Fingernails and Stringed Instruments

[Joni Marie Cruz]

Yeah, not your usual fingenail related post. Or maybe it is and I just didn't search. Anyway, after months and months of not touching my guitar I picked it up and cuddled it and talked to it...you know what I mean, those of you who play any kind of instrument. There's a relationship, even if you don't see each other for awhile, for whatever reason.

Anyway, I had let my nails grow out and I loved them long and girly. But tonight I filed them down to little nubs and feel so bad. But it's nice to pick a few tunes out. Why do things have to be so hard. Why do we have to make such difficult choices. Okay, yeah, I know it's silly. Filing my nails down is really no big deal. Just being stupid.

Hugs...Joni Mari

[LaceyMay]

I play guitar myself, and have been growing my nails out. I found it difficult at first to play, and found myself screwing up basic runs and positions . I did not give up though. My mother plays a good guitar, and she always had long nails, so I knew it was possible to play even with the extra length. Took a few months, and some retraining on how to hold my wrist and fingers, but it was well worth it. I can now play as well as before, and have managed to keep my nails long.
All it took was teaching an old dog, some new tricks.

Best of luck, and do not be to hard on yourself.

Happy playing.

hugs;

Lacey May

[LilSissyStevie]

I play banjo - not bluegrass style but the older clawhammer style. In the clawhammer style you pick down on the string with the back of your fingernail. The fingernails on my right hand are always long and sometimes I wear a fake nail on my main picking finger if the nail is worn or broken. The nails on my left hand are always short. It looks funny so I tell people I pick my nose righthanded if they ask. When I'm doing stuff on the computer, I always have a banjo, uke or guitar in my hands so I'm not just wasteing time. When I dress, I use press on nails.

[5150 Girl]

It takes soe getting used to, but it can be done.
I can play anything with 1/4 in nails, but I can't do cords much beyond that.
I've done runs, licks, what have you with my nails 3/4 in.
(3/4 sees to be were mine break)

[Lisa Golightly]

Oh I gave up and now have three shiny ornaments in the living room... I'm sure I heard the world breathe a sigh of relief... Well least the neighbours

[Aubrey Green]

Don't forget, one of the best guitarist in the world has long fingernails. Charo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BupUq...eature=related

[Alice B]

I played guitar fro years and sang in bars. My nails were always long, especially on my right hand and at that point I was not a cross dresser. Now I am, but no longer play the guitar. Why cut your nails?

[daviolin]

I play Banjo and fiddle. and yes it is a drag when the nails get long. I just keep them trimmed just to a length that is tolerable. If I got an event comeing up I let them grow. I try to keep mine short and shaped nice. they look just as pretty as lone nails, if you shape them right.

[PaulaJaneThomas]

It's just a sacrifice we have to make for our art I can get away with longer nails on my left hand if I'm playing acoustic but if I'm playing electric they create far too much string noise especially when bending notes.

[Laura_Stephens]

Bass players can forget about long nails unless you are playing slap style with the side of your thumb. Bass players can also forget about having readable fingerprints.

[CD_DIANE]

Don't forget Dolly Parton ! I'm sure her nails are LONG, and she plays !

Diane

[Joni Marie Cruz]

Hi Girls-

Thanks for all the nice replies, you're all so sweet. May be time to experiment with some open tunings, I guess, cause I'm gonna let 'em grow out again. Right now they (my nails) are the shortest they've ever been in a couple of years. My left hand ones are filed down to where there's only a thin line of white, my right hand is a little longer. I should file them down, too, so they'll all be the same length as they grow.

Thank you all, once again. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Have fun on the 4th.

Hugs...Joni Mari

[5150 Girl]

Ok, First off, Eddie VanHalen is the king! (not Charo) IF we need a fem idol, let's look to Lita Ford.

As for Doly, I saw and interview with her and she said when she's really sitting down to play, and song write, she cuts them. She also added, when you see her on stage with the dagger lenth nails she's faking it.

Actually I personaly find it easyer to pay the base over the 6 string when my nails are long. The fatter strings keep them up off the fretboard.

[LilSissyStevie]

May be time to experiment with some open tunings...Joni Mari

You could always take up playing dobro or pedal steel.

[Starr]

While i don't play i was in the DR office with my Dad having a check up .. when the nurse ask if i played an instrument.. she said a lot of pickers have long nails and she thought i might play..

[Tal'Aura]

Jolan Tru,

As a professional musician I do not have any alternative except keeping my nails short. I tried to grow them a little bit longer, but that didn't work because I simply cannot play properly. It looks I will have to try fake nails...

