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Title basically says it all. I have long-ish fingernails for classical (although I keep them as short as I can, because I do martial arts where they would be a safety hazard). Anyone play a hollow body with classical nails? does it drastically change your tone?
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02-06-2023 11:13 PM
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Playing steel strings will destroy your nails for classical. If you manage to smooth them out with a file, then play steel strings again, you'll soon runout of nails because you'll be forced to file them away faster than you can grow more.
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Depends on how much you play, really. I have nails and play a fair amount of fingerstyle on steel strings (though 2 hours every few days is probably the maximum). Never had issues with the nails wearing away. Maybe I just have good nails.
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My nails have grown heartier and thicker over the years. When I ingest a lot of protein, they seem to come in thicker and faster. Playing a lot has apparently made them come in thicker if you believe that.
This winter has been brutal for splits when I've done manual labour (I'm a luthier and recording engineer and using my hands, packing gear... , I lose nails argh!) But I'm always filing and polishing edges and my nails keep up with it.
I like jello too. I have heard that contributes.
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Ever thought of playing classical without nails? Sor did. Tárrega did. And many others including myself.
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I'm glad to hear you say that. You get such a beautiful sound. Old habits die hard but I remember my friend Mick was always a nail on steel player and one semester he was teaching a student who was also a fingerstyle player, no nails. He was so impressed and told me "If I could summon the patience to learn again, I would go nail-less the next time."
Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
Did you always play without nails, Rob? If not, what and how was the transition?
He played a solid body. I play nails on a hollowbody. My picking technique involves some classical style and some both sides of the nail up and down like a pick. And some lute style p-i alternation depending on the needs of the phrase. I think that'd be a difficult transition for me. Still...
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Hi Jimmy. My thoughts on nailless RH technique are discussed here: Technique | rmclassicalguitar
There’s nothing new about it. Lute players did it, and many (most?) 19th-century guitarists did it. Segovia wanted a little extra projection so he could play 3,000-seater halls without amplification, and of course he became a giant of the classical guitar, so most people copied him. But not everyone did. See my Players tab for more on those guys.
As an aside, there is more than one lute technique, as you might expect as music and fashions changed over 3 or 4 hundred years. But playing without nails seems to have always been the main technique. The guys who did use nails were often mainly theorbo players, playing huge instruments in operatic settings: they needed the volume.
Today we have amplifiers of high quality to do the job of the humble nail.
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Lorne Lofsky plays steel strings with a thumbpick and very long fingernails. He has told me that he has strong nails naturally.
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Check out
(and any of his recordings which show his technique that seems clearly based on CG technique)
I too started out playing without nails as that seemed obvious to me, but found the video above after a suggestion from my (classical) guitar teacher to grow them just long enough to be able to use them a little bit and support my fingertips. I never found a need to be dandy enough to buff mine to a shine; simply keeping them filed to the shown length and shape works fine though.
However...
For me it's not my nails that get ruined by playing steel strings. Even playing nylon strings give me enough calluses that I need to file my fingertips regularly; playing my archtop's heavy bass strings has given me a sort of cor on the corner of my picking thumb that has changed my sound on nylon string. And going ff with reststrokes on the steel trebles is a pleasure in its own category!
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If you're playing electric, you can likely tweak the sound to diminish the harder attack of the nail.
I play flamenco so I've only done without nails at times when they've broke.
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Hi Rob!
Thanks for the link, that’s an excellent article you did on RH technique.
dave
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Cheers, Dave. Glad it’s of use/interest.
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I noticed that a lot of the classical students at the local University have very long nails. When I was studying classical, mine were just a tiny bit past the flesh. I use the combination flesh and nail technique.
I keep promising myself to try without nails, but I am chicken.
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I second Rob here. Playing lutes I gradually incorporated my lute right hand technique to guitar playing (any kind of guitars) and I love it.
On the other hand even when I played classical exclusively for years as a kid I hated nails so this proocess was kind of natural to me.
I also understand classical players who polished and cherished their nails for years looking for a perfect shape, length, angle (I know some) and have achieved full control of the sound and nuances of attack with nails and do not want to change it.
as for the OP I think quite a few acoustic fingerstyle players use nails maybe not very long, but still they do.
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I studied classical guitar for a few years at university before switching to a jazz school. Using nails on the right hand really focused my tone, gave it an attack that I did not have without them. But I never played serious CG without nails, so I'm not saying that the nail-less approach is superior or inferior, just different from what I learned and works well for me.
