Action (music)

In keyboard instruments, the action is the mechanism that translates the motion of the keys into the creation of sound (by plucking or striking the strings).

When the key is released and the jack falls back down, the tongue permits the plectrum to retract slightly, so that it can return to its rest position without getting stuck or plucking the string again on the way down.

In the guitar and similar instruments, the action is the distance between the fretboard and the string, which determines how easy it is to sound notes when pressure is applied with the fingertips.

Generally a low action is considered to be more playable, due to the lower amount of pressure needed to press the string to the fingerboard.

[3] Sometimes a straight neck works best for guitar action, but many luthiers and musicians favor a slight forward bow—called the relief—to reduce buzzing by accommodating the shape of a vibrating string.