Long Nails

Mars

Mars

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I have been wanting to grow the nails on my right hand for playing the guitar. I play ok without nails, but I want to find out what its like and if it makes a big difference.

The issues are obviously the way it looks and the way people (specifically customers) would see it. Would it be a problem to have neat slightly longer nails on one hand?
 
Ever heard of one of these?

Guitar-picks.jpg

That way you won't be disgusting.
 
what style are you playing?I prefer to play with nails (classical) but usually cut them off. customers arent gna ask you why one hand is long,theyre just gna be grosed out.
 
HeftyCrab said:
what style are you playing?I prefer to play with nails (classical) but usually cut them off. customers arent gna ask you why one hand is long,theyre just gna be grosed out.
Click to expand...

I prefer picking, but until now I have just done it with bare fingers. I have let my nails grow about 2 mm on my picking hand and the sound is really pretty, much nicer than the dull flesh only sound.
 
To all the idiots suggesting plectrums, you clearly know ****all about playing guitar.

If you're going to fingerpick, you need to grow your nails - Just keep them clean is all, it's not as if you need dracula claws...
 
copacetic said:
To all the idiots suggesting plectrums, you clearly know ****all about playing guitar.

If you're going to fingerpick, you need to grow your nails - Just keep them clean is all, it's not as if you need dracula claws...
Click to expand...

Well then, the OP can go ahead and grow his nails. He'll just have to pay the price if clients are grossed out.
 
Picard said:
Well then, the OP can go ahead and grow his nails. He'll just have to pay the price if clients are grossed out.
Click to expand...

It's going to take a pretty ****ing weird person to be 'grossed out' by nails that are a little longer than usual.

I've never had a comment in my entire guitar playing life about my fingernails...

*edit*

The only thing you really have to be careful about is if you are inserting your fingers into an orifice.

Which, for most businesses, should not happen with clients.
 
I grow my finger nails the same length as the flesh of the fingertip, so when I finger-pick, I strike the string with a bit of flesh and nail. I find it gives me a warmer sound which I like.
 
@Copacetic - Wow thats the first time in all my years that I have heard that you NEED long nails to play classical guitar.

Strange that my old guitar teacher who studied at the tech music school in London and has been playing for over 10years does not need long fingernails to play a perfectly fine fingerpicking piece. Also strange that my 3 years at COPA they never mentioned that you NEED to use nails for fingerpicking.. it is called fingerpicking and not nailpicking or anything else. Please dont get my argument wrong, it is certainly acceptable to use nails but it is not necessary and telling people that they know ****all about playing guitar cos they suggested a plectrum, clearly you have never heard of a hybrid fingerpicking style.
 
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m4dh4tt3r said:
@Copacetic - Wow thats the first time in all my years that I have heard that you NEED long nails to play classical guitar.

Strange that my old guitar teacher who studied at the tech music school in London and has been playing for over 10years does not need long fingernails to play a perfectly fine fingerpicking piece. Also strange that my 3 years at COPA they never mentioned that you NEED to use nails for fingerpicking.. it is called fingerpicking and not nailpicking or anything else. Please dont get my argument wrong, it is certainly acceptable to use nails but it is not necessary and telling people that they know ****all about playing guitar cos they suggested a plectrum, clearly you have never heard of a hybrid fingerpicking style.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I was not very coherent, but I was referring to the people who seemed to be indicating that a plectrum is a replacement for finger picking, which it is not.

Of course you don't need nails for finger picking, but it sure is going to sound a bit weird without any sort of percussive attack to the sound, especially with regard to the bass strings and your thumb...

Of course I've heard of hybrid picking, that was not my point, as the plectrums in this thread were clearly brought up in the sense of 'why grow your nails for finger picking, when you can use a plectrum?'...

*edit*

Thinking about it, I'd imagine there are time when you'd want a brighter sound (nails), and times when you would not (pads of fingers) - Thing is, with slightly longer nails you can do both, and with clipped nails you can only do the one. As always, tone is key, and the more options you have, the better.
 
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copacetic said:
To all the idiots suggesting plectrums, you clearly know ****all about playing guitar.

If you're going to fingerpick, you need to grow your nails - Just keep them clean is all, it's not as if you need dracula claws...
Click to expand...

Ive fount if they get too long then i lose a percentage of control.maby im just not used to it. i like it when theyre just shorter than the tip of my finger.max the same length.
 
HeftyCrab said:
Ive fount if they get too long then i lose a percentage of control.maby im just not used to it. i like it when theyre just shorter than the tip of my finger.max the same length.
Click to expand...

Whatever works.

I was just commenting on the binary nature of the plectrum VS fingers thing. At least that's the way I read it.

I still maintain though, you will need your nails to be able to strike the strings, and I don't know what other peoples' fingers look like in that regard, but for me to manage this, my nails certainly need to be a little longer than normal.
 
copacetic said:
Sorry, I was not very coherent, but I was referring to the people who seemed to be indicating that a plectrum is a replacement for finger picking, which it is not.

Of course you don't need nails for finger picking, but it sure is going to sound a bit weird without any sort of percussive attack to the sound, especially with regard to the bass strings and your thumb...

Of course I've heard of hybrid picking, that was not my point, as the plectrums in this thread were clearly brought up in the sense of 'why grow your nails for finger picking, when you can use a plectrum?'...

*edit*

Thinking about it, I'd imagine there are time when you'd want a brighter sound (nails), and times when you would not (pads of fingers) - Thing is, with slightly longer nails you can do both, and with clipped nails you can only do the one. As always, tone is key, and the more options you have, the better.
Click to expand...

yea sorry, maybe i came across a bit harsh myself xD... yea ofcors you are right about the last point, depending on what kind of sound you are looking for depends on the style you will use. And I guess hybrid picking also has it's downsides in terms of speed, you will never play a country style piece that is very technical using a hybrid picking method(or atleast not easily). Hybrid definitely works well for most of the beginner and some intermediate parts but the really fast stuff needs to be done with pure finger picking.
 
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