Not just nail filing but....

[robithinker]

nail length and shape.

I know it's probably the most asked question, and often the most common topic amongst players, so I don't wish to beat a dead horse. However, I've finally grown out my nails to where they are long enough to use when I'm playing (i.e. I'm new to guitar). I started playing about two weeks before my nails had grown out. As I expected, having nails has necessitated a pretty large change in my technique. I found that my tone was fuller when I was using the tips of my fingers and that using my nails has thinned out my tone and I have to really focus on my right hand technique to get a good tone. Now my question:

Is it that my nails are to long and it's making it difficult to hit the string with my finger and follow through with the nail, thus producing a full and sharp tone? Or are they not quite long enough to allow for picking solely with the nail? Perhaps the nails should be just long enough to catch the string as I follow through to sharpen the tone.

I've watched some live performances on the web, and studied the pictures in several books and try to imitate the same right hand posture that I've seen.

I'm interested to see what other players think is the correct length and technique for that particular length etc. Perhaps we can get a discussion going as to the pros and cons of various methodologies.

Thanks,

Robi

[NGiorgio]

The teacher I studied Classical with thought that the nails should just peek out over the tips of the fingers. Not too long, not too short. Of course everyone does not have the same shape fingertip, nail shape etc. You must experiment so that you can acheive the tone you are seeking. Generally speaking, for classical you may want to get little more flesh before the nail strikes, for a richer, fuller tone. Then for Flamenco, a bit longer nails can give a more metallic sound. I play classical, flamenco and some jazz flavored material, so I sometimes have to be real careful with my nail length. I would say that trying different lengths should help you determine which will be best for you. Another often overlooked point is smoothing out the nail tips. I use 500wt. 3M paper, which I get from "Strings by Mail". I polish the edge of the nail with it. It will also take off small nicks without removing much length as a file or emory boards will do. I carry a small piece in my wallet so that I can always smooth out a nail chip so it won't lead to a break.

[keith]

well finally a discussion on nails. :D

length--i have seen so many opinions it is not funny. it seems 2-3mm above the fingertip (flesh) is the general rule with the shape somewhat "ovalish" (thumb has several exceptions). of course everyone has a different method (i put a slight flat angle on the thumb side). the idea is to allow the nail and fleshy tip of the finger to meet the string together, push downward and allow the finger to "hop"off the string. if you allow the fingers to "hop" off, you can use slightly longer nails which will allow you to use just nail (and you need a slight angle change). the key here: allow the finger to hop off the string.

the tone one gets depends also on where your fingers strike the string which is related to the angle of the hand. here is something i think is overlooked--the ring (a) finger. for many, is slightly shorter than the index (i) finger--and that finger is compensated for by length of nail, angle, or both. for those with index fingers slightly longer, the opposite may be true. when you study other folks' techniques, you may be looking at that person's adjustment to the index and ring finger variation.

as for care, i follow a similiar routine as ngiorgio but, for added protection, i use a product called: NO MORE WRAPS :D 8) the emoticons say it all.

this product, purchased at any drug store, is made of extremely fine Kevlar in an epoxy related base that has no formeldehyde. formeldehyde is great for embalming folks, but brutal on nails. Kevlar has the advantage of having good flexion and when it is laminated to a stiffer material (your nail in this case), it provides greater strength without making the nail brittle (as does top coats, etc.). as a side benefit, it has a very low sheen (us guys out here appreciate this).

[tomtom976]

Hey Robi,

When I first started playing classical I was having alot of problems with right hand accuracy. I had played steel string guitars for many years, so the fingerstyle concept wasn't exactly new to me, but I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Then one day I saw a John Williams video and realized that his nails were nowhere near as long as mine. So I tried trimming my nails down, and it made all the difference.

You talked about your tone getting thin when you started using your nails. I don't know if this is related to the problem or not, but I though it might be worth mentioning. One of the most common things that people do when they start using nails is, they tend to pluck the string upwards, away from the soundboard, which results in a very thin sound. When you pluck the string use a slight downward motion, pushing the string more towards the soundboard. This is easier to do when using rest strokes, but it takes a while to get used to doing it with free strokes. With free strokes you have to figure out exactly how much downward motion you can get, and still be able to continue in a smooth motion and not hit the string above it.

As far as length, I keep my nails relatively short. I find it best to actually stagger the nail lengths according to my finger length and the angle of my hand while playing. M (middle) is the shortest, A (ring) is the longest, and I (index) is just a little longer than M. Doing it this way makes the tips of my nails nice and parallel with the strings. The only problem I have run into doing it this way is when I am playing scales in the I A I A pattern, because both fingers are close to the same length but one nail is longer. It's just something I had to get used to.

As far as the shape goes, looking at the tip of my finger, my nails are almost a complete half moon shape (from side to side, not tip to base). So, when looking at my fingers from the side, I keep my nails filed at about a 135 degree angle in relation to the tip of my finger (or a 45 degree angle in relation to the back of my nail). Looking at the tops of my nails, they make an oval shape with the center being considerably longer than the sides. I find that this offers the smoothest release while plucking the strings.
I don't really do anything with the P (thumb) nail. I basically just keep the left edge rounded enough to not hook under the strings.

To keep my nails trimmed I usually sand on them with a medium grit emory board every couple of days or so. Just remember, fingernail clippers are a bad thing to use because they actually crush your nail instead of cutting it, and they sometimes can crack your nails.
To keep the tips of my nails smooth I use 3M 1000 grit finishing sandpaper.

When I first started growing my nails out I used the Hard As Nails brand clear polish. It's a clear brush on, you can go over it with some 1000 grit finishing sandpaper to take away some of the gloss look. I used it for about 2 months, and it thickened my nails considerably.
Another way to thicken your nails, and I know it sounds odd, is to eat Jell-o. Some of the ingredients in gelatin (you probably don't want to know what they are :) ) are converted directly into nails and hair when your body digests it.
To keep your nails moisterized and flexible use a horse hoof conditioner such as Hooflex or Hoofmaker brand. Just massage it into your nails and cuticles as needed.

I hope it helps,

Tommy

[Scott]

Scott Tennant does a nice job in his Pumping Nylon video about nails - how to file, etc. Worth while to check out if you don't have someone that can help you in person. Being a visual person it helped me out.