GUITAR TIP: How to play classical guitar without nails

Thank you!

Paulinho Nogueria is a great no-nail player.

I played with no nails for the first 15 years of playing the guitar and then realised that I wasn't getting the same sound as other classical guitarists, the sound I was getting was a bit mutted. Then I saw John Williams nails and it all dawned on my when that clear sound came from. I have been playing the last 25 years with nails. I found this video interesting to see the comparisons.

Damn, just tried it and I’ve noticed that I can’t really play as loud than with nail, as well as strumming being a bit difficult, but having non vampiric nails and being able to text is quite nice for once.

The only thing I’ve ever found with or without, is that playing with nails you have more room to work with as the nails are thin, where as using the flesh of the fingers you have to be more precise. Using only the fingertip so that you don’t mute string accidentally.

Before arthritis robbed me of much of my sensitivity, I found that playing without nails gave me the option of playing with reduced resonance and overtones or going for the full suite of overtones and resonance. Have you you found that the muted resonance or reduced overtones are a useful interpretive option ?

Nails are disgusting. Learn to play without longer nails. No matter how it sounds.

any of them used nylon strings?

I know i wont sound as bright and or crisp and clean as traditional classical technique but i want to play more styles and genres. I also play other instruments for which nails are just straight up kryptonite for technique. If there is a way to retain ability to play somewhat classically without too terrible of an impact, its a price im willing to pay.

Do both nails and no nails. It'll add more depth.

Say skin not flesh jeez, like Hannibal Lecter in that dark room saying fleshhhh waving your long creepy thumbnail around

Which strings do you recommand without nails ?

Sorry I can't wait for the answer, but I hope it's something like both are great, do what you like, but also... maybe the combo of the two is the peak... so far

I love watching your videos. You make playing guitar fun.
I learned a lot from you.

And? Do you play with nails again? 😏

I prefer the sound of nails

I really dig the approach to play classical without nails here! I was loving to play with nails for years, but after having come back to also play electric again (Punk and metal stuff) my technique with plectrum, quite tight, fast and physical, left me with "index finger nail gone". So now I work on somehow reshaping my electric style, but same time on "classical without nails", as I love both spheres. Thank you for sharing your tipps!

When I was, as a child guitarist, competing with my peers, I was always losing to them playing without nails. It is so much more difficult to play technically demanding pieces without nails, not even speaking of much quiter sound. I ended up starting playing with nails and still use them. If you have short enough nails, you always have this possibility to make your sound warmer by employing more flesh than usual.

After 14 years of playing guitar, I would cut my nails too. Do you know what I mean?

i literally can not play without any nails, i cut my nails and now i cant do a simple arpeggio or even tremelo i look like a noob

When I first started playing, I noticed that the sound I got from my nails (my thumbnail mostly) was very harsh and almost violent. I have sensitive hearing. Not in the good, musical way but in an autism kind of way and I preferred the sound of a softer finger pad ringing out the string. From that point on I just automatically used my finger pad and never thought of using a pick or my nails.

I've never played with nails. I have practiced Kukushin and Gyoku Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu (ancient Koryu martial systems) for over 30 yrs and before that other martial sports like judo. Long nails get torn easily and are a safety hazard to your training partners, If you do other outdoor activities eg fishing then they are unhygienic so my nails have always been short. I tried to use the plastic thumb and finger picks but never liked them because you cant feel the strings. so I learned to play with a plectrum for rhythm on my steel string acoustic and hollow body electric, thumb and finger tips on my nylon string and now mostly use that for rhythm on the other guitars as well. So I have developed slight callouses on the thumb and finger tips of my right hand. Anyway I'm not a professional musician or a classical guitarist so my original understanding of playing with the finger tips came from watching Mark Knopler playing his Fender Strat.

Thank you, Brandon! This was the FIRST explanation that I could use of all the lessons, videos, etc. I've tried. Wonderful.

Paco de Lucia played with shorter nails and the tips of his fingers.

Question: Have I noticed it correctly that when you play WITHOUT nails, your pinkie is touching the wood? What is the best advice about where to keep your little finger? Should it be in midair or touching the surface of the guitar for support?

I prefer playing with no nails. Producing a warmer sound is important to me. I tried with nailes and I didn't like the way it sounded

Please suggest me which one is a better choice between cordoba c12 and saers a90...

