How to Wrap a Cable the Right Way "Over Under"

[@kennethfingleton4794]

I'm 75 and just learning this now. --Retired electrician

[@colejackson7106]

Well, to be fair, this method is how you should properly wrap MICROPHONE cables, specifically. You should not do this method with electrical cables. The reason microphone cables need to be properly wrapped is because the integrity of the cable directly affects the quality of the analog signal it can carry, whereas electrical cables are not affected in this way. You can be much more lenient with how electrical cables are stored in most cases, however I'm 95% positive there is probably a correct method to wrap those that differs from the mic cable method. In other words, don't let anyone tell you that you did your job wrong because you didn't wrap your cables correctly! That would make them wrong.

[@bonanzatime]

Nevermind that redundant comment above mine. 75 years old!?!! 'electrician'!?!!! Well, it's about time you learned how to 'properly' roll up your extention cord!!

[@tracys8217]

Good for you Kenneth. Life is all about learning. As a housekeeper with vacuum cords to deal with on the daily, I'm grateful to learn this technique. And, get the answer to why one of those cords has coiled up as he described.

[@sirspongadoodle]

@@tracys8217 life is about pain*

[@tracys8217]

@@sirspongadoodle I respectfully disagree. ❤

[@grayfox9000]

Thank you. I knew there was a correct way to wrap cables as I studied music at college- but in 2020 suffered a serious head injury and my memory is impacted. This video clearly showed how to do it, and made me happy I know something I used to know but forgot. It might not sound much to most people, but when your memory is damaged little things mean a lot.

[@maxwellness222]

This was the clearest explanation I've seen so far. I finally cracked the code! Thanks man.

[@leopoldbluesky]

Me too. I was putting a twist in but I'd been twisting the wrong way.

[@PhrontDoor]

Me too.. I finally got it.. and got all the cables in the rooms entirely re-coiled and wrapped.

[@leeboon8499]

Just come across this video. It is simple and clear. Thanks man!

[@haays]

Thank you so much

[@ps7678]

Same here I whatched at leat 2-3 other tutorials back to front before this and still couldn’t get it, now that I watched this I get it!

[@cptncatholi]

I watched this last week and was skeptical. I have been wrapping cables the same way (twist as you go) for about 20 years. It's kept my cables in good condition and better than the around-the-forearm method that everyone uses with their 100' extension cords. Today my cable ties from Planet Waves arrived, so I thought I'd play with my cables and try this method and see the difference. The difference is NIGHT & DAY! My twist-as-you-go method would often leave a coil in the middle or at the end of the cable. And unrolling the cable to use at church would leave it looking like a slinky if I didn't untwist. The Over-Under method solves both problems. There is no coiled end of the cable that I have to uncoil and when I pull the cable out to set up, there is no slinky that I have to uncoil. You made a believer outta me! Now I have to teach this to my road crew (wife and kids), so they'll wrap the cables correctly from now on.

[@NullStaticVoid]

I can testify that the over-under method prolongs the life of your cables. I have 20 and 25 year old cables that I have used for live gigs. I never arm crank them or do the electrician braid. Just over-under, and velcro.

[@ddd228]

@@kennisrussell It's WAY good. Think of the the guys that work on OLd ships with all of the lines!

[@sirspongadoodle]

Yeah teach your kids my dad taught me and now I can go with him to gigs and roll leads for him

[@nikhilsrl]

Finally someone showed it clearly. I have seen four videos of this so far demonstrating the over under method and yours is the first one where I clearly understood how to do it. Thanks.

[@ejiro241]

Thanks kennis you are amazing. You just made it really easy to do.Saw some videos and I struggled. Bit urs was the best.🖒

[@utubejuan]

Same here!

[@nish221100]

Same here. Went through 3 other videos before hitting this one. Definitely the clearest.

[@regularnimnule9715]

To be honest I was expecting this to be deadly boring but no, this is genuinely useful information and well presented. Thanks man!

[@gristlevonraben]

Do you seek wisdom?

[@user-pf9pc6pd1s]

i

[@Musictherapistjn]

Thank you! Seriously, thank you! I've been wrapping cords wrong for over 20 years and this works so much better! Your careful instructions and the multiple camera angles were so helpful! Thanks again!

