# Questions~~ Fingernails on the fretting hand and playing guitars...



## Kr1zalid (Jul 18, 2011)

Do long fingernails on the fretting hand DIRECTLY affects overall playability?

I got this question from few of my friends who wants to learn guitar but they have long nails (the part of the nails that can cut grows from the tips of the fingers), naturally. Few important points that I can think of regarding this matter, for now:

1. It's natural for the fretting hand to press the strings with the flesh on the tips of the fingers.
2. Long nails means it's difficult to press the strings with the tips of the fingers...

So what kind of advice will you give to this person? Or what kind of method will you use to teach them? How about pressing the strings with the nails?

- Maybe the most important question here is: They can learn to play guitars or not?

Thanks in advance!


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## dantejayg85 (Jul 18, 2011)

I usually keep mine cut short it feels better to me, when they grow out and i try to play it just feels irritating (Think finger nails on a chalk board) but I can still play.

It's preference though, I might be wrong but I think some classical guitarists grow their nails out to play.

Is there a reason they can't just cut their nails?


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## synrgy (Jul 18, 2011)

I always know when/if it's time to trim my nails when I play guitar. If I go to fret a note and my fingernail hits the fret board, the nail has to go -- immediately.

I'm sure it's technically _possible_ to play with long finger nails, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. If nothing else, it's bad technique to play with the part of one's fingers that one would need to use without their nails getting in the way.


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## Winspear (Jul 18, 2011)

synrgy said:


> I always know when/if it's time to trim my nails when I play guitar. If I go to fret a note and my fingernail hits the fret board, the nail has to go -- immediately.



Yup  Though I'd even say string rather than fretboard. If I play the high B and touch the G string, gotta cut it! I keep mine short, cut every 3 days or so.


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Jul 18, 2011)

Agreeing with everyone else here, they should cut their nails. You can play with long nails (look at Dolly Parton,) but that can lead to bad technique. And they will get used to having short nails in due time. I never kept my nails short before playing guitar, but now I can't stand having nails any longer than the shortest they can be. 

Alternatively, though, they could do what one of my friends does, and only cut the nails on their fretting hand, leaving out the thumb, but that just looks uncomfortable to me.


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## FireInside (Jul 19, 2011)

The only nail you are supposed to keep long is your pinky. This way you can do a bump in between songs....kidding of course.

I keep my short because dudes look disgusting with long nails and it effects the way I play. I don't hit the strings precise or "clean" enough with long nails.


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## Explorer (Jul 19, 2011)

Left hand is short, right hand has slightly longer nails on the thumb, index and middle fingers. If I'm going to be tapping as a regular thing, both hands are short.


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## tuneinrecords (Jul 19, 2011)

I keep my nails short on both hands. I noticed that I picked differently when I felt the nail of my middle finger touching the pick. I usually hold the pick with my thumb, index and middle fingers. Every now and then I leave the middle out. 

I teach lessons and every now and then when it's prom season you get girls coming in with these huge ridiculous done up nails. Great week for some music theory concepts. lol. 

I think I remember seeing a picture of Randy Rhoads with a long pinky nail on his right hand. C'mon, it was the early 80's.


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## TRENCHLORD (Jul 19, 2011)

dantejayg85 said:


> I usually keep mine cut short it feels better to me, when they grow out and i try to play it just feels irritating (Think finger nails on a chalk board) but I can still play.
> 
> Thats how I am as well. I just can't stand it when I can feel my nails touching on either hand. (every 3 or 4 days must cut)


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## SenorDingDong (Jul 19, 2011)

Laugh at me if you will, but usually after I cut them I file them, and it keeps them smooth and the don't grow as quickly.


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## synrgy (Jul 19, 2011)

Jstring said:


> Laugh at me if you will, but usually after I cut them I file them, and it keeps them smooth and the don't grow as quickly.



Nothing wrong with keeping good hygiene.


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## SirMyghin (Jul 19, 2011)

Explorer said:


> Left hand is short, right hand has slightly longer nails on the thumb, index and middle fingers. If I'm going to be tapping as a regular thing, both hands are short.



This is the gist of it, but I learned to tap with some nail as I do hybrid picking as well as like a bit of nail in my bass playing we are talking at most 2mm of the white though.


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## danieluber1337 (Jul 19, 2011)

If I'm doing weird chords with tight fingerings
If I'm doing a chord/layer that makes me stretch out across strings
If I'm tapping
If I'm doing an inverted chord that requires that I keep my finger that's on the B-string off of the E-string

I HAVE to cut my nails. Otherwise, my fingers sit awkwardly on the strings, and that's all I can focus on.