Je n ai pas d ongles, je joue uniquement avec la pulpe. Le son se cueille, se travaille, bravo d en parler... Mais vous avez encore un peu d ongles.

With short nails, I play with the flesh, but I have the option to use the nails for ponticello-like accents, or use the nail as a pick, quickly muting with the flesh for pinch harmonics.

Very very interesting. You have provided me with some great information about a topic have often wondered (worried?) about. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

No nails sounds better 🤷‍♂️

Four years on, I'd be interested to know whether you now play with nails or no nails 🙂

Thanks for this video! It was super-validating, as I simply don’t have strong nails and can’t grow them out—I’ve just been learning to play without them, including tremolo. I appreciate your humility, and your willingness to continue to study and share what you learn with all of us! ❤

With nails if you play electric guitar or steal with your fingers the nails get stuck on the steal string because it's sharper, and they turn into hang nails. It's impractical. I think they make you do it so that you can't play anything else. It's a scam to make the style as exclusive as possible. It's so a virtuous jazz guy can't switch to classical because he doesn't have nails. I just like to play different styles and anything that I like and then seeing it mix together in you're playing. I like seeing people's hands do different stuff. Like african players play index thumb and sometimes the index goes a on a lower string than the thumb. It effects they're natural rhythm.

It seems antithetical to use the word dark to sometimes describe playing without nails and also I've heard it used for minor chords and keys (many people). Warm seems more appropriate. Nails to me unfortunately are getting to close to nails on a blackboard. I too agree with Pujol.

Thanks!

After struggling for years with nails that are cracking and losing their shape as I age, I saw this and said “that’s it”. Happy to say I am not going back though I am following you in keeping a thumbnail (artificial usually). ANC comments about rest vs free stroke with no nails?

This is great because I can't stand having long nails, and even if I could stand it, I immediately break, tear, snag etc them creating a painful situation.

Glue on fake nails when you want that tone me love no nails harder to master but for classical guitar you feel the instrument. THE MUSIC becomes heart felt the instrument becomes part of you. EG. a great singer will put there heart and soul in a song. It’s what brings the song to life.👍😎

As someone who has extremely brittle nails, I love this video!

Since I basically HAVE to play without nails, I'm going to work on improving my finger pad technique with the help of the resources and info you shared.

Cool. When I studied I did not use nails. I used the Gran Metodo para guitarra which is co-authored by Sinopoli. And he recommends cutting the thumb nail. I just started to play with nails, and i find it difficult. It still sounds too metallic. I am planning to vut my finger nails after watching this video

I've been struggling with keeping my nails in shape even before I was a professional performer. Segovia was a nails guy .I prefer the sound of nails but sick of filing and shaping.

گيتا جان
نوازندگي بدون ناخن را فراموش كن. اگر ميشد من تا بحال چندين CD ضبط كرده بودم

Please - do shave your beard. Sincere greetings.

Well I'm glad you did! You are a man and man don't have long nails bro! LOL!

I highly recommend the basic understanding of physics on plucked strings: how strings are excited (plucked) makes a huge difference in tonal qualities, volume, dynamics, and harmonics. Before considering whether to play with or without nails, this basic understanding will determine what is right for you. I cannot think of a single professional classical player with proper tutorage plays without nails. For example, try playing any tremolo pieces without nails, then you'll realize the necessity of clean finger exit. Of course arguments on historical playing techniques can be made, but only in the correct historical context in which strings and guitars were made very differently. The historical preference of a more lute sounding playing technique (without nails) lasted for centuries when lute was the plucked string instrument of choice (even at imperial courts in Europe). The modern guitar is only about a century old and its ever-evolving construction techniques, choices of materials, and the sheer understanding of the physics of acoustics, along with the modern guitar strings , have greatly contributed to the modern preferences on good guitar sound. Do we really want to make a guitar sound like a lute? What's the real point of limiting a modern guitar's tonal variations by imposing an out-dated tonal preference. Remember, Segovia was the first guitarist (who played with nails) that brought the guitar to the concert stage (large scale musical compositions such as concertos) whereas all the old masters (before Segovia) were just content playing in small, intimate saloon settings. Try playing a concerto without nails, then you'll know why!!!

Your no nails nails are longer than my nearly perfect nails