[@richardblocher599]

I really appreciate your kindness for sharing this video. I have been wrong, and now I am on the proper path. Thank you.

[@scottfishkind5335]

61 year old musician in Nashville, Berklee grad (though not a recording/engineering major). Was at a rehearsal last night with a fellow Berklee grad who was a recording/engineering major...he was trying to show me this last night and I was too tired to grasp it (long work day followed by a long rehearsal). Woke up this morning and found your video and now understand what he was trying to show me haha. The underhand/inside loop is what I wasn't getting in my exhausted state last night! I've been practicing rewrapping my cables this morning and can't believe no one ever showed this to me before haha!! Thank you!!

[@kennisrussell]

You are welcome. I’m so glad you found the video.

[@hotice8885]

Now THIS is a good teacher!!!!! I don't care if you agree with his method (like I do), or not. Slowed down at _just_ the right times, talked clearly without condescending, and didn't waste one second. and THANK YOU for showing this from several different angles. You have warded off a LOT of frustration and wasted time. Thumbs up!!!!

[@mfalk57]

This guy is the bomb with this video. It should be required watching for anyone who winds up cables professionally!

[@gabbycrosby2382]

This tutorial changed my life.

[@SmugSuspenders]

@@kennisrussell I have seen the light, never shall things be the same!!

[@sirspongadoodle]

this video has stopped me doing heroin and made me a professional at guitar drums keyboard bass vocals shoe polishing house building hair rubbing and pornstar.

[@Kevliz97]

It only took me 40 years to finally learn! I viewed several videos and yours was the easiest to follow. Thank you!

[@suhnami]

haha me too. I have a friend who always shows me the right way and i always forget it. Now i have this!!!

[@willk4783]

Watched this an hour before working grip for ESPN+. You’re a life saver!

[@willk4783]

Kennis Russell Florida Gators vs FSU Volleyball

[@sevenama1041]

Thank you so much for sharing the idea. Ive been doing the wrapping of cables the wrong way for almost 30 yrs now

[@ValCarMusic]

Yo man!!!! Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!! Finally someone who shows the right way to wrap cables and not breaking them. As you say this is so important; specially now that we should preserve natural resources and stop wasting cables all the time.

[@NGHTRYDR2002]

Just bought a ton of new cables because most of mine were bad... NOW I know why! Nobody ever taught me this. It was actually my Brother-in-law who mentioned it to me when I was Bitching about buying new cables. He's a Professional DJ so he knew this... Told me to look on youtube since I don't live near him and he couldn't explain it on the phone. Found this vid and WOW! Funny thing is the factory doesn't wrap them like this but when I wrapped a 50' for the first time using this method, it wrapped so well I could actually plug the to ends together to protect them... VERY Cool!

[@dewdakota]

I did it! Someone showed me once in person and it made no sense so I avoided wrapping cables. This made sense. Thank you!

[@hewrecbizman]

It’s good to find a KZbin video like this teaching how to properly wind microphone and audio cables. Back in the early 2000’s when I’d have someone help me wind up my cables after doing live event video recording, also one thing I didn’t like about when they’d wind my cables around their hand and elbow, is how tight they look like they’re pulling the cable around their hand and elbow.

[@totallyfrozen]

Brilliant! I’ve been in radio, audio, theater, and music for about 30 years and NO ONE EVER showed me this before. Thanks so much! You just saved me money on all the cables I won’t need to replace.

[@elementalfact0r]

This was really helpful, especially the part where if the cable doesn't want to turn right while doing over under, a slight twist will smooth it out again. Having worked with various xlr cables (6 ft, 35 ft, 60 ft), keeping cables wrapped cleanly is a must, and it makes traveling so much easier.

[@RedlineRevenant]

Years later and this video is still just as helpful as ever. Awesome job!

[@spacial2]

Been winding cables the wrong way for over 40 years! This works.

[@jasonzimmerman780]

I’ve been playing electric guitar (sometimes gigging) for 30 years and I never knew how to properly wrap a cable. In fact, a senior guitar player actually taught me one of the WRONG ways to wrap a cable. Thank you soooo much for this video! I’ve probably ruined countless cables in the past. Never again.

