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Post by vikingblues on Apr 13, 2015 21:49:55 GMT
I've been using this on the back of your recommendation. Not 100% sure about my nails getting stronger though I've not had as many breakages as I'd normally expect during the time I've been using it. It does seem it might have the added bonus of killing off warts / verrucas! My VERY grateful thanks to you for that! Mark
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Post by Cams on Apr 14, 2015 12:02:29 GMT
I split a nail about a month ago to the point where it was really sore. I've been taking biotin tablets, vitamin D and Floradix and rubbing on Sally Hanser Nailgrowth Miracle Serum and filing down the exposed bit when it starts forming an edge so there's no leverage there to break it at the split. So far, so good, but it's painfully slow. Last night was the first time in ages I fingerpicked at a gig without any pain.
The problems we face!
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Post by earwighoney on Apr 14, 2015 12:33:46 GMT
Interesting thread.
It seems the majority of people here who play fingerstyle do not use fingerpicks. I think they are a different beast to fingernails but they have their advantages one of them being they allow one to forego having fingernails of a sufficient length and to create a little more volume as well.
Fingerpicks do require a lot of time to get used too, I myself was kind of forced to learn to use them when I picked up a hand injury that prevented me from playing with fingertips/fingernails. I think fingerpicking a 12 string is definitely more manageable for longer duration with fingerpicks than fingernails.
As I spend around 70-80% of my time playing nylon strings I grow my fingernails but I find they benefit being clipped every few weeks or so to varying extents, sometimes it's quite nice to have short fingernails on my right hand. At those times I generally play my neglected acoustic and 12 string guitars (very rarely electric), it's quite nice to have a break from playing nylon strings as well.
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Riverman
Artist / Performer
Posts: 7,348
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Post by Riverman on Apr 14, 2015 13:33:17 GMT
For years I grew the fingernails on my right hand, and hated the sound when I trimmed them (always inevitably a bit shorter than I intended to!). About ten years ago I started using a thumb pick, and once I got used to it I really liked the extra definition on the bass notes. But as I got older my nails seemed to get more fragile, and I developed a split on the middle one that refused to mend. For reasons I can't quite remember now, I decided to cut them all short and see what happened. Surprisingly, it wasn't all that long before I acclimatised to the softer sound, and now I'd hate to go back to the endless faff of trying to keep nails at the perfect length, and in good shape. Or visiting the nail salon every couple of weeks. Mind you, developing callouses on the right hand was every bit as painful as it was for the left hand all those years ago... I remember hearing Stefan Grossman say, at a workshop, that he hated the feel of long nails and in any event preferred the sound of flesh. There are plenty of other players who manage to sound great without nails as well, so I persuaded myself that any perceived shortcomings in the sound were problems of technique rather than hardware. Finger picks are a whole different ballgame; they make a huge difference to the dynamics if you play a resonator guitar, but now that I'm used to playing au natural I can't really be bothered with them either. As with most things guitar related I guess it's a case of each to his or her own!
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Post by Cams on Apr 14, 2015 13:36:36 GMT
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Andy P
C.O.G.
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Post by Andy P on Apr 16, 2015 8:09:45 GMT
For years I grew the fingernails on my right hand, and hated the sound when I trimmed them (always inevitably a bit shorter than I intended to!). About ten years ago I started using a thumb pick, and once I got used to it I really liked the extra definition on the bass notes. I find that even when I have nails (which isn't that often!), using a thumb pick results in the bass notes dominating as I can't get the same volume with the fingers. Playing without nails the disparity is obviously even more pronounced. How do get round that?
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Riverman
Artist / Performer
Posts: 7,348
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Post by Riverman on Apr 16, 2015 10:52:33 GMT
Andy P, I should have said that when I cut my nails short I also ditched the thumb pick, for exactly that reason.
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Post by Cams on Apr 16, 2015 11:14:39 GMT
I find that even when I have nails (which isn't that often!), using a thumb pick results in the bass notes dominating as I can't get the same volume with the fingers. Playing without nails the disparity is obviously even more pronounced. How do get round that? When I had lessons with El McMeen, he encouraged me always to use a thumbpick. His reasoning was that most acoustic players play too quietly. Playing with a thumbpick means you have to learn to have your fingers pick louder in order to balance the tone. Once you master that, you can dial the whole thing back and you'll then have headroom to spare. If your nails aren't working (which is the problem I have right now) I guess you can play with the pads of your fingers until they form callouses. I haven't got that far yet!
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Andy P
C.O.G.
Posts: 4,982
My main instrument is: Taylor 312ce, Guild D25, Deering 5 string banjo
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Post by Andy P on Apr 16, 2015 12:23:01 GMT
Here's a relevant thread. Now to find an old sock!
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