RR fingernails...

[dinomite]

Yeah finger picking is a weak point for me as well since I'm mainly self taught in that department. I can never get my right hand's nails to grow long enough to use them for picking since I have a terrible habit of picking at them...
What I can recommend as sort of an exercise is learning to play 'Asturias'. It's basically the same pattern over and over and gets pretty much all of your fingers involved.

btw, those Insanity Picks look, well Insane lol. I might have to get me one of those as they seem like a pretty good investment.

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

Dinomite, Asturias is on the diploma list for most first level diplomas; these are equivalent to the kind of standard an undergrad would be at the end of the second year of study at a music college/university, so it is no push over of a piece!

I keep my finger nails quite short, with the exception of my thumb. I have kept this length and shape for about twenty years. It was a trial and error situation for quite a while until I found this shape and length worked the best for me. I also have to buffer them regularly too so the nail stays smooth and the best tone can be produced

[stealaway]

Growing thumbnails is ok for me... as long as they won´t tear off...that hurts!!!

[rice_pudding]

Rice pudding - any advice on filing (any pics)? I am STILL working on my picking (with pick) technique. I know people say do what comes natural but I never took a lesson to my regret and I'm still learning and trying to unlearn the bad habits.

Well, looking at the picture Captain Matt posted, I file my nails very similarly; Index finger with flatest profile, more attack (jaggedness) on the others. And like Matt, if anything is long its the thumb nail.

But without being an authority on manicures I suppose I can offer a couple of tips;

The most important thing is the edge of the nail that is used to strike the string. This part of the nail should not be square in any way and should be filed so that it smoothly curves into the finger. In other words; there should be no change in direction between the finger and tip of the nail. If you do have any protruding angle it will slow you down tremendously as you will dig in too much. This is the thing I have to keep on top of most frequently, even a small amount of growth will mean the edge of the nail has a square base.

As above, file as one smooth curve towards to tip, but not circular, as you will not make smooth constant contact, which i feel is important for tone. No curvier than the blade of a katana (in fact my 3rd runs almost straight to the tip). Generally the shorter the straighter The length of the attack side also matters. If you were to look at my nails top down, the tip is offset to the left on the third finger which shortens the length of time I make contact with the string. This is not about speed or stamina though, it is simply to offset the angle my hand hovers over the strings.

As for keeping the nails short it will let you easily angle in some flesh from your finger for different tones.

As I say Matts nails are very similar to mine, but it is all trial and error and each nail will be a little different because of hand position.

Oh and my pinky is kept short, keep that mo-fo out of the way

Rob

[rice_pudding]

One more thing. Always file in one direction only, start under the nail, then finish over.

Rob

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

Rob, another interesting point (and also in a related thread in the guitar tabs section), is how having your nails shaped, hand position and picking technique for one style, can actually be detrimental to another style...

There is a bit of a clash of interests, playing Classical (or Spanish guitar as it is also known) and the style of flamenco - they are polar opposites! In Flamenco I have found the players of this style to play with a 'squarer' and more horizontal right hand. With classical guitar the 'snap' of the strings is not wanted, so the hand being right angled ensures a good smooth tone. Also in Flamenco on the whole the players tend to have longer nails, the tone is more nail than skin and nail as in classical. In flamenco the 'snap' of the strings. is a part of the sound of the guitar and whats more the action is so much lower too, which contributes not just to ease of play, but also 'the snap' sound. In classical the sound is deeper and the strings higher off the board. There are many more differences...

So it goes beyond a mental adaption- there are not only actual physical differences needed to play the style, but also a completely different set of musical priorities! Ruben Diaz and Nicole I know both play flamenco, so to see their picking hands and hear from them on this would be interesting!


Matt

[hansolo]

Thanks for all the input guys. The classical vs. flamenco got me thinking. Flamenco guitarist would appear to sporadically strum w/ their fingers and nails. I wonder if they are more improvisational than classical guitarist. I imagine classically trained players would be rigid, like play the piece as it was written. I suppose there could be hybrids, anyway the info did get me think about what I really wanted to accomplish with the nails. I love hearing/talking about guitar!

[gpicker]

Long fingernails on the right hand are for finger picking classical guitar. Usually fake nakes are applied to the 1st and 2nd fingers if you play a ton Whatever, fingernails grow and get painted black too, so to each his own and get practicing if you want to even be a pimple on the late Great Randy Rhoad's ass. Cheers, Johnny

[dinomite]

Dinomite, Asturias is on the diploma list for most first level diplomas; these are equivalent to the kind of standard an undergrad would be at the end of the second year of study at a music college/university, so it is no push over of a piece!

That doesn't mean people can't have a crack at it. Granted I can't play it very well but it's my speed that needs improving, as I have the notes down.
All I'm saying is when my guitar teacher a couple of years ago showed/taught this to me, my playing improved out of sight and I'm Very far off ever attending College/University to study music.
There aren't much more things I find more satisfying than hearing something you think is impossible, thinking "How the hell am I going to play this?" and then seeing yourself improve enough to be able to play it. If I ever have a tomb stone, it's going to have "Keep Challenging Yourself."

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

There aren't much more things I find more satisfying than hearing something you think is impossible, thinking "How the hell am I going to play this?" and then seeing yourself improve enough to be able to play it. If I ever have a tomb stone, it's going to have "Keep Challenging Yourself."