[@mobiletrainman]

I always knew there was a wrong way to wrap cables, just never knew the RIGHT way! Thanks for the assist. Looking forward to setting up our sound gear tomorrow at church and rewrapping all our cables!

[@NullStaticVoid]

As a musician, former sound guy and current IT guy, I have found this skill invaluable. The one thing you really must do is use a cable tie to secure the ends. This way the cables stay bundled and not tangled. Plus you can do the trick where you take off the velcro, grab the bottom end in the back of your hand, and the other end in the front of your hand. Then throw just the top end of the cable while keeping the other end in your grip. With practice you can deploy your mic and speaker cables lightning fast. Then roll them up and store them quickly as well. This is a technique I developed doing sound 6-7 nights a week at multiple locations all over the SF Bay Area. Of course it only works if you rolled up the cable properly, and did not get confused and do 2 overs or unders in a row! Also you have to be sure you dont get the near and far ends confused as with XLRs. Or let one slip 'through the hole'.

[@paulzag]

It's always the gotchas that bite. You're the last one at the venue, tired and the manager wants you out of there. Halfway through the wrap and accidentally do two overs in a row. You don't discover that until the next gig with the cable won't throw out properly.

[@AmandaBourbois]

This is the 5th or 6th video I've watched on the subject because I just wasn't understanding it, and you cleared it up perfectly, thanks!

[@SiddharthKarunakaran]

Just wanted to echo your feelings. Thank you very much Mr. Russell

[@40redman]

I was fortunate enough to have worked with ESPN while doing the NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag circuit. They had cables that were hundreds of feet long. They rolled them up similar to this method but made the loops about 2 foot in diameter. The method of over/under was done on the ground. This was required since, obviously, the cables were far too long to actually hold them in your hand. It is the only way to handle cables and prevent the wires within the outside protective shield from twisting 'just the way you show'. Very well demonstrated!

[@lauraele2972]

Love this video, I needed to learn because I am in a tech crew at school and we NEED to know how to wrap cables and this is the only video that actually helped me

[@firebow2810]

Wow y'all are professional like that? We just do what needs to be done, joke around and learn what we want to learn when we have extra time. Kind of like a friend group

[@carlocoles]

Thanks Kennis!!! Finally someone who knows how to simply explain it and film it.Took me over 30 years to wrap cable the right way.

[@mjw0009]

Thanks for this. Your tip on knuckles of each hand facing made it clear, for me. It's that twist of the wrist that makes it work. I wish i had known of this years ago.

[@Devin-dw3cg]

Your upside down handshake was the best explanation. Watched other people do over-under but never got it until now. Thanks man

[@sidneypendergrass9688]

I have been doing it wrong for years, thank you .Now I can do it the right way.

[@technikatcom]

Best video I've seen so far. If you record again, remember to show how you can "throw" a properly wrapped cable.

[@ianp2410]

OH MY GOD I EFFING LOVE YOU KENNIS IT TOOK ME AN HOUR BUT I FIGURED IT OUT WAY MORE HELPFUL THAN OTHER VIDEOS!!

[@TerriBeckham]

Same for me as many others here. Yours is the sixth video I've watched trying to learn this method. I felt so inept! Finally, your instruction is detailed and patient and careful and repetitive -- I appreciate it so much!

[@loisannmarler]

I learned this technique from a great tech at Guitar Center today ... then got home and needed a review. This was the fourth tutorial that I watched, and it was by far the best. Thanks so much!

[@serph2951]

The best part is that you repeat the whole process, i saw one of these videos but they showed it once and i forgot how to do it a few hours after watching the video, but now its stuck on my head. Great video!

[@Skinny_Karlos]

Oh man. You don't want to know how long that I have been doing this and ruining my cables/leads. Glad the interweb allows a modicum of anonymity. I feel enlightened. Thank you.

[@HornOfGoat33]

Been trying to learn this for a few days. Your vid is the best. The "Backwards Handshake" is what got it for me. Thanks!!

[@tallpaul8880]

This method works on all cords and cables and things that you wind up and is particularly useful for garden hoses even try it with your headphones. Thanks for posting✌🏼

[@PracticallyVocal]

Shared this with my team immediately. I've known this method for years but never thought to look up an explanation video to share out. Thank you for such a clear explanation!

