Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 11:45 am Post subject: Fingernails, do they matter?
So, a lifetime ago, I made an attempt to learn classical guitar for which fingernails are critical. I bite mine and so my career as the next Segovia never really took off. I play jazz and blues now and feeling the need for better rhythm chops I bought Robben's new Rhythm Revolution course from TrueFire. He talks at length about what he does with his right hand: pick, pick and fingers, thumb, fingers, etc. He never mentions nails though and I've always wondered whether they matter as much to a blues/jazz sound as they do for Chet Atkins style fingerpicking or classical playing. Thoughts?
Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Posts: 916 Location: Fairhope, AL
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 5:49 am Post subject: nails
I think they're helpful but not essential. I keep the nails on my right hand a little longer than the ones on my left, but I find that when either finger picking or hybrid picking, I'm using the meat at the tip of the finger more than the nail.
Frank
Joined: 13 Aug 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Maine, USA
Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 11:52 am Post subject:
It's mostly a matter of personal preference. Sounds like Frank and I are very similar, but a friend of mine (who's a fantastic guitarist) has what I would call freakishly long right hand nails. On the other side of the coin: Tommy Emmanuel and Leo Kottke (to name two) don't use nails at all.
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