I don't really play CG at all anymore, but I use hybrid picking for my jazz playing (plectrum + fingers of the right hand) with very short RH nails filed to "just the right shape" to act like little picks, just as I have always maintained them since my days of playing CG actively. I have not found playing steel string archtop to damage my nails in any way - what does damage them is when they get too long or I fall behind on nail care, causing rough edges that can get caught, bent, split or broken from everyday activities.
I met Vicki Genfan at NAMM a few years ago was a bit surprised to see that her RH nails were quite long. I didn't think to ask whether that made them harder to maintain. But she plays pretty aggressively on steel string dreadnaughts, seemingly without nail problems.
I've heard that eating jello will help you to grow strong nails, and I did that when starting to grow my nails. I have had sturdy nails for decades now, and no longer eat jello much at all - I love it, but it's loaded with sugar, which I am avoiding nowadays... and I don't seem to need it as part of a nail-care regimen.
$0.02,
SJ
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Since I got back to serious organ playing Ive had to cut them short, as they definitely screw up that technique.
But i am enjoying the nailless guitar sound and hope to improve. I think its a more intimate feeling for the player, at least to me.
And yes, at Peabody there was near obsession with long polished nails. Grossed me out
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The right length I think it's when you are able to play with the flesh even if you play with your fingernails. Originally Posted by briandavidyork
I've got nails, I play the piano four days a week, I sometimes play the bass, no problem.
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Originally Posted by briandavidyork
You can absolutely use classical nails on a steel string electric. I've done it for years. It also comes with the benefit of better tone, definition, and all of the other attributes of good classical technique. You just have to lighten up your stroke. Not because of the nails, simply because the electric guitar sounds bad after a certain point, especially if you have low action. Light to medium touch, low action, and it plays like a dream compared to a CG.
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Thanks for the replies everyone. I did play classical for a while without nails, but it was something I was forced to do because of my job at the time. And so I never really tried to make the most of it or master the tone, I just said to myself, oh well, I'll play quietly...
Maybe I'll cut them and try see what it's like when I get my jazz guitar. I'm still saving up so I'm probably a month away.
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I'm not convinced this is universally true - even nails fortified with pingpong ball bits must still be weaker than a typical heavy jazz pick. I'm also pretty certain that I read a bit in a 19th century guitar method (by Sor, maybe?) stating that playing with flesh gives you a louder sound; I remember it confirmed my own experience that it allows me to dig in much more than I ever could with my natural nails. Originally Posted by briandavidyork
Using nails gives a sharper attack that may seem louder though (the good old "cut through the mix" thing).
The "I'll play quietly" approach may not only be appropriate on electric guitar btw, even on my Loar I find that I need higher action than I'd like in order to be able to dig in for a good acoustic volume without fret buzz. Much less of an issue probably if you play amplified and can make do with just caressing the strings.
I haven't watched any of Gabriella Quevido's latest recordings but she did play with impressively long nails on her Taylors.
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Originally Posted by RJVB
Check out
(and any of his recordings which show his technique that seems clearly based on CG technique)
I too started out playing without nails as that seemed obvious to me, but found the video above after a suggestion from my (classical) guitar teacher to grow them just long enough to be able to use them a little bit and support my fingertips. I never found a need to be dandy enough to buff mine to a shine; simply keeping them filed to the shown length and shape works fine though.
However...
For me it's not my nails that get ruined by playing steel strings. Even playing nylon strings give me enough calluses that I need to file my fingertips regularly; playing my archtop's heavy bass strings has given me a sort of cor on the corner of my picking thumb that has changed my sound on nylon string. And going ff with reststrokes on the steel trebles is a pleasure in its own category!
I've always wondered if he did this video as a bit of a joke because he clearly doesn't have any nails....and listening to his album on spotify the tone is very much flesh based.
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He does have a very British sense of humor but having understated nails as shown would certainly fit in with another British trait
In his playing demonstrations it's clear that he uses his nails mostly indirectly (as support for his fingertips) and in downstrokes.
He gets a wonderful tone on his recordings, you'd almost say almost classical (sic, 2 almosts). I'm very curious the hear him live & unmiked once...
EDIT: you could ask if this video was meant as a joke in the comments
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I play both classical and fingerstyle jazz on a Telecaster (with steel strings). My nails are "typical" length for classical playing and I have not really had issues with them. I do adjust my right-hand technique slightly on the electric in that I use the flesh of my fingers a bit more - but the adjustment is not drastic. One thing I can suggest is that if you're using an amp, you don't need to pick as hard on the electric. Let the amp do the work for you to get volume and dynamics. This can save wear on your nails that may happen with steel strings.
DaveLast edited by swampguide; 02-16-2023 at 09:33 AM.
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