[@2477utube]

Brilliant. The number of times people have wrapped cable round their arms thinking they are helping me! Phew. Great lesson.

[@PapaWheelie1]

Doug Tredwell - ha I yell don’t touch it, I got it

[@realdylanrandomness3783]

Best explanation. I had a stage director try to tell me this and I still couldn't get it. Now I got it, thanks to you!

[@kmrdknrd]

3:13, you're welcome

[@shimlaDnB]

if you're here because you don't know how to wrap a cable correctly don't skip, the pre information is also very important

[@olixbob]

seriously 8 minutes of saying next to nothing

[@matrodmedia]

@@shimlaDnB Sure, but damn his delivery was way fucking long-winded. Could have easily portrayed the same info while still being efficient with it all, and I guarantee you more people would have retained the information. Why? Because the vast majority skipped through three full minutes of over-crowded footage to get to what's perceived as "the good part."

[@QuicksilverSG]

This right-hand-over-under technique works well only when coiling a cable that's not already twisted. With tangled cables, there's a left-hand technique that allows you to untwist the cable as you coil it up properly. You start out the same way as shown in this video, with one end of the cable pointing at you in your left hand. After you wrap each loop with your right hand, you then flip over the entire bundle with your left hand. Instead of alternating your right hand over and under, you alternate which side of the bundle you wrap the cable (so that the cable is always getting wrapped on the same side of the bundle). The advantage of the left-hand technique is that when you encounter a twist in the cable, you can untwist it by not flipping the bundle on that loop. Your right-hand technique is always the same, and with each loop you have the choice of whether to flip the bundle or leave it unflipped. Once you get the hang of it, you can feel when the cable has a twist and needs to be unflipped.

[@selfannihilation1980]

you are the only one who has explained this in any real detail, thank you so much.

[@BrianLamb-rocketmanblamb]

Thanks! I learned this years ago from my brother but forgot the details, not practicing it regularly... This was a good refresher. Yes it is not so intuitive that under hand wrap. Thanks!

[@drkblux2]

Nicely done. I also have been wrapping cables using the twisty over the shoulder and elbow method for many years, and thinking " there has to be a better way to do this!" I will give this a try even though I am left handed and thank you in advance for this video.

[@kirkbagliadrums]

Dude this was so helpful. I showed up to an internship at a studio in Nashville wrapping the "twist as you go" method and basically got laughed at. That being said, the engineers at the studio tried to explain it to me and it was not clicking at all. Watching this once solved everything and now I'm wrapping cables like a champ. You rock!

[@skymike12]

This is outstanding. I've been a DJ (very highly rated) 20 years, and I never knew this. I'm more of a personality, and an entertainer, than a technician, but I need to know more things like this... Thank you!

[@duwonrhee3589]

this is the best video of over-under coiling. I finally got it. thanks

[@ameliaroth6306]

Thank you Kennis! Very helpful video. I've been a mobile DJ for 15 years and have embarrassingly never been taught the proper way to wrap cables. This will save me HUGE headaches and time with tangled cables because now I'll do it the correct way and hopefully won't have tangles. I'll pass it on to friends!

[@StormGod29]

There are so many videos on this simple life hack (I don't use this term lightly, we all coil all sorts of things especially if you are handy) that don't bother clearly showing the under and specifically how to do it. Air hose for shop tools is what drove me here. Putting a constant twist in air hose makes it gigantic compared to coiling it neatly without the twist. Thanks!

[@tbshaw2157]

Who would dislike this? Superb demo of something truly useful. Thanks man.

[@csrader]

Listen to this man. He speaks the truth. I very rarely buy used cables, but if I do, I look at the quality of the "wrap" as an indicator of what kind of shape (and life left) the cable might have. If they used "over-under", I'm on the way to being confident.

[@IriantiErningpraja]

Thank you this is the easiest tutorial. I have been learning forever and still confused and after watching your video, I finally made it :)

[@magz8849]

I'm a Theatre Tech major and I was never properly taught by my teachers in high school how to properly tie off electrical cables (mostly for sound and lights) and I got yelled at by one of my superiors the other day for tying one of the electrical cables like I would an extension cord. He tried to teach me, but the way he explained it was confusing...I watched this video so I could get practice and know what I'm doing for the next time. This really helped. Thank you!