[pinkeverything]

If you are only playing a blip here and there, just giver. I play all the time, so a tiny bit of nail makes a big difference. It's your choice. I keep mine in guitar mode 24/7.

[Empress Lainie]

[SIZE=4]When I started teaching guitar I cut my nails and have kept them short ever since. Hey I keep them painted, blue or pale blue with diamond dust on top, looks like opal fire.

I also play keyboard and even there if you don't want to hear clickety clickety you have to keep them short.

I had a female student once, about 27 who had long fake fingernails and she wouldn't go to short ones. She didn't do too bad, but you could always hear them and sometimes she broke one.

I always told my girl students you have a choice, play guitar or have long nails. I haven't had one yet that kept them long after seeing the difference for the ones that really wanted to play.

The boys always had short ones anyway so they never had a problem.

I actually started painting my nails a year before my transition. I saw a color I just had to have when looking at fingernail polish in Walgreen's. When I started going to the nearby salon, as my wrong birth gender, I asked the girls there if they had many men customers, and they surprised me by saying yes. The place was sold and the new owners don't know I am not a gg.[/SIZE]

[VikkiVixen7188]

Play Flamenco style ala Esteban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR-J1ZuH--g

Or take up Nylon classical guitar (insert your joke here)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ9PRzIyzFA

No decision need be made. I play Guitar and Bass....

Ooo You could play bass too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWANfBtELlc

And Eddie aint nothing, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN IS THE GUITAR GOD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCwEk6_-vAw

[5150 Girl]

O please........ I;ll give yo te boy as tallent, bt MALMSTEEN isn't fit to sine Eddie boots!
Eddie is a better mvsican
Eddie was doing is tking way first,
Eddie kolds a lot of pattons for gvitar related inventions
Eddie is way nnore fanneos in te nnain steann


PS. dve to a broken keyboard, sonne svbstitvtions kad to be nnade

[Joni Marie Cruz]

O please........ I;ll give yo te boy as tallent, bt MALMSTEEN isn't fit to sine Eddie boots!
Eddie is a better mvsican
Eddie was doing is tking way first,
Eddie kolds a lot of pattons for gvitar related inventions
Eddie is way nnore fanneos in te nnain steann


PS. dve to a broken keyboard, sonne svbstitvtions kad to be nnade

<rotlmao> Hi 51, omg, that is so funny. Our "main" computer was down for awhile so we were using the laptop which is missing the "Y" and "I" keys. So my spelling was quite inventive for a period of time also.

And thanks to all of you for all the ideas and support. You girls rock.

And, OMG! do my fingers hurt! I lost my callouses, jeeze louise, I had forgotten what it feels like.

Hugs...Joni Mari

[RachelZ]

Drums??????Anyone???? Hellooooooooo????? Can we branch this thread to include other instruments? Besides I havn't heard a pep out of anyone who plays piano, violin or cello. Guitar players...

[Samantha43]

The only thing I can do with long nails on my left hand are some power chords. I keep the nails on my left hand very short. I keep longer nails on the first 3 fingers on my right hand so I can finger pick. It does look kind of odd. Sometimes I notice people looking at my nails. No one ever says anything though. Maybe they just assume I play guitar.

I LOVE long nails though, look at my pictures. Occasionally I will take a long weekend and apply acrylic nails, then remove them to go back to work on Monday. I have very strong nails and can remove the acrylics without any damage.

O please........ I;ll give yo te boy as tallent, bt MALMSTEEN isn't fit to sine Eddie boots!
Eddie is a better mvsican
Eddie was doing is tking way first,
Eddie kolds a lot of pattons for gvitar related inventions
Eddie is way nnore fanneos in te nnain steann

Eddie VanHalen is great, but Malmsteen never really did much for me....all flash and no substance. David Gilmour is my personal favorite. He has such a sense of melody. His playing touches me in a way that I can't describe. There's more to playing guitar than shear speed.

[Joni Marie Cruz]

Drums??????Anyone???? Hellooooooooo????? Can we branch this thread to include other instruments? Besides I havn't heard a pep out of anyone who plays piano, violin or cello. Guitar players...

How can you tell if there's a drummer at your front door?


The knocking gets faster and slower.

Oh gawd, Rachel, honey, please forgive me sweetheart. I never get to tell drummer jokes. Thank you, dear. <kiss>

Hugs...Joni Mari

[RachelZ]

You can PM me some if you want. I just wanted to throw my two cents in because around where I live, it seems like one out of three people play guitar.