What should guitarists' nails look like and how should they be looked after?

It turns out that the length of the guitarist's nails can affect the quality of his playing. Professional musicians know that a characteristic such as the timbre of a sound can really correlate with the length of the nails. And this is a weighty argument to consider the issue in more detail.

Probably, everyone has seen a number, clip, fragment of a concert or a video tutorial at least once, in which the long nails of a male guitarist are literally striking. No, if a girl is playing the guitar, there are much fewer questions. But a man can surprise. But not graduates of music schools and music colleges.

However, everything is done not only for the sake of the artist's image and the factor of better memorization. Moreover, the guitarist's long nails can only be on one hand, on the other they are neatly trimmed and filed.

But the long nails on the guitarist's right hand grow out for a more expressive sound. In fact, the elongated plate acts as, if not an additional instrument, then as a mediator. This often happens with classical guitar musicians. This is also not very rare among flamenco musicians. But those who play the acoustic guitar don't get those nails. Owners of electric guitars, of course, also avoid this image.

Why it is so important: the specificity of the sound sets its own requirements. Classical guitar has nylon strings. Traditionally, they are not played with a pick.Therefore, if the sound is extracted exclusively with the pads of the fingers, it will be soft, quiet and even a little sluggish. But real performances, concerts (as opposed to home music-making) need a bright and dense sound.

It should be said right away: it is not a fact that from the first attempt it will be possible to grow nails of the optimal length and shape. Sometimes it takes a month to find the perfect look, and sometimes even half a year. But if you focus on advice, you can speed up the process. The main advice is to rely on the anatomical shape of the finger, nail strength and its shape. Again, a lot is decided by the style in which the musician works. The shape of the nail for a classical musician or flamenco performer may differ.

What are the features of the length:

• if the nail is short, the fingertips will be in contact with the string to a greater extent, the sound will be open, flat and not entirely of high quality;
• long plates from the performer make the sound more intense, lively and sonorous;
• it will also be wrong to tune in only to play with nails - high-speed play, busting and fast passages must be played with the help of pads;
• the length is slightly below average, closer to short, is considered optimal - such nails do not interfere with playing especially difficult moments.

However, simply growing your nails to make the guitar sound more expressive is not enough. It is impossible not to cut them corny, allowing them to grow naturally. It is also important to keep fit.

The process is subtle: a beginner guitarist should make a round nail shape, which is as simple as possible. It is very close to natural, but slightly finished around the edges. This crescent shape is a good reference point. Later, getting used to this form, evaluating the game with its help, you can correct it. The so-called nail tip must be shifted to the right side, a little further.

It should be trimmed at an angle of 35-45 degrees. And this semicircle should be seen not only in the "full face", but also from the side. This means that the artist's nails should be rounded. The correct execution is checked as follows: you need to muffle the string by running your fingernail along it, and no grinding or shuffling should be heard.

If the nails look unkempt, there is no strict form, this will definitely not add beauty to the sound. Sharp fragments of nails, corners, so-called peaks, whose sharpness also deforms the sound, will also prevent him. The control of dynamic shades of this form is simply excluded. And not only does the sound and strings suffer from these nails, but so does the fretboard. A metal file, a polisher, buffs - all this will help to give the nails an optimal shape without much difficulty.

As already noted, the option “nails just don't cut and everything is fine” will not work. It is not enough to grow nails, giving them the desired shape is not enough: you should monitor their condition so that they are strong, do not deform, do not flake off.

10 tips for nail care for the guitarist.

1. In everyday life, long nails are not always comfortable. And if for some reason the nail breaks, it will upset the guitarist. He will have to use false nails (which few people like). Therefore, it makes sense to try to accustom yourself to do some actions with the other hand. At first, it will most likely be uncomfortable, but you can get used to it. And for the brain, such exercises are very useful.
2. Whether or not to cover nails with varnish is an individual question. This may be the theme of the image, many eminent musicians enjoy using varnish and cannot imagine their hands without it. Or you can do just a transparent matte varnish. It is almost invisible, while at the same time the nail looks more neat. But this action is not obligatory.
3. Gelatin baths are very useful for the strength of nails, their strength.Dissolve a tablespoon of gelatin in one glass of hot water. In this solution, you need to hold your fingers for a while, only the tips. 20 minutes is enough. After that, wash your hands without soap, grease with hand cream.
4. Castor oil is extremely beneficial for nail health: simply lubricating the plate with it daily can achieve good results.
5. Salt baths are a strengthening option that can be alternated with gelatinous ones. It's just that sea salt is diluted in hot water, fingers are dipped into the slightly cooled water for 20 minutes. In a glass of water - a tablespoon of sea salt. You can do such baths every other day.
6. The instrument used for processing must be perfect for a particular musician. That is, you need to keep looking for your file or polish until the result is perfect.
7. Oral multivitamins aimed at improving the condition of hair and nails will also not be an unnecessary measure.
8. A set for manicure care is always individual. It should also be protected, worn in a convenient cosmetic bag or other case, keeping it clean. After all, getting an infection during a manicure is a real thing.
9. The simplest remedy is a good nourishing hand cream. You need to use it every day, carefully smearing the cream into the plates.
10. If you want to find the best file, it will be a steel blade with a notch, as well as a diamond coating (dusting from other precious stones is also welcome).