[@lauraharmon6508]

This video explains it better than most and the reasons why you should learn to wrap the cables this way. We've spent a lot of time at rehearsals and gigs just dealing with tangled messes. Now we don't have that problem as long as anyone who is wrapping up the cables knows this technique. As musicians, we are our own roadies. We might as well get good at that too.

[@SilverWolf941]

Thank you for a proper explanation. I saw a different video which looked similar, but didn't explain the wrist trist for the inside loop. Thorough explanation, well done!!!

[@johnwattdotca]

Looking back on my life as a lead guitarist-vocalist in six-nighter bar bands and Toronto show-bands, being out there in the afternoon, helping the roadies set up, always doing my own equipment, rolling out a long cord across the stage or dance floor to the mixer out back are some of my finest moments. Jimi Hendrix wore moccasins onstage so a hard sole wouldn't make noise when you stepped on a cord. You need to be double grounded. Get some cord that has a white and black for the positive and negative, with a mesh around it, coated in soft rubber, liking Belden the best. Solder your positive wire on both ends, and solder one negative to one end with the mesh pulled back so it doesn't make contact. Solder the mesh to the negative on the other end so it becomes a double ground, really cutting down noise. I bought a Strat and Marshall with effects in 1970, five months before Jimi Hendrix passed away, and it always gets me when it's about noisy guitars when they don't even think about their cords. Oh! I also started out in a church, singing in the choir of the Scottish church my parents were founders of. You should have shown how you can roll one out, pumping up your video.

[@AngeloSalazar]

The best demonstration of this technique yet. Showing the process from different angles helped me understand it better. Tried it on my 30 ft. cable and it was amazing! Thanks for sharing this and more power to your channel.

[@raventine]

This is the best demonstration and discussion of how to wrap a cable I found. I appreciated the clear way that it can go wrong also.

[@aygeecee1]

It's good to have a "pro" reinforcing what we're trying to get across to our church blokes. Thanks for taking the time to make this very helpful video.

[@awitt629]

Was going to ask why it took 8 minutes but it was actually really helpful, thanks

[@MixrMalang]

Just wanna say as well I just went through 2 videos and i could not grasp how to do this correctly until watching yours. Stellar tutorial! Opposite handshake for the win. Thank you I know how important this is.

[@kennisrussell]

Thabks

[@vettesquared]

Too much talking in the intro. Actual demonstration starts about 3:10. Good stuff!

[@timothywells3908]

Steve Simmons thank you

[@erikwislinsky5961]

Thank you, I was watching this thinking of posting the same comment lol

[@donutreplie4056]

people who do this for tutorial videos are the real heroes of the internet

[@KirbyDTrim]

@@donutreplie4056 Great explanation! I couldn't imagine there's someone else in the world who thinks this is a necessary skill to avoid a time-wasting tangled spaghetti nightmare mess in music ministry.

[@muh2k4]

I loved the explanation

[@yvonneohumukini6099]

This is so awesome. I keep coming back to watch it every time I forget. Thank you!

[@FindlayMcLaughlin]

Yep, I have been doing it the absolute wrongest way for 5 years of DJing lol. Glad to finally do what I know I should have done and look up how to do it =) Thanks!

[@stringbender57]

Great tip! I wound my cables exactly like your first demo for 38+ years. I learned the over under technique from a Ham radio operator winding an antenna coax.

[@TheSoraMusic]

THANK YOU! I've watched at least 5-10 other videos doing this and nothing shows it clearly! you made it clear and easy and i learned fast! Awesome video!

[@HarshVardhan84]

Things that are simple and intuitive like this tip are usually difficult to teach. You did a great job explaining this. Thank You!

[@MrBillgonzo]

Such a clear explanation, great video. Cable wrapping is like learning knots. It can be really confusing at first, but once you figure it out you realize that its bey simple. I will share this video with anyone who wants to know how to do this.

[@glitch25]

Watched at least 3 videos prior to yours and they were doing it too fast and not as detailed. Thank you so much! I appreciate it!

