Index nail scraping basses

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

Index nail scraping basses

Im having a tough time getting the right shape that will work for flamenco
AND classical, without getting scraping sounds from the index nail.

Ive got it ramped. Its really short on the left edge, but i still get a scrape though.

Any advice?

They look long their cause my hand is angled down.

Here's how they look straight on.

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 5 2009 1:20:38

HemeolaMan

Posts: 1514
Joined: Jul. 13 2007
From: Chicago

RE: Index nail scraping basses (in reply to ToddK)

i do the nail longer on the insede edge just the slightest, mostly for long wearing of the nail as i play alot.

i dont get any scrape

_____________________________

[signature][/signature]

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 5 2009 3:43:01

Guest

[Deleted] (in reply to ToddK)

[Deleted by Admins]

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 5 2009 7:10:15

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: Index nail scraping basses (in reply to ToddK)

I use a more parallel angle when playing flamenco, but i get the scrape
no matter what angle i use.

Unfortunately, my index nail doesnt curve down on the sides like my other
nails. Its totally flat across.
This makes it almost impossible to deal with. Im not sure what to do with it.

I cant let it grow on the left side at all, or it catches, and sounds even worse.

I suppose i will eventually figure out what length and shape will work, but im feeling impatient about it. I want it to be good right now, and its not.

I'll figure it out. Thanks for the thoughts.

TK

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 5 2009 20:39:43

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Index nail scraping basses (in reply to ToddK)

nails do weird things. maybe if you just keep it at that length for awhile, the nail will slowly start to curve. im looking at my nails right now and my left hand nails are pretty much flat. my right hand nails have a pretty strong u shape curve. unless im a freak, i'm guessing that it's just because i grew them out and that's what they transformed into.

how's that thumb shape/length for alzapua? im trying to figure my thumb out. i cant do anything beyond 2.5 mm.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 5 2009 20:55:39

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: Index nail scraping basses (in reply to ToddK)

The thumb is another interesting study.

For me, a longer thumb nail works well. My alzapua is coming along great
actually.

The only issue i find with the thumb nail, is doing alot of thumb work playing
flamenco, wears my thumb nail a bit. It doesnt wear down from the top, it
wears at the side. So it doesnt lose length, but it gets worn on the playing side.
It hasnt happened yet, but i imagine if i were to practice thoughtlessly, it would eventually wear that side past the skin, and i would begin to hit the string with
mostly flesh, and hardly any nail. Then have to wait for it to grow back from
scratch, which would take months.

Im hoping you're right about the curve growing into my index eventually.
Ive only been growing my thumb and index nails for 3 months, so i think i
just need to be more patient.

As far as you're thumbnail goes, i would just start super short again, and feel it out.
Its a tough thing with nails, cause they take so long to grow. Expirementing takes alot of guts. You have to be willing to sacrifice playing time, and that realy sucks.
How long is your thumbnail right now?

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 5 2009 22:56:28

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Index nail scraping basses (in reply to ToddK)

quote:

How long is your thumbnail right now?

exactly 2mm long from the tip of my thumb. any longer than 3mm and it catches a lot. i also have to file the left side down a good amount.

with the thumb, i play pretty perpendicular. i wonder if it's my technique that is causing the problem.

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 6 2009 5:40:23

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Index nail scraping basses (in reply to ToddK)

Hey Todd,
I think your index nail is too long and too curved. The scrape happens when your nail has to drag (however briefly) across the string winding, from the wide part at the base to the pointy tip. Try flattening it off to look a tiny bit more like your ring finger.

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 6 2009 6:00:05