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## steve1 (Jul 19, 2011)

On my fretting hand I keep them short, on my picking hand I keep them a bit longer so I can still pick up pennies I find in the street etc


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## Bribanez (Jul 23, 2011)

Really?


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## Bribanez (Jul 23, 2011)

I have noticed that after 20+ years of playing my fret hand nails grow alot slower than my pick hand nails. Anyone else experiance this?


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## powergroover (Jul 23, 2011)

Kr1zalid said:


> Do long fingernails on the fretting hand DIRECTLY affects overall playability?
> 
> I got this question from few of my friends who wants to learn guitar but they have long nails (the part of the nails that can cut grows from the tips of the fingers), naturally. Few important points that I can think of regarding this matter, for now:
> 
> ...



did you mean your friend's nail is still relatively long (still stuck out of the finger) even after he/she cuts it short because as you said, it grows from the tip of the finger 

i don't think pressing the strings with the nail is good, because it's painful (at least for me ), i believe just slightly changing the pressing finger's angle will do


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## Kr1zalid (Jul 23, 2011)

powergroover said:


> did you mean your friend's nail is still relatively long (still stuck out of the finger) even after he/she cuts it short because as you said, it grows from the tip of the finger


 
Yeap. Maybe I should put it this way: The white colour part (the part where it can be cut without hurting the nail inside) of the nails of my friend are near the tip of the fingers, both hands the same...


As for the nails growing a lot slower, I just played for 5-6 years, no noticeable difference on mine...


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Jul 23, 2011)

Cut them short, especially with acoustic playing.

I've had to cut mine at gigs before as I neglected to cut them beforehand and couldn't play comfortably!


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## Tobi (Jul 23, 2011)

Kr1zalid said:


> Do long fingernails on the fretting hand DIRECTLY affects overall playability?
> 
> 
> 
> ...





No they cant, if they cant be bothered cutting of their fingernails they probably arent dedicated enough to practice either and wont get anywhere. So my answer is no, they can not learn to play guitar.


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## Mordacain (Jul 23, 2011)

I cut my nails almost to the quick on my fretting hand. I'll notice real quick if I've forgotten to when playing and will have to go run and cut them again before I can play comfortably. There is no getting around it, nails have to be short to play any stringed instrument.


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## GSingleton (Jul 24, 2011)

I have seen people scratch up their fretboards with their longer nails. : /


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## tvboy123 (Jul 25, 2011)

I once stopped biting my nails when I was a kid, it made it horrible to play guitar, really uncomfortable and annoying (on the fretting hand)....so I still continue to bite my nails to this day...a nasty habit...but it makes playing guitar feel a lot better hehe. You could say I get a custom nail trimming to provide the best comfort when playing guitar  lol.


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## NovaReaper (Jul 25, 2011)

I keep the nails on my picking hand slightly longer so i can play fingerstyle without looking and sounding like this guy


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## ZackP3750 (Jul 25, 2011)

I have a terrible habit of biting my nails, but since I was called out on it at work I've stopped and let them grow. Great thread, because I was wondering how nails would affect my fretting hand. I absolutely love to finger pick and I think letting my picking hand nails grow out would sound 1000x better than flesh on string. Back in high school I had a guitar teacher that told me to grow my nails for finger picking, and when he showed me his nails they looked like picks were growing out of his fingers. At the time I thought it was gross, but I totally want picks for fingernails now haha


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## floyo123 (Jul 26, 2011)

White Nail should be about 2-3mm, or don´t cut them if you wanna train fingerpicking (right only). But it´s important to get cornea/horny skin on your fingertips if your start practicing a lot to ease the pain...


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## drgamble (Aug 1, 2011)

I Keep em short. When I took classical guitar I would have long fingernails on my picking hand, but nearly tore off the thumb nail shredding. The top string actually got stuck under my nail. Needless to say I fingerpick with the fleshy part of my fingers or use fingerpicks. I have never had long nails on my fretting hand. If my fingernails touch the fretboard I will immediately trim them. Depending on how you play, this could also affect transitions as your nail could get hung up on a string.


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## Oceans (Aug 1, 2011)

if you're doing flamenco you might want to keep you're finger nails a little long on your right hand if you are right handed, or on your left hand if you are left handed. Other than that, in my personal opinion I play better with my finger nails cut.


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## StratoJazz (Aug 3, 2011)

Keep your fingernails short on your left hand. It makes it alot harder to play.


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## Neogospel (Aug 6, 2011)

FireInside said:


> The only nail you are supposed to keep long is your pinky. This way you can do a bump in between songs....kidding of course.



I Loled so hard xD

Tell them to try to cut their nails as much as possible, then sand them as much as possible,


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