Right on - you are a man after my own heart. I have an almost perverse sense of improving at things that I have been told I cannot do, not just music but everything. Will Smith has a lot of very inspirational things to say about working hard. He says greatness isn't this rare thing that is given to an elite few, but something that is up for grabs for anyone. I believe that whole heartedly...

Rather than me try and remember bits, here are the clips of him (he also mentions Paulo Coelho's book 'The Alchemist' which is about following your dreams!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfWGoLj1 ... re=related

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

Thanks for all the input guys. The classical vs. flamenco got me thinking. Flamenco guitarist would appear to sporadically strum w/ their fingers and nails. I wonder if they are more improvisational than classical guitarist.

In many respects I agree, I have certainly met my fair share of very rigid musicians! but It does depend on the player and the medium too. There are a lot of modern classical performers who improvise pieces. There are even contemporary classical ensembles that improvise live - and it is completely improvised too, not with the safety of knowing the rough outline of the harmonies and then playing the right scales etc over it, but completely off the wall and blow caution to the wind improvising.

I imagine classically trained players would be rigid, like play the piece as it was written. I suppose there could be hybrids, anyway the info did get me think about what I really wanted to accomplish with the nails. I love hearing/talking about guitar!

I look upon following a score a bit like an actor being directed, yes he/she reads the script and followers the direction, but it is still their own interpretation of the script and direction that is where the performance really becomes a performance. There are some genres of classical that indicate where there are sections to improvise or simply have no direction, allowing you to interpret as you wish. Basically when I am playing jazz/blues I wear a very different hat, than when I am performing Classical/Spanish guitar! LOL

Matt

[rice_pudding]

Thanks for all the input guys. The classical vs. flamenco got me thinking. Flamenco guitarist would appear to sporadically strum w/ their fingers and nails. I wonder if they are more improvisational than classical guitarist.

In many respects I agree, I have certainly met my fair share of very rigid musicians! but It does depend on the player and the medium too. There are a lot of modern classical performers who improvise pieces. There are even contemporary classical ensembles that improvise live - and it is completely improvised too, not with the safety of knowing the rough outline of the harmonies and then playing the right scales etc over it, but completely off the wall and blow caution to the wind improvising.

I imagine classically trained players would be rigid, like play the piece as it was written. I suppose there could be hybrids, anyway the info did get me think about what I really wanted to accomplish with the nails. I love hearing/talking about guitar!

I look upon following a score a bit like an actor being directed, yes he/she reads the script and followers the direction, but it is still their own interpretation of the script and direction that is where the performance really becomes a performance. There are some genres of classical that indicate where there are sections to improvise or simply have no direction, allowing you to interpret as you wish. Basically when I am playing jazz/blues I wear a very different hat, than when I am performing Classical/Spanish guitar! LOL

Matt

+1

Fingernails will inform technique, but the brain and the heart are where the music resides.

As a classical player there are many liberating short pieces of music composed for the guitar as a solo instrument. In that context there is really no limit to how you want to interpret a piece.

Rob

[Jacobgoblin]

Just practice. Pick a song to practice and slow it down to play it till you start to feel comfortable then you can build speed. Playing the song slower will allow your fingers to adjust to playing without anchoring your finger. That was my approach anyways, when started playing fingerstyle.

Also if your seated while playing make sure your comfortable, no arm rest in the way and your sitting up straight. Things like that, I know it helped me.

I play with my finger nails. Generally works okay and feels best to me; though sometimes a nail breaks and that causes problems for a day or two!

If I was a professional I'd probably try and get use to finger picks...

Saw Chris Smither the other day and he was using fingerpicks, but I think Leo Kottke uses just his fingers...

[Blizzard_Of_Rhoads]

Christ, I'm just starting a conversation. I could of posed with a guitar but my photographer had the night off. However, thanks for throwing in a vote for short nails. That is the sort of thing I was looking for the debate.

Rice pudding - any advice on filing (any pics)? I am STILL working on my picking (with pick) technique. I know people say do what comes natural but I never took a lesson to my regret and I'm still learning and trying to unlearn the bad habits.

I saw this thread and felt I would chime in. I had been playing guitar for quite a while {9 years} when I decided I had hit a brick wall and just desperately needed something new to learn. My teacher at the time suggested either Jazz or Classical. I gave it some thought and eventually chose classical.

I studied privately w/ Douglas Niedt, who most of you probably don't know, but if you Google him or look him up on You Tube, you'll discover he's an amazing talent. Doug studied privately w/ Andres Segovia, so for me to study w/ Doug would be akin to a kid today studying w/ someone who studied w/ Randy in the rock world.

Anyway... point being, growing nails for classical is a fine art. Too long, they tend to break and cause problems w/ your technique as well as sound. Too short and you have too many times where the flesh is striking the string and not the nail.

I was blessed - I guess - w/ strong nails. Instead of breaking, they would bend, but that often hurt whereas a break wouldn't. I learned, over time, to keep them long enough to where they just extend over the edge of the finger. I get a very clean, bright sound and everything just feels right. Like I am in total control w/ my picking hand.

As far as picking technique - I know nothing about you as I am new here, but if you haven't been playing long then seek out a qualified teacher. Believe me, the progress you can make w/ someone who knows what they're doing is miles ahead of what you can accomplish blindly on your own.

If you've been playing for a long time, you will have the extra struggle of un-learning old habits and relearning new ones. This can be more difficult since you're so used to one way, which may, in fact, be completely wrong. But the best advice I can give is to seek out a quality teacher.