multi-FX device, you gain access to a ton of presets, effects and amp cabs, in with good sound shaping.

Multi-effects units can be pricey, despite this. If you want to use it only to practice guitar through headphones, even entry-level models are not a good investment.

It is therefore not cost-effective to purchase a Multi-FX unit just for the headphone jack, but if you were planning to get a Multi-FX pedal anyway, why not get two things done at once?

The benefits of using a multi-effects pedal with your guitar include access to a wider variety of tones and settings, greater portability than a guitar amp, and the ability to connect to a PC or Mac for recording.

The only drawback that you have will be that this device is less portable than the alternative solutions discussed in this guide.

Connect A Computer Or Phone With An Audio Interface

Using an audio connector, you can connect devices. You use two connections to play it: one into your guitar and the other into your computer or smartphone.

The interface’s mic preamplifier receives the analog signal from your electric guitar and transforms it into a line-level signal. This is then transmitted to an analog-to-digital converter, where it is transformed by the computer into a string of distinguishable 1s and 0s.

The signal is now sent to the computer via a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), which is the program used for creating, editing, and recording sound files.

The digital-to-analog converter gets the signal from the DAW and applies effects after analyzing it properly so that you are able to hear the playback through the headphone’s output.

Although the process might appear laborious and drawn out, everything occurs in less than a millisecond so that you can hear the sound as you’re making it.

Also check: How Long Do Bose Headphones Last?

Conclusion

This guide explains the answer to the question, Can you plug headphones directly into an electric guitar? We expressed why you should not do it and what precautionary measures you should take for connecting headphones with an electric guitar.

FAQ’s

Why do guitarists on electric guitars wear headphones?

Guitarists monitor themselves and the other members of the band with headphones. It is simple for musicians to interpret both their own and their partner’s guitars incorrectly while performing live. A set of headphones can help a player stay focused during a performance or studio session by obstructing outside noises.