[@joves3407]

Great video. Such a basic thing/necessity, but something I’d wager most of us have been doing wrong. This has helped immensely (as I’m soooooo tired of my cables going bad for apparently no reason whatsoever). Thanks so much!

[@AThagoras]

A tradie showed me this years ago for wrapping power cords, but I had forgotten how to do it. Thanks!

[@steveorris9407]

I've heard "over under" so many times with no clue what that meant. Thank you for making it clear.

[@gratefulape2369]

just re-wrapped all my cables. many thanks for the clear explanation.

[@12drummer]

Finally (ok - I did miss this post over the past 3 years) - and - a great explanation that's understandable. Thanks!

[@VaderDaniel]

Very useful, thank you. It is always difficult to explain to newbies how to do this. I even use this method to wrap the garden hose and extension cords at home.

[@jbreeves]

I'm 57 years old. I wish I could have watched this 40 years ago. It would have saved a zillion hours of my time. Thank you!!!

[@DJChuckymadness09]

Geeez. Finally! The best explanation of the technique after watching 15 videos. Lol! Thanks!!!

[@josephbarclayross6216]

I agree with other posters. This is the clearest and most copyable example I've seen on this "musician-brain-defying" subject. Thanks!

[@sallyryan9893]

great explanation of something simple yet incredibly useful

[@kimcarolisen9323]

The knuckle tip was a game changer for me! Thank you!

[@hasoneconleche]

Thanks for posting, Kennis. I'm a church music director and will definitely be using this video to teach the band and sound crew to wrap cables correctly. Very well explained and displayed. Should save us tons of time and cash in the long run!

[@UAC20]

Thank you, our church has the problem of cables going bad....now I understand why. Again, thank you for sharing

[@srhatfield]

I always remember it as "over" worked and "under" paid 🙂

[@sirspongadoodle]

Yeah lol

[@EdHorch]

I did sound for a "church in a box" like yours for twelve years. You can’t be more right about how important wrapping and stowing the cables is. It’s the difference between whether service starts on time or not!

[@mariocurtis2208]

This saves money. Thank you for taking the time. I 'caught' someone doing the clothesline wrap the other day and passed on the good word!

[@Fotozaic]

Internship in a studio and got taught that. I use in my live performing all the time, works great. It's amazing how many road weathered musicians don't know about this. :)

[@musicspace921]

Thank You! Thank You! I am not sure why I couldn't figure it out from other videos. You took it slow and made it clear what you were doing. I wrapped along with you and finally mastered this over under deal I heard so much about.

[@infinite-guitar]

Thank you soooooo much.!! I can't believe I have been doing this all wrong for 40 years. Besides playing guitar and bass I am now responsible for the sound gear in my band. You've saved me a lot of time and stress setting up and packing up. Excellent tutorial

[@kyle_wagner_music]

Thank you! This is something I have had a hard time getting right. Until now. Now my cables look good thanks to your clear explanation!

[@countingcrows123]

Dude THANK YOU!! For years I've been cheating my way with the over-over because I just couldn't get the under properly. Watched so many videos and finally yours clicked. "Upside down handshake." Finally!!

[@deafanddumb]

Well done, Kennis! I've been in music for a long time but never learned to properly wrap cables. I've watched maybe 5 other cord-wrapping videos recently and nothing had clicked until I watched yours. I think the easy-to-remember cue of 'Upside-Down Handshake' and giving 2 different viewing angles really drives home how to do this. The whole video's worthwhile, but for those who wanna get right to the 'HOW to wrap the cable' sections, there are TWO, from different angles... one starting at 3:07, another at 5:03.

[@danieljwillen1993]

I can't lie this is quite relaxing. I even find myself doing this to my phone charger or headphones at work on break if I wasn't having the best day. Many have a fidget spinner, I have this

[@johnschoppmusic]

Dude! All these years! Thank you!

[@ReedRobins]

Outstanding! I never was able to digest this information. Key to me finally getting this was when you said "backwards handshake". Thanks Kennis!

[@BobStein]

Me too. That phrase at 3:30 "shaking hands upside down" untangled this method for me.

[@ThilanSamarakoon]

Thanks for showing it clearly. i was confused with twisting the second wrap